I know it definitely wouldn’t.
“Hi!” Lia pulls me into a tight hug, her curly hair in a gorgeous bun. “Gosh, it’s been way too long.”
Ellis is behind her, two glasses in hand. They’re always together, and I wondered how they managed it.
Now I know.
“It has been. Sorry I was so busy with wedding planning. Doomed wedding planning, I mean.”
Ellis and Lia glance at each other, and it’s almost like they’re communicating without words. “We heard about that,” Ellis says gently. “How are you doing?”
“I’m okay. It was the right decision in the end. Nate helped mesee the light.” When I say it, I immediately regret it. If either of them sniffs out anything about Nate and me, it’ll get back to Quinn.
“Oh, Nate. Is he here?” Lia’s eyes light up. Before I knew she and Ellis were destined to be together, I wondered if there was a chance she would go after Nate. They always vibed whenever he tagged along with me.
“He is. He’s just doing his own thing. We better not bother him.” Lia’s smile fades as she studies me. “Anyway.” My voice is a little too high. “It was great seeing you. I need some more punch!”
I run before they can think too hard about how I acted, and then find someone else I know to talk to. That hadn’t gone well, but at least no one knows that Nate and I are together.
I run into some of Quinn’s other friends that have also become mine by proxy, so I catch up with them and make a mental note to reach out to Amy and Riley to go to the next book club. I’d gotten bad about going when planning for the wedding.
Now, I have time. Now, I feel likeme.
Once everyone knows about Nate and me, all bets are off. I’m finally living life.
It’s an hour before Quinn finds me again. I’m by the dessert table, watching as one of her uncles talks to Nate about sports. “Whew,” she says. “This is exhausting.”
“I can’t imagine,” I say. “You’re doing great, though.”
“And how are you doing?” She peers over at me.
I pause. “Why are you asking?”
“Just checking in, you know? Like if anything is ... different, you can tell me.”
I immediately shake my head. Have Nate and I been too flirty? We’ve not even talked. “Everything’s fine,” I insist. “You have a birthday to enjoy.”
“Right, but?—”
I put my hands on her shoulders. “Seriously. This is a massive,beautiful party. You have people to chat with, or corners to hide in if you’re overwhelmed. I’m good.”
“Are you and Nate good?” she asks.
Shit.“Um, we’re?—”
“Speech time!” Andrea is on the stairs, a champagne glass in hand. “My beautiful daughter is celebrating her thirtieth today, and we all need to shower her in praise.”
“Speeches?” I ask.
Quinn’s jaw is on the floor. If she wasn’t wearing makeup, her face would be beet red. “I thought she was kidding about that.”
“Who wants to go first?” Andrea asks. “I suppose I can, if no one else does.”
“Oh no. She’s gonna bring up the bathwater incident again. Maisie, you have to volunteer.”
There are many things in that sentence for me to process, but Quinn’s urging me forward, mortification in her gaze.
“What, but?—”
