Champagne chaos. How are you?
Rodriguez
Missing this morning.
I’m smiling at my phone when Emma leans over. “Okay, you have to tell us everything. How did you guys meet?”
“At the rink. He kept showing up when I was teaching.”
“And he just started hitting on you?” One of the other bridesmaids asks.
“Relentlessly. For months.”
“That’s so romantic,” Emma sighs.
“It was annoying.” But I’m still smiling. “He didn’t give up though.”
“Smart man,” Olivia says. She’s getting her hair done now. “I like him. He’s good for you.”
Melissa shifts in her chair. “How long did you say you’ve been together?”
“Just a few weeks.”
“But he was asking you out when you still had a boyfriend.” She says it lightly. “Well I don’t know what else you could expect from a professional athlete.”
Olivia frowns at her and opens her mouth but I’m faster. “Turns out my ‘boyfriend’ was occupied with something else. But you wouldn’t know anything about that would you?”
“Juliette…” my mom starts, and Melissa at least has the grace to look away.
“He told me it was over. That it was you who—you know what never mind.” She says quietly but implication hangs there.
“How much trouble that must have been for him to lie to two women then.” I set my champagne down carefully because my hand is shaking even if my voice is steady. I reach for my buzzing phone instead.
Rodriguez
Owen just texted. Groomsmen meeting at 10:30.
Early start.
Rodriguez
Apparently drinking early is tradition.
Try not to kill Garrett. Or you know what. Kill him. I literally don’t care right now.
Rodriguez
I like you bloodthirsty JuJu. It’s pretty hot.
The hair stylist finishes Olivia and gestures to me. “You’re next.”
I settle into the chair. She starts working, brushing, sectioning, pinning. My phone sits on the counter in front of me and I keep glancing at it.
“So what does Rodriguez do?” Lauren asks. “Besides hockey?”
“That’s pretty much it. He plays for Seattle.”
“Is he good?”
