“Scott?”
There was a feminine giggle and a male laugh. Liv’s brows lifted, her jaw clenched, and a soft growl escaped her chest—her cat.
Ren didn’t even notice. “Scott, are you okay?”
There was more thumping and a recurring squeak.
Running her tongue over her teeth, Fern inhaled slowly as rage built in her belly.
“Scott?”
Another muffled sigh.
Ren tapped the red button on her phone so hard the tip of her finger turned white as she ended the call and stared down at the side table.
“I’m—” Fern cut herself off and gave Liv a helpless look, silently screaming at her friend to say something, to tell her she was misinterpreting what they’d just heard.
“Ren…” Liv said softly, moving to stand from the bed.
But Renata’s back stiffened, and she laughed, her giggle tight and high-pitched.
Fern set her champagne down, bracing her hands on the chair arms. Confusion was basically a fourth person in the room, playing tug-of-war with Fern’s and Liv’s expressions.
“Oh, Scott.” Ren waved a hand flippantly. “He’s always pocket dialing me. What do you think he was doing? Probably walking around with the guys. Maybe they were pushing a cart or something? Did that sound like a shopping cart to you?”
“Uh…” Liv’s mouth hung open until Fern tapped her own chin, and Liv snapped her jaw shut.
“I dunno, Ren. I’m not sure I heard a shopping cart,” Fern offered gently, crossing to her side.
“Hmph.” Renata shrugged and paced away toward the bathroom. “I’m going to brush my teeth. Let’s get to bed. Tomorrow’s going to be so busy with our families showing up and the rehearsal dinner. I just need a big glass of water and a few hours of sleep.” Nodding quickly to herself, she closed the door and twisted the lock.
“What the hell?” Fern whispered to Olivia.
“I don’t know,” Liv mouthed.
“He was fucking someone, right?”
“It sounded like it.”
Plopping down right next to Olivia at the end of the bed, Fern hissed, “We can’t let her marry that cock.”
Liv splayed her palms wide as if at a loss.
“Olivia!”
“I think she has to come to the conclusion herself.”
Grinding her teeth, Fern tried to swallow away the bile overtaking her stomach. “We have to help her get there, then. If she doesn’t change her mind before noon tomorrow, I’m telling her what IthinkI heard. Will you back me up?”
With a resolved sigh, Liv agreed, and they climbed into bed.
FernwoketoRenwhimpering alone beneath her blankets.
“What’s wrong?” Fern asked stupidly, rolling out from beside Liv and padding the three feet to Renata’s side as she poked her head out and winced at the sunshine.
“What’s going on?” A groggy Liv sat up, checking that her bonnet was still in place.
The phone in Ren’s hand shook, quaking in time with her inhale, as she held it out to Fern. “I knew. I knew, but I didn’t want to know.”
