“All right, all right,” he said, waving me off. “It was just a suggestion.”
“I need a suggestion,” piped up Paisley, who didn’t seem to be following the conversation anymore. “Have you chosen a venue for this wedding?”
I shook my head and reached for a breadstick from our delivery box. “Venue is less important to me than just having people there,” I admitted. “Maybe ask Korbin? He could have some ideas.”
“Wherever we find, it will be amazing,” Paisley assured me. “Do you trust me?”
“Wholeheartedly.”
“Good. I’ll take care of it.” She stood from the couch to go to the kitchen for a water bottle, chugging it near the sink.
“Um, Paisley,” I said, getting to my feet to follow her, leaving Rem back on the couch, mumbling to himself over colors I needed to pick out. “How soon exactly do you believe this wedding will take place?”
“I’m aiming for a few weeks,” Paisley said. “That should give you enough time to order your dress. Remington and I will take care of the rest.”
“A few weeks?” I felt faint suddenly and had to hold onto the island counter to keep from falling. “Paisley—that’s far too soon! I was thinking, like, a year?”
“Don’t be silly.” She crumpled up the water bottle and tossed it into the recycling bin with a shrug. “What do you have to wait for, Peyton? More bad luck?”
“Well, I mean, I—” I faltered, unsure of how to respond to this. She was correct; there was no reason to push the wedding back. But then again…. “What’s the rush?” I asked, and this time it was Rem who answered.
“You should have married this man five years ago,” he said, stepping up next to me. “Aren’t you ready now?”
“Yes,” I said and chugged a few gulps of my wine. “Yes, I’m ready. You’re right. I can do this.”
“You can,” said Paisley with a smile and a nod. “And we’re here to help you.”
“Rem,” I said, stopping my friend as he started to turn away. “Maybe seeing Amanda isn’t the worst idea in the world. Should I go in for a visit tomorrow?”
“I don’t know if it’s the wine talking or your insecurities talking,” said Rem. “But I will support you in whatever you decide to do.”
“We all will,” Paisley said, stepping up. “Are you going to tell Korbin?”
“I think he’ll probably try to talk me out of it,” I sighed. “I think I’d rather see her myself first.”
“Let’s see how you feel in the morning,” Rem said as the three of us returned to the couch with a third bottle of wine. “Because you might just change your mind.”
* * *
I hadn’t. I hadn’t changed my mind about seeing Amanda, much to my dismay, when I woke the next morning with a splitting headache and wine sloshing around in my empty stomach. Both Paisley and Rem had slept over, and they were both snoring face-down in my bed, right next to me, when my eyes fluttered open, and I looked down.
“Paisley,” I whispered, and she groaned, throwing a stray pillow over her head. “Is Korbin okay with the guys?”
“They went to my house last night,” she mumbled. “Probably still sleeping, like we should be doing.”
I chuckled, sliding quietly off the bed to go to the bathroom to shower and compose myself. The hot water helped my hangover, and Remington was awake when I came out, fully dressed. Paisley was still unconscious under the covers.
“Going somewhere?” Rem hissed, following me down the stairs and into the kitchen, where I made a pot of coffee.
“I’m going to see Amanda,” I said. It felt like there was no time to waste, not anymore. If it’s the last thing I did, I will convince Amanda to drop the charges against my fiancé.
“Do you want company?” Rem asked, and I shook my head, going to the cupboard for a travel mug for coffee.
“I think it’s better if I do this alone,” I told him. “But just stay here, okay? Hang out. It shouldn’t take me more than an hour or so.”
“I’ll make breakfast,” Rem said, throwing his arms around me. “Good luck, Peyton.”
I drove across town towards the city jail, stopping more than once to sit on the side of the road and let my car idle, tempted to blow this whole thing off and go home. But I couldn’t. I needed to face her. Even if nothing at all changed, at least I’d be able to tell her how I felt without a gun to my head.
