"Fine." Too quick.
And there it is. Up close, she's not just readable. She's devastating. The flush at the base of her throat. The way she's gripping that mug like it's the only thing keeping her anchored. The slight tension in her jaw when my arm brushed hers.
I came here to confirm a hypothesis. Instead, I just proved she’s in just as much trouble as I am.
"You came early for breakfast," I say quietly.
"Actually, I half-thought you'd already left. Because of what happened…" She trails off.
The honesty punches through my defenses.
"I went for a run," I say. "Needed to clear my head."
"Did it work?"
“I ran five miles in thirty-two minutes and spent the entire time thinking about your hips. So no. Spectacularly unsuccessful."
She bites her lip, fighting a smile. "My hips?"
"Your hips. Your mouth. The sound you made whenyou—" I stop myself. "I'm making it worse."
"Yeah. You really are."
Around us, the breakfast crowd continues obliviously. Someone laughs. Silverware clinks. The coffee maker hisses.
When she finally looks up, the expression on her face is pure defiance mixed with uncertainty.
"Jane—"
"We should probably talk," she says at the same time.
"Yeah. We should."
"But not here."
"Definitely not here."
Neither of us moves.
"The bridesmaids are dragging me shopping after this," she says. "Natalie wants to look at jewelry. I tried to get out of it, but Barbie gave me the look."
"The look?"
"You know. The 'you're my plus-one and you will participate' look." She takes a breath. "But after shopping, there's... something else."
"Something else?"
"Couples massage. Two o'clock. At the spa." Her cheeks flush deeper.
"I just found out this morning. Apparently, Natalie scheduled it weeks ago—hourly slots for the bridal party. Two by two."
My stomach drops. "First time I heard of it. Two by two, huh?"
"Natalie and Blake were supposed to have the first slot. Then the bridesmaids are paired with groomsmen for the rest of the afternoon."
She's talking faster now, nervous. "But here's the thing—Natalie and all the bridesmaids have a final fitting at two. The seamstresses are delivering the dresses, and apparently it's this whole production with alterations and..."
"So you were roped in to go in Natalie’s stead?"
