by Mia Sosa
Yes, she would, because she knows that unlike her, Ashley would never stoop so low. Although the truth is my best option, it isn’t ideal since we agreed we wouldn’t tell Carter until he and Tori returned from their honeymoon. Plus, there’s no time to get Ashley’s okay. But I’m willing to take a hit—from Ashley or Carter—if it comes to that. After grabbing my water goblet, I jump out of my chair and tap a fork against the rim of the glass. “If I could have your attention for a moment, everyone.”
Carter chuckles. “Want to wait until the champagne’s served?”
I gulp and stretch the collar of my shirt, realizing belatedly that I’m not wearing a tie that needs loosening. My difficulty in breathing is no wardrobe malfunction; it’s wholly man-made. “Not really, no. I’d like everyone to be sober for this toast.”
Grandpa James chortles. “A sober toast is a boring toast, young man.”
Ashley’s mother chucks a roll at him, which he deftly catches.
After the laughter dies down, I begin. “Most of you know I met Carter when I came to Weston. I was a sullen kid, upset that my parents had shipped me hundreds of miles from home.” I study the group and focus on my parents. “I didn’t realize it then, but they were only looking out for me, trying to help me secure a better future. I get that now. Back then, though, I resented my situation. And I didn’t like my teachers, or anyone else connected to the school, until I met this loud, brash woman who took me into her home and fed me chocolate chip cookies—store bought, I later learned. Still, Ms. Susan, as I called her then, wouldn’t let me sulk, and eventually she coaxed me out of my shell.”
Susan smiles at me, leans over to Randall, and rests her head on his shoulder.
“Now, I also learned that Susan was part of a package deal. Her husband, Randall, and her kids, Kimberly, Carter, and Ashley, were also part of my new family away from home. And Carter followed me around like a puppy. I think he was impressed with my CD collection, and maybe he was looking for an older brother or something, but somehow we clicked. And we talked. A lot. Most of you know Carter well, so that should come as no surprise. I was never much of a talker, but with Carter, I started talking as much as he did just to shut him up.”
“It didn’t work,” Carter shouts.
I nod. “And I’m glad it didn’t. Because it opened me to something I’d never experienced before. Love between friends. He’s the guy who’s watched me grow into a man, and I’ve watched him grow into a star and so much more. But at his core, he’s my best friend Carter, and I want him to be happy and fulfilled.”
Carter takes a long sip of his water, his eyes sober.
“With Tori, he’s just that: happy and fulfilled. I’m confident that if Carter couldn’t act another day of his life, with Tori by his side, he’d be okay. Still happy. Still fulfilled. Because they center each other, hold each other up when one of them falters. A perfectly imperfect love that we should all aspire to.”
I bow in Tori’s direction. “So thank you, Tori, for coming into his life and for getting him in shape in more ways than one. I wish you both a lifetime of peace, love, and Netflix binges.”
Susan and Randall thread their fingers together and share a sentimental look. Tori dabs her eyes with a kerchief and mouths thank you.
She might not have as much gratitude when she hears what I have to say next, though. Because everyone knows you’re never supposed to steal the bride’s spotlight. Still, I can’t let Lydia embarrass Ashley in front of her friends, family, and in a few cases, people she hardly knows. “Now, Carter and Tori, I need to say something else, and I hope you’ll indulge me on this one.” I turn to the couple, my pleading eyes imploring them to understand the necessity of what I’m about to say. “I have a confession to make. For reasons I won’t get into so as not to embarrass anyone here, I asked Carter’s sister Ashley to pretend to be my girlfriend this weekend.”
The clink of the utensils ceases, and a low hum of whispered conversations begins. My gaze darts to Ash, whose fork hovers near her chin. Her eyes are huge.
“And she agreed, because she’s kind and giving. And unlike me, she’s always up for a little fun. But something changed in the last few days. What started as a ruse became real. For me, at least. The more time I spend with her, the more I realize what I should have known before. She’s the one for me.”
Now Ashley sets her fork down and watches me with soft eyes.
