“This is a person, thanks,” Eris deadpans.
But I’m looking at Allie, who freezes a few feet away, staring right at me. Her blue eyes widen as her sister’s words sink in.
Disbelief paralyzing me, I only manage to shake my head. Willing Allie to understand I would never want anything but the best for her and Matt, that I’m not there to cause trouble.
But Allie just looks back, her brow furrowed and her lips parted, trembling.
“Who would pickyouover Matt? There’s no way this is real.”
Eris opens zis mouth to retort, but I break first. “Shut up, Jessica!” My eyes burn with hurt that Allie is listening to her sister’s bullshit, from the anger at myself for lying in the first place. That ugly defensiveness for Eris rears its head, and my emotional turmoil gratefully takes a backseat. “Don’t you dare talk to zim like that! Eris is incredible, and gorgeous, and funny. Just because you’re jealous and bitter doesn’t mean I am.”
Jessica sputters. “I am not jealous!”
“You were jealous that Sigurdsson rejected you, jealous of any friend Allie’s ever had, and now you can’t stand that Allie’s happier than you.” The cold venom leaking into my voice is luscious. I might regret exposing my ugly side to Solberg’s ridicule later, but right now I couldn’t stop myself if I tried. “Thiswedding looks more like the one you’ll never have than hers. Allie fucking hates pink, and if you cared about her more than yourself, you would get that by now.” With a glare, I push past her, pulling Eris along behind me by the hand. “Let’s go.”
In my rush to escape, I stride right through the closed circles of conversation instead of going around, ignoring the mutters of how rude I am, comments on our appearance, questions of why Matt’s ex is here. When I glance over my shoulder at all the judgmental eyes watching us leave, Allie is nowhere to be seen.
Ten
Laid Bare
“Dammit,Blake,wait.”Eris’sarm hooks around my waist, pulling me around the corner of the bar and into the alley. “Slow down. What the fuck.”
With the brick wall against my back and Eris’s hand on my chest to pin me there, I deflate. The anger and bitterness leaches out of me, embarrassment and humiliation taking its place. My eyes fill with hot tears, and my skin prickles with shame. “I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t do that, Bambi.” Eris’s hand slides from my chest to my waist, pulling me into a hug. “Don’t apologize for them.”
“I shouldn’t have come. I shouldn’t have brought you here.” I wrap my arms around zis shoulders, burying my face in zis neck. Eris’s chin finds a home in the crook of my shoulder, and ze strokes my back as I whisper, “I don’t know why I thought this would be a good idea. It’s humiliating. I just wanted to prove that I’m okay, that I’m happy for them, but everyone thinks I’m the attention-seeking ex who can’t get over him. I’m so embarrassed.”
“The only ones who should be embarrassed are Bitch One and Bitch Two.”
Fighting a sob, I sniffle. “I don’t belong here. I love this place, and my parents, and Matt and Allie, but I’ve never belonged here. Not with the rest of them.”
“I know, Bambi.” Eris sways us gently, zis voice calming and warm in my ear. “They’re too small for you, but don’t shrink yourself for them. You found two gems who look at you and see the angel you are, and the rest are terrified because your holiness is beyond their comprehension.”
“Don’t start being sweet now, Bud,” I tease, laughing through my tears.
Eris’s smile presses against my cheek. “You started it.”
“I did not!”
“Incredible, you said.” Eris pulls back, a twinkle in those doe eyes. The scars on zis lips go crooked as ze smirks. “Gorgeous, funny? Does that ring a bell?”
I huff. “Those are facts. Not cheesy metaphors.”
Eris cups my cheek, a callous-rough thumb scraping my jawline. “Oh, facts? I see. Well, thank you for speaking the truth then. No one has ever stood up for me like that before.”
My heart pounds in my throat. “Don’t thank me! I’m the one who dragged you into this shitshow. You wouldn’t have to put up with this bullshit if it weren’t for me.”
“Bambi, I knew what I was getting into,” Eris murmurs. “And I did it anyway.”
“But why?” I ask. “I’ve been awful to you. Not just now, but from the start.”
“You really haven’t been, but I like the inner sass you always hide,” Eris teases, far more softly than I deserve. “I’m honored to witness you finally letting it out. You’re too damn nice.”
“I’m not nice,” I insist, shaking my head. “You just saw what a petty bitch I can be.”
“Okay. We can do this another way,” Eris huffs. Zis exhale prickles the skin of my neck. “You’re not nice, then. So what? Allie’s cunt of a sister is a bitter jealous hag, and Matt’s uptight controlling mom wants to erase you from his life. You’re here to rock the boatforyour friends, to reassure them that you’re happy for them, not to split them up. And I’m here to help with that. Because even if it’s notpolite, that’s akindthing to do.”
