“But we’re supposed to start—” Val whispers back.
I aim a snap down the hall, threatening him with my eyes. “Comeon.”
I slip behind him with the narrow fabric of Brandon’s bowtie as we walk, then begin to blindfold him.
“What are you—” he starts, but I shove him blindly into the ladies’ room without a word.
Julia slips out past him, but we can’t resist pressing our ears to the door. Bewildered voices turn into the ecstatic shouts of long-awaited dreams coming true.
Julia sniffs, and I laugh softly through a trail of my own tears.
“Our makeup is going to be screwed, isn’t it?” she whispers.
“Worth it,” I say with a smile, resting my head against the wood grain.
Amantha and Val’s reception is lit. There’s simply no other way to describe it.
After the tissue-filled ceremony in which Anthony trudged down the aisle flinging lily petals, Rick officiated, and Brandon mouthed, “I love you,” from beside Val, all the guests rounded The Spiral to the Bloomburg wing.
The empty space had been between exhibitions, but it now booms with lights, music, and a full-on dance floor.
Past The Lightsby Accidentally on Purpose spills out of the speakers, a wide circle surrounding Brandon as he drops into the same boyband routine he performed at that grandma’s bachelorette party. I whoop and cheer along with the crowd as he throws me a wink from his breakdancing pose.
Amantha claps in time beside me, a shining vision of satin and sweat. Her formal bun is long gone, and her waves whip wildly around her face. Val stands mere inches behind her in his formal white button-up, his hands subtly resting atop her stomach.
He catches me watching and gives me a roguish smile.
“You guys are next.” He jerks his head toward my massive boyfriend currently whipping the crowd into a riot.
A laugh bubbles out of me as I clap in time to the music.
Although I’m unsure if Val is referencing the recent ceremony or the sweet baby growing in my friend’s tummy, I’m thrilled at both ideas.
Twenty minutes later, I slump into a chair. My feet feel like they’ve been run over by a garbage truck. I huff a sweaty curl away and pry my heels off.
Brandon went to go get us drinks—soda water for him—but apparently has been abducted by Val’s Nonna and is now enduring a slow dance with her wandering hands.
I’m still laughing as Julia plops down beside me.
“Dallas is getting us drinks.” She also glistens with sweat, but on her flawless skin, it looks like morning dew. Her left hand wriggles the diamond engagement ring between her fingers. She does it so often, I’m not sure she even realizes it.
“Don’t you mean yourfiancéwent to get you drinks?” I tease.
She grins. “Yes. Gosh I’m so excited for all this.” She gestures to the venue. “I’m gonna overthink a billion decisions, aren’t I?”
“Yes,” I chuckle, “you are.”
She sighs, scanning the hall. I watch her smile falter as her gaze lands on Eric Sanderson’s gleaming head. “I’m sad Tuck wasn’t able to fly back from London for this.”
I take her hand, squeezing gently. “I know. Brandon isn’t handling him leaving too well, either. You guys are all so close.”
“We are.” She sniffs. “Or were. I don’t know. It feels like there’s anocean between us.” She pauses with a tiny laugh. “I guess there actually is.”
I watch her waning happiness. “You could always go visit him, you know.”
Julia blanches, red hair fanning as she shakes her head. “No. I don’t do planes.”
The sullen expression on her face tells me this is not the time to pry.
