Crap, where to start?
I cut Ray a gimlet look. “It’s all your fault with your sneaky wedding and all,” I moaned.
She grinned, revealing cute dimples. “You’re welcome.”
Man, these girls! I loved the wretches. When Craig had cheated on me, Ila had been there, holding me as I sobbed my heart out, and then she helped me with my bonfire. Ray threatened to castrate him when she found out.
They both leaned closer, practically glued to me. “It was a bet, one I stupidly made during the rehearsal dinner. You know, when you and Jack were acting as if you lived on different parts of the planet while seated at the same table?” I enlightened Ray, and she smirked. “Anyway, I said it seemed as if you guys were over. War disagreed…” Then I told them about the silly bet, the weeding, and finally ended with the painting fiasco. “And that’s how it happened.”
“Yeah, yeah, sure. It’s all very textbooky and dry. What? Are we ten?” Ray demanded. “You give us the G-rated version? It doesn’t explain the kiss photo, the crashing of mouths.”
Oh, God, kill me now.
“You should be a detective,” I grumbled.
Ila laughed, but she was listening with avid attention. Our drinks came, and War had ordered me my usual mojitolight,as I like to call my almost alcoholic-free drink. I took a deep swallow to fortify myself, then groused, “I don’t know why my life is suddenly so interesting.”
“Because, unlike some people, our relationships didn’t start because of Instagram pictures,” Ray retorted.
I bit back a groan. She was right. After another gulp of my drink, I set the glass down. “I can’t talk about this here,” I hissed, aware the guys were watching us every so often, probably wondering what we were huddled together about. I didn’t dare look at War again. “Let’s go to the restroom.”
They jumped up. “Restroom,” Ray said when they glanced at us, and then we were making our way to the toilets. Once clear of our men, and in the not so rowdy corridor leading to the restroom, the music a dull pulse here, I stopped and sagged against the wall. “Oh, boy,” I groaned. “I don’t know what I’m doing. I like him so much, and I’m terrified.”
“Wait-wait,” Ila said quickly. “You and War are actually together, right? A couple, yeah?”
“As of this evening, yes.” I nodded. “We were in the middle of…well, you know? And—”
“And sucking faces, maybe body parts, too, right, got it.” Ray grinned.
Jesus. I rubbed my blistering face. “Well, okay, yes.Andbefore it went any further, War stopped and told me he wanted more than a fling. I…I didn’t want to make that kind of commitment. Though he didn’t say anything, I knew he was upset. He just said we were meeting you here and left. But watching him go, something inside me hurt like a punch to my chest, you know?”
Ray stroked my back, but both she and Ila nodded.
Exhaling a shaky breath, I continued. “I knew then it wasn’t what I wanted, not being with him. So I went after him.” I met my friends’ quiet stares. “He said he’s prepared to take things slow until I’m ready. He just wanted me to try.”
“Char, I can safely say we were there, too, where you are now,” Ray said, tucking a lock of my hair behind my ear. “And it’s because, well, we all fell for players. Who knows, this might just be the best thing to happen for you, too. War is a great guy.”
Ila gave me a one-arm squeeze. “Ray’s right, Charli. Give it a chance.”
“If it makes you feel any better,” Ray added, “he hasn’t hooked up with anyone for a couple of months now. Or so Jack mentioned.”
I blinked. “Really?”
“He didn’t tell you?”
I shook my head, then said slowly, “His agent is on his back to keep on the straight. He saw the photo of us on Instagram. It’s how we started a few days ago, a fake relationship leading to the real thing today,” I said wryly, glancing past them. Then I frowned at a familiar face, one I hadn’t seen since my return to the States.
“Julian?” I called out.
The tall, dark-haired man glanced my way, and a grin lit his striking features. No suit this evening, his usual dress mode. Instead, he wore dark gray dress pants and a black shirt that suited his lean build.
“Charli?” My stepbrother strode over and hugged me. He drew back, steel-gray eyes skimming over me. His usually stern features softened. “You look well. I knew you were back, and you didn’t visit?”
Guilt stirred. “I was going to, but life just got busy. I did text you.”
“Yes, you did.” He smiled, didn’t say anything because he knew of my tumultuous relationship with my mother. “You know my friends?” I asked then.
“Hello, Ila,” he said, keeping his arm around me. He’d met Ila while we were all in college. We were freshmen, and he was doing his master’s, but he hadn’t met Ray yet, so I introduced her. “Ray, my stepbrother, Julian Dupont. Ray is Ila’s sister.”
