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David refills his bourbon glass. “What are the girls up to tonight?”

“They’re having wine at Odette’s best friend’s house. They even invited Sophie. I’m glad she could fly home for this.” I smile fondly. I’ve missed my sister; we’re the closest in age, so it was important to me to have her here.

Dad nods. “It was hard for Soph to send Sam off on his deployment, so it was awfully nice for them to include her. Did you see how Sophie’s face lit up when Odette asked her to be a bridesmaid?”

The edges of my lips pull up into a smile. “Odette is a wonderful woman.”

My throat tightens. Too wonderful to be stuck in a loveless marriage. For her sake, I hope this campaign goes quickly.

Odette

“Okay, ladies, what are we feeling tonight? The Wedding Planner, The Wedding Date, or My Best Friend’s Wedding?” Kate jiggles the TV remote excitedly.

“How do we decide between Dermot Mulroney and Matthew McConaughey?” Madden’s sister, Sophie, whistles as she sets the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table and plays with her long braid.

I study her for a moment. She has grown up since I saw her in high school. She’s like a prettier female version of Madden and Brooks, with her shiny blonde hair and sparkly blue eyes. She has that whole girl next door look going for her.

“Can’t we watch a documentary or something educational instead?” I shove a handful of popcorn in my mouth.

“Oh! I almost forgot!” Kate takes off into the kitchen and comes back carrying a glossy black bag filled with hot pink tissue paper.

“Oh, my word, Kate. Why don’t you just wait and give this to us at the wedding?” I take the gift from her cautiously.

“Trust me. You’ll want to open this in private.” Kate giggles.

I toss the bag off my lap like it’s on fire. “Oh, no. I’m not opening this.”

“Please open it! I’m terribly curious now.” Sophie picks up the mysterious bag off the floor and sets it back on my lap. She obviously doesn’t know Kate very well or she definitely wouldn’t want me to open it.

After taking several gulps of my wine, I slowly lift the tissue paper away. When I pull out the item from the bottom of the gift bag, I’m stuck holding a light pink see-through negligee with matching underwear. Although, really, there’s hardly enough fabric to consider it underwear.

Kate waggles her eyebrows at me as I glare back at her. Poor Sophie just blushes and looks down at her feet awkwardly.

“Wow, thanks. I’m sure Madden will love it.” I toss it back in the bag and feel my cheeks flaming. Of course she bought me lingerie. She doesn’t know that there’s no chance of Madden seeing me naked anytime this century.

Kate laughs. “Don’t be embarrassed! I lied when I told you that picking out the wedding dress is the best part. That distinction belongs to the wedding night.”

“Why don’t we spare Sophie all this talk about her brother’s wedding night? I’m sure that’s the last thing she wants to talk about.” I look at Kate pointedly. She has no filter, and Sophie looks extremely uncomfortable. Really, though, I just want to spare myself.

Sophie changes the subject. “I’m pretty stoked to get a sister-in-law! I didn’t think Madden would ever consider marriage again after the whole thing with his ex. You must have converted him.”

I smile. “Yeah, it will be nice to have siblings. Maybe we could visit you and Sam once he gets back?” I was trying to be positive, but Sophie’s face falls at the reminder of her husband’s deployment.

“I’m so sorry he has to be away. That must be so difficult.” Kate gives her an empathetic smile. “Have some wine. That makes everything better.”

Sophie awkwardly shoos Kate’s offered wine glass away. “No, thank you. Just water for me.”

Mine and Kate’s jaws drop. “Are you pregnant?” We exclaim in unison.

“Well, yes….” Sophie’s face turns bright red. “I'm so sorry, Odette. I wasn’t going to say anything until after the wedding. I don’t want to make this weekend about me.”

“Nonsense, I’m so happy for you!” And I have no problem with her making this weekend about something other than my fake wedding. Her news is a welcome distraction.

“Thank you.” She gives me a sweet smile. “Sam will still be in Afghanistan when I give birth, since his deployment is nine months long.” Her eyes fill with tears and she fans her hands in front of her face furiously. “I don’t mean to cry. It’s the hormones.”

“Girl, you cry all you want to.” Kate hands her a box of tissues.

We sit on either side of Sophie and cover ourselves in a sea of fluffy blankets. The three of us agree to watch Baby Mama in honor of her joyful news, and we spend the rest of our evening pretending Amy Poehler and Tina Fey are our best friends.