“That it left through the same drain I flushed my career down.” He pressed another quick kiss to my temple, lingering just long enough to make my pulse quicken. “Come on, let’s make the rounds before you start gnawing on the ice sculpture.”
We moved through the crowded rooftop venue, stopping every few feet for congratulations, questions about the app, and the occasional thinly veiled inquiry about our personal relationship. The champagne flowed freely, the music provided perfect background ambiance, and despite my complaints about the microscopic food portions, even I had to admit the event was a stunning success.
I was in the middle of explaining the app’s custom template feature to a bridal magazine editor when a familiar voice cut through the crowd.
“There’s my absolute queen!”
I turned to see Devonna pushing through the crowd, her curves beautifully showcased in a form-fitting purple dress that complemented her deep brown skin perfectly. Behind her trailed a man I didn’t recognize—tall and lean with short curly blonde hair and the kind of smile that screamed, “I could sell you a bridge in Brooklyn and you’d thank me for the opportunity.”
“Devonna!” I exclaimed, accepting her enthusiastic hug. “You made it! And you brought...”
“Miles,” she supplied, pulling the man forward. “Miles Houston. My... fiancé.”
The slight hesitation before “fiancé” was so subtle I almost missed it. Almost.
“Fiancé?” I repeated, eyebrows shooting up. “That’s... new. And fast. Didn’t you just reconnect last month?”
“When you know, you know,” Miles said smoothly, extending his hand to Hudson. The sleeve of his expensive suit rode up enough toshow the edge of what was likely a sleeve of tattoos. “Miles Houston. I’ve heard a lot about you, man. The app looks amazing.”
“Hudson Jones,” Hudson replied, shaking Miles’s hand. He’d officially changed his last name five months ago, choosing something simple. “Nice to meet you. And congratulations on your engagement.”
“Thanks.” Miles glanced at Devonna. “Don’t know what I’d do without my little lady.”
“Right,” Devonna stiffened when he put an arm around her shoulder. “Anyways, lovely party. Good to see you both.”
My bullshit detector, which was finely honed by years of dealing with bridezillas and their “completely reasonable” demands, was now blaring at full volume.
“Uh-huh.” I narrowed my eyes at my friend, who responded with her most innocent smile. “Well, we’ll definitely need to get together soon to hear all about this whirlwind romance.”
“Absolutely,” Miles agreed, his grin just a touch too wide to be entirely sincere. “It’s quite a story. Involves a case of a jilted daughter, a minor debt, and a very angry peacock.”
Hudson blinked. “A peacock?”
“He’s joking,” Devonna said quickly, elbowing Miles in the ribs with more force than seemed necessary. “Isn’t he hilarious? Always making up wild stories. Anyway, we should circulate. Congratulations again on the app launch!”
As she dragged Miles away by the arm, Devonna leaned in close to my ear and whispered, “I need to talk to you. Soon. About this... engagement.”
Before I could respond, she disappeared into the crowd, leaving me staring after them with narrowed eyes.
“That was...”
“Suspicious as hell,” I finished for Hudson. “She’s hiding something. And what’s with the blonde Ken doll? Since when does Devonna go for guys who look like they sell questionable timeshares in their spare time?”
“He seems?—”
“Like a walking red flag in a possibly stolen Armani suit? Yeah, I noticed.” I sipped my champagne. “Ten bucks says he’s either in witness protection or running from debt collectors.”
“Or maybe they’re just private about their relationship,” Hudson suggested, ever the obnoxious voice of reason.
“I mean, she is, but still. I call bullshit.” I shook my head. “Something’s definitely up with those two. And I’m going to find out what it is.”
“Well, whatever it is, it can wait until after our launch party.” Hudson steered me toward another group of guests. “Right now, we have your success to celebrate.”
Despite my curiosity about Devonna’s mysterious “engagement,” the next hour passed in a blur of introductions, congratulations, and demonstrations of the app’s features. Industry leaders praised the intuitive design, tech investors expressed interest in our next development phase, and wedding professionals raved about how the platform would revolutionize their workflow.
Our platform. Our success. It still felt surreal, seeing my idea brought to life, with my name prominently featured as the creator. Even more surreal was doing it all with Hudson by my side. Not as rivals, not as reluctant partners, but as a team. A real team.
“Mari! Hudson!”
