That’s it, I thought, heart racing when Connor mentioned Brenna being sick this weekend.I’m texting them back!
After Connor backed out of Kevin’s driveway, I casually unlocked my phone and went to the bridesmaid chat to read Reese’s text again.
So I just heard my cousin needs a date for his junior prom…
The other bridesmaids had acknowledged the message withan array of hearts and smiley emojis, but now there was a new text from Katie:She’s in, set her up!
My stomach squirmed, suddenly so not in the mood for guacamole with questionable ingredients. Maybe Katie was excited, but had shereallyjust accepted on my behalf? What if I thought someone’s junior prom was too serious for a first date?
Because, funny story, I did.
THERE IS NO WAY, I typed now, fingers flying across my screen.I’m not showing up in a ball gown to dance the night away with some stranger!!!
Oh, you make it sound so romantic…Yasmin wrote with a winky face.
Amanda quickly pointed out that he wouldn’t be a total stranger. He was Reese’s cousin; she could vouch for him.
True, I realized, but that didn’t make me feel much better. I didn’t know Reese that well yet.
Why don’t you grab coffee together first?Meredith suggested.Get to know each other.
Yasmin, Reese, and one of Katie’s cousins agreed with Meredith. I did too, feeling bolstered by the bridesmaids. Coffee—coffee wasn’t a huge commitment. I could totally walk out if I wanted.
That sounds good, I typed, but a message from Katie appeared before I hit send.
It wouldn’t count as a date, though, she’d texted.
“Alright, who’s irking you now?” Connor asked from the driver’s seat, which was a dead giveaway that he’d caught me rolling my eyes.
“Just the bridesmaid chat,” I told Connor, then lied, “They’re talking dates to go dress shopping.”
I loved Connor, but I didn’t want to tell him about Ready-Set-Date yet. I wasn’t sure why.
“Bleh,” he said as Lauren Bitterman stretched forward in the middle seat, desperate to be part of our conversation—or, more likely, in Connor’s orbit.
He has a girlfriend, I almost grumbled.
“Oh, right!” she exclaimed. “Connor mentioned the wedding. Where’s the bachelorette weekend gonna be?”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. As the maid of honor, Amanda was in charge of planning it, but I suspected Katie would sign off on everything ahead of time. And would I be invited—or evenallowed—to go? I’d be eighteen in September, butlegaldidn’t equate todrinking age.
“I hope not Nashville,” Lauren said. “It’s so overdone, don’t you think?”
“Mmm-hmm,” I agreed, skimming the chat’s newest text.
No one said it was a date, Katie, Meredith had messaged.We just want Mads to be comfortable!?
Once Katie and the others gave the message a thumbs-up, Reese wrote,Send me some times that work for you, Mads, and I will coordinate with Davis.
Davis, I thought, letting out a slow breath. Lauren was too busy trying to flirt with Connor while Connor was too busy driving for either of them to notice.Davis.He had a name. Knowing his name brought on some relief.
But then I learned nothing about Davisbeyondhis name. Katie and the bridesmaids didn’t want me stalking his social media ahead of time.Remember, the Bachelorette is our inspiration!Amanda told me.Meeting someone for the first time and knowing nothing about them…
I responded that, as much as Bachelor Nation liked to pretend otherwise, the lead and contestants totally stalked one another on Instagram before production.
Everyone disliked that text.
Please?I started to type, but then someone lightly tugged on my damp hair. I realized Connor had parked. Lauren and their friends had already spilled out of the Jeep, but Connor hadn’t moved from his seat. His steady blue eyes caught mine, and I felt my blood pressure calm. I was always comfortable with Connor—contentwith Connor.
