“Boobs,” I said helpfully.
Mark groaned.
“It’s just a bit of sexy shapewear to give you a little oompf,” I told the brides. “These are, of course, on sale from my Instagram and made in America! That’s how I like my men and my clothes!”
Mark was horrified. He twisted his body away from me and shook my shirt at me.
“Put it on.”
“Oh, please,” I told him, hands on my hips. “It isn’t anything you haven’t seen before.”
“I don’t even know you,” he shouted in disbelief. “And you just flashed me.”
“If I was going to flash you, I would have to take off all my clothes,” I reminded him.
“I need a drink,” he muttered.
“There’s cake in the lobby. Might go nicely with the coffee on your suit.”
2
Mark
“That is the last time I let you talk me into anything dating related,” I told my cofounder and friend, Finn Richmond, as we fled the restaurant.
“You shouldn’t have been so mean to that girl,” he chided.
I used to not be so bitter and angry. I had never been what could be described as fun, but I never would have insulted some woman like that.Brea didn’t seem that put out. She did flash you.
Maybe a few years ago, I would even have acted on it. That was until my life had completely imploded.
I still had the engagement ring. I kept the box in my pocket, a reminder that I couldn’t trust myself when it came to women. I didn’t know why I still carried it. She had been perfect—smart, model pretty, a computer scientist like me—and had orchestrated an entire lie around pretending to be in love with me.
I killed the thoughts. I had successfully tried to not think of my last epic disaster of a relationship in—I mentally did the math—thirteen days and eleven hours. It was a new record for me. Then that curvy little wedding dress maker had thrown coffee all over me. Fortunately, I had a change of clothes in my office.
Finn rolled down the window of the town car as soon as we sat inside.
“You reek of coffee,” he told me.
I crossed my arms and stared out the window.
Finn regarded me.
“What?”
“You were doing so well. I thought you were rounding a curve after, you know, everything.” His face softened. “Is it because of Wes and Liz’s announcement?”
“What announcement?” I asked, brow furrowed.
“You didn’t check your email? So that outburst was just your natural personality and not your past trauma bubbling up?”
I ignored him and pulled out my phone to open my email, angry that my heart was yammering.
You knew this day was coming.
Finn peered over my shoulder as I read.
Wes Holbrook:Liz and I have a big announcement to make that we’d like all our loved ones to be present for if you can make it tonight.
