“Just shoes,” Jax repeats, laughing. “Said the man who once told me romance was ‘inefficient.’ Look at you now.”
I groan and lean back in the lounger, covering my face with my arm. “I hate all of you.”
“No you don’t,” Ethan says cheerfully. “You love us.”
The guys burst out laughing again. Even I can’t help but crack a smile. They’re relentless, but they’re not wrong. Idolove them—these idiots have been my best friends since we were eighteen, and I wouldn’t trade their friendship for anything.
“Oh my God, wait a second!” Ryan suddenly turns toward me, his eyes lighting up. “How much was the ring you got her?”
My cheeks instantly heat, but I don’t respond.
“Milo!” Ethan gasps, sitting up straighter. “You didn’t.”
Ryan’s jaw drops. “Fuck me sideways. There’s whipped… and then there’swhipped. And you, my friend, are fucking whipped.”
Jax lets out a low whistle. “Man, I knew you had it bad, but flying in shoesandbuying a real ring for a fake proposal? That’s next-level.”
“It wasn’t that expensive.” I mutter, knowing full well it was.
Ethan snorts. “He says that like we don’t all know he doesn’t do anything halfway. You probably got her a rock the size of a golf ball just to ‘make it convincing.’”
I crumble another napkin and throw it at Ethan again. “It was supposed to look convincing. That’s the point of the dareyougave us.”
“Sure,” Ryan drawls, grinning. “And the way you looked at her while you were on one knee had nothing to do with it. Heart eyes, Reyes. Full motherfucking heart eyes.”
I roll my eyes. “Fuck off, Ryan.”
Ethan stands and stretches dramatically. “Okay, enough roasting. Let’s get in the pool and cool down before Reyes explodes.”
I stand too, a grin forming on my lips. “Good idea. Maybe the water will cool off your big mouths.”
Before Ethan can respond, I give him a playful shove—just hard enough to send him stumbling back toward the pool edge. He windmills his arms, eyes wide with panic, but it’s too late. He hits the water with a massive splash, disappearing beneath the surface for a second before popping back up, sputtering and laughing.
“You’re an asshole, Reyes!” He yells, wiping water from his face, but he’s grinning ear to ear.
The guys burst out laughing. Ryan doubles over, clutching his stomach, while Jax points at Ethan, nearly crying with laughter.
I stand at the edge, arms crossed, smirking. “That’s what you get for calling me whipped.”
Ethan swims to the edge and hauls himself out, dripping everywhere. “You’re going to pay for that later.”
“Bring it,” I reply, still laughing as I step back from the edge.
Chapter Forty
Sienna
The nail salonat the resort is one of those perfect little pockets of calm—soft lighting, gentle music, and the faint scent of lavender and acetone mixing with the ocean breeze drifting through the open windows.
We’re all here: me, Aria, Claire, a couple of the other bridesmaids, Mom, and Lillian. It’s the perfect pre-wedding girls’ morning with mani-pedis, gossip, champagne, and a much-needed break from the chaos of what the last couple of days have been.
I’m in the pedicure chair, feet soaking in warm water, trying to relax as the technician gently massages my calves. My mind keeps drifting back to last night, when Milo was doing the same thing… only things escalated way more between us. My stomach does a little flip just thinking about it.
I shift in my chair, pressing my thighs together.Get it together, Sienna.
Aria, in the chair next to me, is already in full wedding mode, flipping through her tablet to review last-minute details. “Okay, the reception playlist is locked in, but I’m still worried about the cake. What if the filling is too sweet? Ethan hates overly sweet things.”
Claire laughs from across the room, her hands under the UV lamp. “Girl, stop stressing. You’re going to drive yourself crazy before tomorrow and break out.”