“I just wanted to clear my conscience . . . not sure why exactly. Maybe it’s because weddings bring out the romantic in me and I’m here with friends and family.” Standing in the center of the dance floor with a microphone and my heart in my hands, I’m more vulnerable than I’ve ever been, but my discomfort is irrelevant if it means Ashley won’t suffer.
“And I want Ashley to know when I kiss her it’s not because I’m playing a role. It’s because I want to.”
A few awwws make their way through the tent.
Grandpa James hollers. “Son, that’s the kind of move I would have made in my youth. Well done.” He motions for a server. “Can we get the champagne now?”
Carter and Tori rise from their chairs. Hand in hand, they walk over to me.
The bride pulls me in for a long embrace. “Thank you, Julian. That meant the world to me.”
“It was heartfelt.”
She pulls back and surveys my face with her head tilted in contemplation. “All of it?”
Carter steps to my side and claps me on the back before I can answer her. “You didn’t have to, but that was a perfect speech man.” He clears his throat. “About Ashley—”
One more lie to top off a weekend of deceit. “It’s not what you think. I can’t explain now, but Lydia found out what was up. I had to do something to protect Ashley. Lydia was circling like a shark in blood-infested waters.”
He pulls his head back, nodding slowly in understanding. “Ah. Got it. I can’t keep up.”
“Nor do you have to. Everything’s under control. Enjoy your wedding, man.”
He tugs Tori to him and assumes a tango stance. “Ready for our first dance, wife?”
Tori laughs and pushes him away. “Not like that, no.” Then she shimmies backward, beckoning him with a crook of her index finger. They sway together in the middle of the dance floor without having made any announcement that they would be dancing as a married couple for the first time. They’re doing what feels right in the moment, and I love that Tori isn’t wasting her wedding day worrying about checklists.
My gaze lands on Lydia and Carol, who are talking to each other in hushed tones. Lydia’s face is flushed, and when she’s not talking, she’s glowering at her mother. For once, her ire appears to be aimed at the correct person.
My body relaxes now that I’ve neutralized any pettiness Lydia planned to direct Ashley’s way. But a different kind of tension surfaces when I see Ashley and her long legs striding toward me. She’s wearing a flirty smile, and her eyes are flickering with interest. And all I want to do is push her against the nearest wall and kiss her so well she forgets her name, address, and social security number.
Before she reaches me, though, Grandpa James cuts her off and, with the help of his cane, bows like he’s her subject. She curtsies and links her arm with his as they walk onto the dance floor. Cockblocked by PopPop. I can live with that—for now.
What I can no longer live with is my dry throat, however, so I stroll to the edge of the tent in search of a drink. Not surprisingly, my mother corners me as I’m lifting a ladle out of the punch bowl.
“That was quite a speech,” she says. “And the truth, right?”
“Yes, that was the truth.” I point at the bowl. “Want some?”
She takes a cup and holds it out. “Sure.”
After serving her, I pour some for myself, and we drift to the side of the table, our gazes settling on the dance floor, where my father dances with Carter’s mother.
“You both look good,” I say. “Everything okay?”
My mother ta
kes a sip of her drink before she answers. “We’re both fine. Physically strong and still in love. Will you be coming home anytime soon?”
I turn to face her. “Not for a while, unfortunately.” With my cup, I gesture at the activity in front of us. “I took off time to be here, and I’m going to be paying it back in blood, sweat, and tears when I get back. I’ll be home for Thanksgiving, of course.”
She clasps my hand and kisses my cheek. “Be sure you do that.” Her mouth curves into a smile as Ashley approaches. “In the meantime, enjoy this beautiful day. This is what life is all about.”
I couldn’t agree with her more.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Ashley
NOW THAT I’VE filled Grandpa James’s dance card, I return to my new mission: Operation Seduce Julian. When I reach my target, I take his hand. “You want to kiss me, huh?”
He drops his gaze to my lips, his eyes flickering with undisguised interest and palpable heat. “Kissing is only one of many, many things I’d like to do with you.”
