“I thought you moved to Austin,” he said.
“I did. I’m here on assignment.”
He raised his brows and whistled. “Big girl jobs doing big girl things.”
I shrugged with a feigned cocky smirk.
“Buy you a drink?” he asked, and I nodded. “Hey, bartender, we’ll take two of whatever she’s having.” The barmaid nodded, and a moment later, two Honey Jacks and Gingers sat before us.
He hovered his nose above his glass. “Honey Jack?” he asked in disgust, and I giggled.
“It’s good!”
He shook his head. “It’s too sweet! I don’t like sweet things.”
“Oh, we know, Casanova. Stop being a baby and just drink!” He smiled then.
“Race ya,” he said with a sly grin.
“You already lost, Babyboy.” I mirrored his grin before chugging my drink.
He finished shortly after, sticking his tongue out in disgust. “Yuck!” He shivered. “When I throw up tonight, I’m blaming you.”
“Oh, please.” I rolled my eyes. “You were already in the bag well before I got here.”
A man who looked oddly familiar showed up behind E in the same tuxedo shirt. He threw his arm drunkenly around E’s neck. “Hey! No talking to girls during the sausage fest!” I laughed. “This is a bachelor's party, remember?”
“He’s right. No girls allowed,” I said through a chuckle, grabbing E’s beer from his hand. “Where’s the groom-to-be anyway?” I brought the bottle to my lips and took a quick sip.
“You’re lookin’ at him,” Familiar Friend said, and my brows knotted in confusion. I followed his glassy gaze in slow motion as it landed on E, whose smile had completely faded.
The shock to my world was too bold for my face to hide. It echoed through my bones and shook my hands uncontrollably. “You’re getting married?”
E didn’t respond, and I tried my hardest to figure everything out in the seconds that followed. My thoughts swirled in an uncontrollable spiral—this is why he didn’t call. Because I left for Texas, and he moved on with his life. Which is fine, right? It must be fine. Because I left. I made this choice. He should’ve moved on. Even though this is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me, E should’ve moved on. I want him to. I want him to be happy. I want him to be…But…married?It hasn’t even been a year since…married?
I couldn’t swallow. I couldn’t breathe. My eyes stayed locked on E’s, but I couldn’t see him at all.
“Hey, I know you. You’re the keg stand girl! Yeah, yeah, I remember,” Familiar Friend said with his finger pointing at me. “You’re the one…” He looked between us then.
E shrugged him off. “Brady, why don’t you go grab a seat with the guys, and I’ll be there in a few.”
Brady gave him a knowing grin as his eyes bounced between us. “Sure, man.” He walked away.
When E turned back to me, I was already heading for the door. “Syd!” he called after me, but I only moved faster through the sea of people until I broke into daylight and was shocked by its brightness.
“Sydney!” He was right behind me in seconds, and I spun around to face him.
“You’re getting married?Married, E?!”
He let out a breath through his nostrils, and his shoulders slacked.
“Were you even going to tell me?” The heartache was there, dripping from my words, and I didn’t try to conceal it.
He went to speak, but I held up my hand to stop him. “No. Don’t answer that. You’re at your bachelor party, so obviously you weren’t going to tell me.” I shook my head, trying my hardest to gather myself. “Who? Andhow? Butwho?”
He paused for a moment before answering. “Emma.”
My eyebrows shot up, and my eyes widened. “EmmyEmma?!”
