“And who are the Playboy bunnies?” the soon-to-be wife of my best friend asked, calling my attention back to her as she arched her pale eyebrow and frowned at me with disappointment. “If I recall, the invitations said plus guest, as in singular, not plus double penetrationtwins.”
I threw back my head and howled with laughter until tears formed in my eyes. Tossing my heavy arm around Tessa’s slender shoulders, I pulled her close to me. “This is why I love Tessa, because she’s hilarious and witty,” I said, grinning atBrock.
I really did love his fiancé; Tessa was a sweet girl with a whole lot of brains. She was heading to vet school in the fall. But probably the best part about Tessa was the fact that she made my best friend extremely happy, and kept him coming home on theregular.
“Unlike the two high-class call girls you brought home?” Tessa’s best friend, Elle, rolled her eyes. “What Travis, you can’t find girls with IQs in Hollywood? As if you had to bring more trash into thistown.”
They weren’t wrong, the girls I’d walked in with where every bit as shallow and sultry as they looked. I hadn’t chosen their company for their great conversational skills, I’d brought them back to Parry Sound with me on awhim.
And I was already deeply,deeplyregretting thatwhim.
“Easy, Elle,” Tessa said, interrupting before I could think of a single thing to say in response. “Play nice. We don’t know what their IQsare.”
“Where’s Becky tonight?” I asked. I was done with the conversation of my guests, and impatient as all hell. My eyes roamed the room again, seeking out her silky hair. I studiously ignored Tasha and Sandra, who gazed at me with star-strucklonging.
“She just left,” Elle said through narrowed eyes. “Unlike some people around here, she hasresponsibilities.”
She was pissed, and I couldn’t figure out if she was mad at me or mad at her ex-boyfriend sitting at the table beside me, but usually Elle’s greetings were a littlewarmer.
“Ouch,” I drawled, easily hiding my disappointment and regret. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t noticed Becky slipping past me. “She’s feisty tonight,” I added, sending a knowing look to Brock’s younger brother, Braden. He had dated her for the longest time when they were both still in high school. Four years ago—around the time of the first legendary hook-up with Becky—they broke up. I hadn’t seen them together since then, but damn, the sexual tension rolled off them both inwaves.
“That she is,” Braden said, his eyes fixated on her. I left them to it, trying to press down on the uneasy swirl of disgust I felt over my own actions. I was laying it on thick, but really—it was a defensivemechanism.
My public persona was an easy going flirt, and I’d gotten used to themask.
“Let’s go, I think we’ve done enough planning tonight,” Elle said to Tessa, nodding to the door. The two friends looked at each other, seeming to communicate without speaking. I used to call them the terror twins when they werekids.
“Alright, later everyone,” Tessa said, wrapping her arms around Brock’s waist when he stood up. They kissed, molding into one. “Brock, get your groomsman in line,” shewarned.
“Yes ma’am,” Brock grinned, kissing her again before they separated. The girls left, and I slid into the booth besideBraden.
“Anybody need another beer?” Grady asked, standingup.
“I need one,” I nodded. “Tell O’Riley to put it on mytab.”
“The whole night’s on your tab,” Gordonjoked.
“So be it,” I shrugged, unaffected. I didn’t mind sharing my wealth, but he was just kidding. None of these guys would let me pay for their beers without a scrap. Pride ran deep in thistown.
“Alright, let’s plan this shit. What are we doing for the bachelor party?” Grady asked once he had returned to the table with several bottles of Budweiser. He slid one across the table for me, and I grabbed it gratefully, drinking itback.
“We could go to Vegas,” I suggested a moment later, deadly serious. I loved Vegas. Even though I’d just come from there, I’d be willing to go backtomorrow.
“Or we could go to the strip club,” Gordon countered, grinning widely and waggling hiseyebrows.
“There’s strip clubs in Vegas, dumbass,” I pointed out with asmirk.
“I don’t want a bachelor party,” Brock cut in, shrugging. “And I definitely don’t want to go to Vegas.” He stole a quick glance at his younger brother. Braden was still watching after Elle like a lovesick puppy, but I caught his reference. I knew Brock didn’t want to make it difficult forhim.
“Travis, are you ready to go yet?” Tasha’s singsong voice rang out just as her hand landed on my shoulder, and I fought the urge to wince. I’d forgotten they were still there. “Sandra and I are super tired,” she hinted, biting down on her lower lip and giving me fuck-me eyes. The old me would have found it sexy ashell.
Now, I just found their routine tiring. Tiring andfake.
“Paul will take you back to the hotel,” I told them, flashing them a cheeky grin to lessen the blow a little. I gestured to the burly man lingering near the door. “I’ll join youlater.”
I had no desire to go back to the hotel to meet them later, and I wouldn’t. I’d still make sure they got to the airport to catch their flight, and I’d cover everything because I felt like a fucking jackass for inviting two girls I didn’t even want around in the first place, but I definitely wasn’t feeling the hookupvibe.
My thoughts were firmly rooted on someoneelse.
