Bend for Me

by Jessica Yeh

  “It’s so last minute. Who would even come?”

  Emma shot her a devious grin. “Oh, I can think of a few.”

  “Am I going to regret this?”

  Emma shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

  “All right then. Let’s do it.”

  Chapter Twenty-one

  KADENCE SAT AT THE table with her cell phone on speaker.

  “Are these for the wedding?” Melody asked.

  “Yes.”

  “And is that…” Kadence could only picture Melody squinting at the phone before pinching two fingers outwards. “Did you go to Ramona’s?”

  “Yes.”

  “And…” There was hesitancy in her voice. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you capable of more than one-word answers?”

  “Yes,” Kadence responded, muffling a giggle. She heard an audible huff on the other end of the line. “So, do you like any of them?”.

  “I do. But go back. You went to Ramona’s?”

  She could tell her sister wanted details. “I asked Avery come with me, but yes. I finally went to Ramona’s.”

  “Wow.” She could hear the amazement in Melody’s voice, even through the phone. “You know you didn’t have to do that. I was going to go next week.”

  “Anyway, the arrangements?” Kadence didn’t want to argue. She was happy she went, proud even.

  “The first one looks nice.”

  “I like that one,” Kadence agreed.

  “And the second isn’t bad either.”

  “No, it’s not. I like that one, too.”

  “And the third’s pretty.”

  “It is.”

  Melody snorted.

  “What are you laughing at?”

  “You.”

  “Me?”

  “Avery arranged all of those, didn’t she?” A hint of amusement lingered in her tone.

  Kadence was grateful Melody couldn’t see her blush through the phone. “No?”

  “Oh, Kae.” She could practically hear Melody shaking her head. “You’re an idiot sometimes, but I love you.”

  But Kadence couldn’t bring herself to feel any sort of irritation, her entire chest consumed by the fluttering in the pit of her stomach.

  ***

  “Back so soon?” Ramona asked, dusting the potting soil off her hands.

  Kadence blushed with a nod. “Things are going well. I need something for our date tonight.”

  Ramona chuckled. “She must be quite special for you to come here every week.”

  It was Iris’s idea. Date night every Friday. It made things simple.

  “She is.”

  She had been coming for three months straight. Things with Iris had always gone smoothly. She was soft and gentle, tender and slow. Sweet.

  “How’s she doing?”

  “She’s good. Really good! I have a picture to show you.” Kadence retrieved her phone. She scrolled to a picture of Iris with her arms out, gesturing around her. In the photo, she was surrounded by flowers of all sorts, some gifted by Kadence, some gifted to Kadence. They both went to Ramona’s, sometimes on the same night, to pick out bouquets for the other. It was a bit excessive, but they had fallen into the routine. And it was comforting, aside from the apartment turning into a jungle.

  “You could open up your own flower shop if you wanted.”

  “I would never.”

  “I know.” Ramona studied the picture before whispering. “She’s very pretty.”

  “I know,” Kadence whispered in return, admiring her girlfriend’s bright eyes.

  “I hope you have a beautiful time tonight.” Ramona handed her the wrapped bouquet. “One day, I expect you to invite me to the wedding.”

  Kadence flushed crimson. “It’s only been a few months. It’s a little early don’t you think?”

  “Love does not have a timeline, darling. Either I’m a guest, or I’m the florist. Take your pick.” Ramona’s words were demanding but accompanied by a warm chuckle.

  “Of course, Ramona.” Kadence laughed along with her. “Of course.”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  TWO HOURS LATER, DANNY arrived with several bottles of soda as well as various bottles of rum, vodka, and whiskey. The apartment was flooded with an impressive number of guests, especially for a Tuesday night. Emma and her magical ways even managed to put together an elaborate sound system.

  “Jesus, Em,” Avery shouted above the music. “How many people did you invite?”

  “Just a few dozen of our nearest and dearest friends.”

  “I’m impressed, if not a little overwhelmed.”

