“Um…” She cleared her throat. “How much have you had to drink today?”
“I’m one hundred percent sober.”
“He’s not a day drinker,” a familiar voice said from behind. “You know that, babe. This evening will probably be a different story for him, though.”
Chris suddenly stepped between us, pulling her into his arms for a kiss she didn’t deserve. Then he moved to her side.
“Am I interrupting a secret conversation?” he asked.
“Not at all,” she said. “Your brother was just threatening me if I chose not to marry you.”
“Oh.” Chris smiled. “Good to know. Ready to go jet-skiing?”
“Beyond ready.” She shot me a final look. “Go take a chill pill, Asher.”
Nineteen (B)
PRESENT DAY
KATIE
Tuesday morning, we followed Michelle and her maid of honor to a café, convinced this would finally be the moment everything unraveled.
We paid a waiter twenty dollars to eavesdrop, and all he gave us was, “The Michelle woman likes talking about swallowing Chris’s cock…”
That evening, I joined all the bridesmaids for a photoshoot on the beach. Michelle made no mention of her doubts at all.
On Wednesday, Asher insisted that we take turns reading through Kelsey’s latest email research for clues of dissatisfaction, but…there were only endless threads of filthy messages between her and Chris.
By Thursday, I was starting to wonder if I’d made everything up in my head, as Asher’s “foolproof” plan of hiring someone to ambush Chris with the news failed far too spectacularly for me to even elaborate.
Twenty
PRESENT DAY
KATIE
“If this doesn’t work, we’ll just let things play out on their own…” Asher held open the door to a rental car. “Unless you have any other ideas.”
“I do,” I said. “We can just let them say ‘I do’ and act like this entire thing never happened.”
He tapped his chin, looking as if he was considering the idea.
“Did Michelle text you anything today?”
“She asked me if I knew any good lawyers.”
“Get into the car,” he said. “Now.”
I obliged, and he slid behind the steering wheel. We trailed five cars behind Michelle and Chris, weaving past lush forests and white-sanded beaches.
It wasn’t until they turned off to a movie theater’s parking lot, when Michelle very obviously moved between Chris’s thighs, that we waved the white flag on another day.
“Do you want to get lunch?” Asher asked.
“Sure.” I looked down and realized that my hand was entwined in his, but I didn’t jerk it away.
We parked our car under a palm tree and paid an attendant extra money for promising to watch it while we followed a mile-long trail to a cafe.
