His nostrils actually flared. He made a slashing motion with his hand. “I give up.”
“I didn’t know there was anything to give—”
He was already gone.
I pivoted and headed back to where Stephanie and Taryn sat.
Taryn spotted me coming. She pressed a hand to Steph’s arm. “I’m going to…do something.” She pressed a kiss to her fiancée’s temple. “Back in a few.” Her green eyes assessed me. “Be good.” She tugged at her ponytail as she headed off toward what was going to be the seating area. I thought she should wear her glorious red-gold hair down all the time, but she was a practical woman. She only let her locks flow when she wason display. Something she’d admitted to hating. But for my sister, she’d do anything.
I flopped into the chair next to my sister. “Oh, Steph. Why must you make me put up with that man? He's like, ice cold. No emotions. I can't imagine him having sex with anyone—he's too rigid for that. What a waste—he's so handsome, too. I thought I could get him drunk and get him to loosen up—but instead I got drunk, and I think I did something dreadful like make a pass at him... I'm pretty sure he hates me.”
“You did not make a pass at him.” Stephanie feathered her hand through my hair. “You did make a pass at our server and, I believe, got his number.”
“But then I laundered the jeans.” I bit my lower lip. “I should go back there.”
“Well, we’re going to the bar for the bachelorette party tonight.”
The new gay club had opened in Langley earlier this year. I was friends with the interior designer, Orlando, and he’d gotten me two tickets to the opening. I’d taken Taryn—at Stephanie’s insistence. She wanted me to bond even more with the woman who was going to be my sister-in-law.
To both of our surprises, we’d had a really good time. I loved that Cedar Valley was getting a gay club. Taryn liked admiring other queer people who appeared, for the most part, uninhibited. Although she’d been out to her coworkers—who were also her best friends—since she’d been a teenager, she hadn’t formally come out until she met Stephanie. Her parents knew. Her close friends knew. Her beloved brother—my nemesis—knew. He’d run interference for her with their parents for most of his life. Supporting her when she’d wanted to wear pants instead of skirts. Defending her and threatening to walk away from their parents if they didn’t accept her being gay.
Then he’d run to Toronto, and Taryn had found a tow truck driver near retirement who’d taught her how to do the job and who had then sold her his rig.
And I was so far off topic.
Stephanie watched me intently. She did that—let me work through my ruminations until I was able to come to a conclusion. Hell, sometimes not even that. Sometimes I needed time to find the next sentence. “I could hit on the server again.”
“To make Lachlan jealous?”
I squinted. “Steph, he’s straight. Like a ramrod. Did you see that picture of him and what’s-her-name?”
“Lydia? I thought they made a striking couple, but she wasn’t right for him. He needs someone…softer. More considerate. Less self-obsessed.”
I eyed my sister. I didn’t think Lachlan deserved any of those things. I sighed. “He hates me.”
“He doesn't hate you. Look—just keep him busy. He likes to be busy. He's busy all the time—no vacation time for Lachlan Briggs.”
“Fine, then. He and I can do all the last-minute wedding stuff.” After we finished with the venue tonight, we were headed to the party. Taryn’s friends were coming, and a cute couple we all knew, Dickens and Spike, were joining us. Stephanie’s high school friends hadn’t known she was queer—she’d come out just two years ago at age twenty-three. None of them had embraced her. They hadn’t rejected her either. They’d just drifted away.
Watching that hurt my heart.
Taryn squeezed my shoulder when she returned from wherever she’d been. “We need to meet with the celebrant for a bit.”
“Oh, great.” As best man, I surely had—
“Just the two of us.” Stephanie squeezed my hand. “We’re having our third counseling session. When it’s done, we’ll come out and go over the ceremony.” She rose. “You behave while we’re gone.”
“I always behave.”
Taryn linked her arm in Steph’s. “I wish I could’ve recorded that declaration. Lachlan’s back. Try not to kill each other?” She gazed at Steph. “Let’s go.”
“Yeah.” Stephanie rose. They kissed, and then they left the room.
I got up as well, then made my way over to Lachlan. “So, why did you and Lydia break up?”
He gave methatlook. The one that saidfuck off. Please.“I don't want to talk about it, please. I think the tables are too close together. We should spread them out.” He was looking at the floor plan, but we’d be setting everything up a week from now.
“But then there won't be room for the dance floor. And what—did she dump you? Did she cheat on you, so you dumped her?”