  “Ehh, just enjoy the party. By the way, turn around.” Emma nudged Avery in the side, hitting her most ticklish spot and she jumped with a yelp.

  Avery attempted to glare at her roommate but found herself unable to even remember what she was upset about. In that very moment, the apartment door opened, and Avery caught sight of gorgeous charcoal waves, sinfully tight skinny jeans, and a light tank top with sequin neckline draped on a goddess-like frame. Avery’s knees went weak. All she could focus on was Kadence. All she wanted to focus on was Kadence. You are royally fucked, Bennett. And you love it.

  Their eyes met from across the room and Avery gave a cheeky wave. Kadence offered her a quick wink in return before turning to the woman at her side. She leaned in, whispering something into Melody’s ear before giving her sister’s elbow a squeeze.

  “Hey stranger. Long time no see. It’s been what? Six hours?” Kadence gave a one-hundred-watt smile.

  “Thanks for coming. Good to know you’re not too tired of me yet.”

  “Nah, but I’m getting there.” Kadence laughed, while Avery pretended to pout. The betrayed hostess stuck her tongue out, scrunching up her nose.

  Kadence crossed her arms, waiting for Avery to finish her theatrics. “You done yet?”

  Avery shook her head, blowing a raspberry in Kadence’s direction. “Okay, now I am.”

  Kadence rolled her eyes good-naturedly before muttering a sarcastic, “Cute.”

  “I thought so.” Avery grinned. The two chorused into giggles.

  “So, I hear Adam picked you to be one of his most promising artists. That’s a pretty big honor, right?”

  “I guess.” Avery dug the toe of her shoe into the carpet. “I’m one of three that the VIP patrons will be able to purchase works from. The pieces I submit will be displayed at the showcase and then auctioned off. Last year the highest bid went to a painting that sold for fifteen thousand dollars.”

  Kadence whistled. “Maybe I should get an autograph before you get too famous.”

  Avery shook her head. “I don’t think I could be in that sort of spotlight. Despite what you may think about my asshole ego.”

  “Stop doing that.”

  “What?”

  “Putting yourself down like that. Your ego is fine. There’s nothing wrong with being confident in who you are. Give yourself more credit.” Kadence’s tone was insistent, a flare of passion burning in her eyes with each word.

  Avery’s chest tightened. “Yeah. I guess it’s just humbling. I was worried a party would seem like I’m trying to brag about it. I know we haven’t hosted a party in a while, but the congratulations part wasn’t necessary. We could have come up with another excuse to have a party.” She stopped herself from rambling any further by taking a gulp of her drink. Slow down, Bennett.

  “You may not be in the spotlight, but you still shine in your own way.”

  Was it the alcohol or was Kadence leaning closer?

  “For the record, I’m impressed. No one deserves it more than you. I’ve been lucky enough to see your work and watch you work. And I think you’re pretty special.”

  Is this really happening?

  “I mean…” Kadence bit her lip. “Uhh, your art is special. I wasn’t trying to—”

  Avery cut her off, fingers ghosting across Kadence’s arm. “Thank you.”

  Green ey
es fell to where Avery’s skin seared against Kadence’s. Their eyes connected before breaking away, the two flushing a matching shade of crimson.

  “Umm.” Kadence glanced around the apartment, focus wandering to someone in the distance. “I can’t wait for her to see it.”

  Avery followed her line of sight to Melody and Danny mingling in the kitchen. “Oh! I forgot to tell you earlier, but I finished it. Do you…”

  Before she could invite Kadence to see her latest completed piece, Melody seemed to sense being watched, cocking a brow at the two. Her pseudo-nemesis beckoned with a finger.

  “Is she talking to me?”

  “I think so.”

  “Should I be worried?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “Shit.” Avery downed the rest of drink before scurrying to the older Cooper sibling.

  “Uhh, hey, Melody!” Avery rubbed the back of her neck. “What’s up?”

