Emma smiles.
Sabrina forces a smile.
I force a smile.
She nudges me.
And rather than let myself get drawn into a scene that would make Emma ask what in the world is wrong with the two of us, I slip into one of the small dressing rooms. “Last one ready gets less-fancy tea and cookies in the serenity lounge,” I say.
But even once we’re in the serenity lounge—Sabrina, Claire, and I supposedly relaxing while Emma gets her massage—none of us are smiling.
Claire watches us mostly quietly.
Except for one small comment. “There’s no drama like small-town drama, is there?”
Sabrina grimaces.
I wince.
She’s not wrong.
And while part of me wishes I could’ve avoided it, the other part—
“So, you and Emma’s brother, hmm?” Claire adds.
Yeah.
That other part.
No regrets.
Getting to know Theo—to understand what makes him tick, to look past who I thought he was in high school to who he truly is today, tolikehim, to have fun with him—has been worth every worry and irritation.
“He’s a lot more than I ever gave him credit for,” I tell her. “I just hope I’m good enough for him.”
Sabrina smiles at me. “The very fact that you’d say you want to be good enoughfor Theosays everything you need to know about how much you two deserve each other.”
“I can’t believe I would’ve thought that was an insult two weeks ago.”
She laughs.
I do too.
No matter what happens with Emma’s wedding, Theo is the one part I willneverregret.
“Did you know he’s modeling?” I ask her.
She pins me with a look I can’t interpret. “He…told you about that?”
“Not exactly. I figured it out. And then I dropped it. We’re not talking about jobs. I’m not being boring.”
She stares at me like I’ve grown a second head.
“What?” I ask. Creepy crawlies are dancing across my skin.
Something’s wrong.
“I’m just really, really glad that you’re finally finding the fun in your life, and really, really glad that you’re fully out of that box you’ve been living in. Open-mindedness looks good on you.”
