So far, Josh and I have racked up four official dates: brunch on Sunday, dinner that night, breakfast on Monday, and lunch yesterday. Tonight, he invites me over for dinner, but I put him off. I need a night to catch up on work, decompress, and carve out a little space to think.
Everything about us feels too easy. I want to be with him constantly. I’m already attached, already falling for him—and that terrifies me. That’s why I “book” lunch with Bess today.
“Babe!” Bess waves from across the room, her voice carrying. “Get that cute butt over here!”
I smile, striding toward her, but my steps falter when I see who else is at the table. She’s brought some of her bridesmaids.
Sliding into a chair, I feel a pang of disappointment knowing our usual one-on-one gossip session is off the table. “Hey, I didn’t realize we had a thing today.”
“Well, we need to plan the bachelorette and a few other events, and I just thought, why not kill two birds with one stone?” Bess beams, completely unbothered.
“Ah, sure.” I reach for the menu, trying not to sigh.
“Oh, babe, I hope you don’t mind, but I already ordered for you. It’s more efficient. I know you’re busy.”
“Ah, sure,” I repeat, resigning myself to whatever’s coming.
“Now!” Bess claps her hands, leaning in. “Let’s get down to business. Tell me all about the bachelorette party.”
The bridesmaids—all four of them—turn to stare at me. None of these women are on my list of favorite people. They’re here because Bess’s father pressured her to include them for the sake of his business partnerships. I hate that for her, but I know how much she loves and respects him, even when it costs her.
“I thought we’d start with a spa day—” I begin, keeping my tone neutral.
“Oh, please.” Hayley Freemont rolls her eyes dramatically. “She wants us to stay in town and do boring shit. It’s totally her MO. Don’t let her ruin this for us, Bessie.”
I bite the inside of my cheek, swallowing the urge to snap back. The Freemonts donated half a million dollars to the center last year, and I can’t afford to ruin my chances for another donation.
“Is that true, Molly?” Bess asks, turning those big, sad eyes on me.
“Well, I just thought with the wedding so close, we wouldn’t have time to travel?—”
“Doesn’t Peter have a vacation house?” Rose Umbridge taps a perfectly manicured finger against her lips. “We could totally party there.”
I try to inject some reason into the conversation. “The bachelor and bachelorette parties are scheduled for two weeks before the wedding. If we plan travel, we’ll have to cancel the—” I pull the wedding booklet from my bag, flipping to the events list. “We’ll have to cancel the makeup and hair trials or the finaldress fittings.” I glance up, speaking calmly. “The only free weekend is this one, and there’s no way we?—”
“Let’s do it!” Bess declares, her face lighting up. “This weekend. We can talk the guys into coming with us. I’ll call the catering company if you ladies plan the entertainment.” Bess turns to me, her excitement palpable. “My cousin’s house is down the road from the Greenfeld’s. We can put the guys up there.”
I see my quiet weekend with Josh slipping through my fingers like sand. “But, Bess?—”
“Yes! Let’s do it,” Hayley cuts me off, smirking triumphantly. “But if you’re too busy to be maid of honor, Molly, I’d be happy to step in?—”
“No,” I grind out through clenched teeth. Taking a deep breath, I force a smile onto my face. “I’ve got this.”
I don’t, though. It’s Wednesday, and I already have a million things to do before Friday.
Rose holds up her phone. “I just texted the others. They’re totally in.”
“I’ll need a list of the other people you want to invite,” I say to Bess, mentally rewriting my entire week.
“Oh, just the usual suspects. We’ll do the Disney version for my family when we get home. I’m sure a spa day followed by a tame dinner will suffice.” She waves a hand in my direction, as if that’s all the explanation needed. “But this weekend? I want decadence. Strippers and alcohol.”
“I’ll get it organized,” I say, sighing inwardly as disappointment settles deep in my chest.
“Great! Now.” Bess turns her attention back to the others. “Let’s talk dates. Who are you all bringing? Who do I need to keep an eye on?”
“We all know Molly isn’t bringing anyone,” Hayley mutters with a smug little smile.
I flinch, but recover quickly. “Actually, Hayley, I have a plus one.”