“Kisses, caresses, and orgasms, oh my.”
“Exactly.” With a lazy smile that matches my own, he threads his fingers through mine and pulls me close, folding me into his strong embrace. Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” plays through the floor speakers found at each corner of the tent, and I melt against Julian’s body, letting him control the way we move to the music. I brush my cheek against his hair-roughened jaw, which leads my brain to imagine other kinds of friction I’d like to generate with him.
“Lydia found out,” I whisper.
“Yeah.”
“And you swooped in to protect my honor. You didn’t have to, but since you did, remind me to thank you later.”
He draws back, affection in his gaze. “Will do.”
We’re inseparable throughout the reception, even feeding each other a piece of the wedding cake. Yes, we’re that couple, and if I weren’t one half of it, I’d gag at the cutesiness of it all.
After two hours of celebrating, Carter and Tori try to make their escape, but after saying good-bye to Julian’s parents, Julian and I ambush the bride and groom at the cottage. Carter’s on the phone in the common room, so Julian veers in that direction while I head to their bedroom in search of my new sister-in-law. The sooner everyone’s gone, the sooner Julian and I will be alone.
“Hey, lady,” I say as I walk through the door. “Can we do anything to help?”
Tori sticks her head out of the bathroom. “I’m going to change. Can you make sure I didn’t leave anything on the floor or in a corner? My mother’s going to send the rest of my stuff to LA.”
“Sure.” I drop to my knees and peer under the bed, not finding any missed items. Then I scan the room and spot a row of condoms on the nightstand. I raise them in the air. “Will you need these?”
She pokes her head out again and pouts. “Unfortunately, yes. I’m not taking well to my latest birth control prescription. They’ll have to do until I can visit my doctor.”
I give her a dubious look, pointing at the four packets. “Is this enough?”
“Hell no,” she says on a laugh. “The industrial-sized package is already in my suitcase.” After slipping on her dress, she emerges with a sly smile. “But you should take those. I have a feeling you’ll need them.”
I lift an eyebrow and give her a playful grin in return. “I have a feeling you’re right.”
Eva barrels through the door, huffing as though she’s just sprinted in a hundred-meter race. “Oh, good, you’re still here.” She leans against the wall and catches her breath. “Hang on. I have something for you.”
She rushes back out, and Tori and I shrug at each other.
When she returns, she’s holding a small package. “Close the door.”
Tori shakes her head. “The words Eva and close the door worry me.”
Eva jumps on the bed and throws her head back in mock frustration. “Just do as I say, woman. For once.”
I close the door, and Tori hops on the bed. Deciding this is too weird a conversation for me to fully invest in without knowing more, I approach them warily and sit on the edge.
Eva places a hand on my thigh. “Pretend he’s not your brother. It’ll help.” Then she leans forward and removes a few items from the box, placing them down gently as though they’re precious artifacts. She lifts a piece of fabric first. “Panties that’ll drive him wild.”
Tori raises a brow and looks at her askance. “That’s butt floss.”
“No, they’re crotchless panties.” She sticks her finger in the hole. “Easy access.”
Tori snorts. “You mean an embarrassing accident waiting to happen. Next.”
Eva holds up a small pink bottle. “Strawberry-scented massage oil. Creates a warming sensation. Safe for his dick.”
Tori grabs it. “I’m pretty sure he’d object to any heat-producing elements near his junk, but I could make use of this elsewhere. What else?”
Oh. My. God. I know what that is.
She dangles a butt plug in the air. But it’s not any ol’ butt plug. It has a rainbow tail.
“I’ll never think of My Little Pony in the same way again,” I observe.
Tori puts a hand in front of her and closes her eyes. “No. Look, I’m not judging anyone’s kinks, but we’re not introducing unicorns into our sex life.”
Eva pouts. “Okay, fine. But this you’re going to love.” She turns around and pulls out another item from the box, which as far as I can tell looks like a telephone headset. “An oral sex light.” She reads the package: “Don’t go down without it.” Then she acts out “4 U Both” like she’s Prince in his “I Would Die 4 U” video.
Tori and I blink at each other and fall over in laughter.
“Yes,” Tori says as she wipes her eyes, “because I want to look like a miner as I go down on him.”
“Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it’s off to suck I go,” I say in a singsong voice.
Eva cackles. “It’s official, Ashley. You’re one of us now.”
Carter knocks on the door, and we scramble to stuff the sexcapade items in the suitcase.
When Tori opens the door, Eva and I are sitting demurely on the bed, our hands folded on our laps.
Carter peeks in. “I don’t even want to know.” Then he looks at his wife. “We need to leave soon.”
“I’ll be out in a minute. I just have to get some plugs.”
Eva barks out a laugh, and I throw up my hand to cover my mouth.
“For my ears,” Tori explains. “Ear plugs for the plane.”
He looks at her skeptically and says, “Riiiiiight.”
When he leaves, we fall on the bed again, snickering and tearing up at the ridiculousness of it all until Lydia knocks on the door and sticks her head inside. Oof. She’s the last person I want to see, but I’m going to do my best to be mature about it.
We all straighten and stare at her.
“Hey,” she says with a weak wave. “We’re heading out, so I just wanted to say bye.”
As I take in her guarded expression, I’m struck by how small she seems. For years, I thought of her as this larger-than-life person who’d been responsible for my adolescent torment. But she’s just Lydia. And I understand now that she treated me like shit to mask her own insecurities. It doesn’t excuse her behavior, though. I mean, I’ve never met a single person who isn’t insecure about something, and not all of us lash out at others to compensate for it. No, Lydia needs to own up to her mistakes, and I don’t imagine she’ll be doing that anytime soon.
“Bye, Lydia. I guess I’ll see you at the next family gathering.”
She nods. “Yeah.”
“Thanks for coming,” Tori says diplomatically.
Lydia gives her a stiff smile and shuffles out the door.
When she’s gone, Tori rises from the bed and claps her hands. “Okay, I’ve got to go. Aruba awaits.”
Before she zips up her suitcase, I reach in and grab the butt plug. “If you’re not g
oing to use this—”
But she snatches it away and tosses it on top of her clothes. “No. It’s mine. Get your own.”
Eva and I fall over each other in a heap, guffawing until Tori scrambles inside the bathroom and slams the door shut.
Well, then.
Ten minutes later, after saying good-bye to everyone, I return to the bedroom I’ve been sharing with Julian, the short stack of condoms tucked away in my clutch like a tantalizing promise of what’s to come.
He looks up from his phone. “Everyone gone?”
I give him a suggestive wink. “They are. When are you due to head back?”
“My flight leaves at five. You?”
“Heading out in the morning.” I pout at him. “If you leave tonight, I’ll be all by myself here.” Shrugging as if it’s no big deal, I cross the room, reach into my suitcase, and pull out a black lace bra and panty set. He watches me inspect the undergarments, and I pretend not to notice. “I guess I could go back to the house and hang out with my parents.”
He drops his phone on the bed and strides toward me, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “No need. I’ll be missing my flight.”
Excellent. Batter, batter, batter, schwing.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Julian
NEVER ONE TO mince words, Ashley rises on her toes and places her mouth near my ear. “Remember when you had your fingers inside me?”
The question sends a signal from my brain to my dick: Your fantasy is now reality. Time to engage. I want her so badly I can practically taste her on my tongue. She’d be sweet, tangy, and fucking delicious. With my throat dry as sandpaper, I choke out a scratchy response. “Yes.”
Her hand squeezes my cock through my slacks. “Can you imagine this there instead?”
Oh, I can imagine it all right. I’ve envisioned it a thousand times in my dreams. But for some wretched, unfathomable reason, I’m hesitating. I groan in frustration. “Are you at all worried that this could blow up in our faces?”
She laughs against my ear. “Nope. We won’t need our faces for what I have in mind.”