  “Why aren’t you offering my sister a drink?”

  Avery felt like a deer in headlights. She glanced to Danny for assistance, but the broad-shouldered bartender remained silent. Thanks for nothing, dude.

  Melody furrowed her brow.

  “Umm. Was I supposed to?” Avery fidgeted with her empty cup. “I didn’t know if…well, with what happened the other night and all, I wasn’t sure if it would be a good idea to—”

  Melody barely reacted to her bumbling, only narrowing her gaze.

  Oh, my god. She’s going to kill me.

  After a prolonged pause, Melody’s lips gave way to a lopsided smile. It was more cunning than Kadence’s smirk, but without a doubt, a trademark expression of the Cooper family.

  “Good answer.” Melody held out a hand, wiggling her fingers at Danny. He placed a cup of something that looked like a makeshift cocktail into her hand. “Here.” She thrust the cup forward. “Give her this.”

  “Oh.” Avery blinked. “Thanks. I will.”

  They remained standing there, and again, Avery grew antsy under the older woman’s inquiring eyes. Luckily, Danny came to her rescue, nudging his best friend, who scowled in response.

  Danny, unfazed by Melody’s abrasive behavior, continued to prompt her. “Mel, didn’t you want to ask Avery something?”

  “I can do it myself.” Melody rolled her eyes, hip checking him in the process.

  Danny laughed, shaking his head in amusement before directing his attention to mixing drinks.

  Melody turned, almost threateningly, toward Avery. “Don’t book anything for the first weekend in August.”

  Avery’s brows knit together. “Why?”

  Melody just shrugged, grabbing a cup from Danny’s grasp before walking away.

  Avery turned to Danny in confusion. “What just happened?”

  The man grinned. “That’s Melody for you. She means well, but she’s pretty horrible at expressing it.”

  “The first week of August? Is that what I think it is?”

  Danny chuckled at her expression of disbelief. “Depends, do you think it’s the date of her wedding?”

  Her jaw dropped. “Holy shit.”

  Danny looked on, entertained.

  “She just...I was just...I did...I...I just…”

  Emma bounded to them in the middle of her ineloquent speech, wrapping her arms around Danny’s waist. “What’s wrong with Avery?” She raised a brow as Avery continued to mentally flop like a landed fish.

  “I can’t…I, wow…”

  “Who broke her?” Emma asked her boyfriend.

  Danny leaned down to place a tender kiss on her forehead before laughing. “Melody, actually. She just invited Avery to the wedding.”

  “Wow. So, you’re going as Kadence’s date then?”

  Before she could respond, a fourth partygoer emerged from around the corner, causing the group’s conversation to end abruptly.

  “Oh, hey, Kae!” Emma nudged Avery in the side and, as per usual, the ticklish victim let out a squeak in reflex before her friends made themselves scarce.

  “What were you guys talking about?”

  “Oh, nothing.”

  Kadence shrugged. “If you say so. So, what did you want to tell me earlier?”

  Avery tried to recall their previous conversation, still in shock about the spontaneous wedding invite. “Oh, right. I forgot to tell you. I finished Melody’s portrait before you came. I was just caught off guard when you showed up and forgot to tell you.”

  “Sorry,” Kadence apologized. “It was inconsiderate of me to just drop by.”

  “No.” Avery’s reply was so forceful, it startled Kadence. Avery cleared her throat. “I like spending time with you.”

  Kadence’s lip slanted to the side, blushing at her own admission. “Likewise.”

  Avery tilted her head in the direction of the studio. “Want to see it?”

  The two trailed into the darkness of the hallway. The knuckles of their hands skimmed against one another as they walked. Avery offered a bashful smile and Kadence brushed their shoulders together.

  “Tada!” she gestured, arms outstretched as they entered the studio. Kadence stood at her side, taking it in.

  “Amazing,” Kadence said breathlessly, fingers tracing the texture of dried oil against the canvas.

  You really are.

  From far away, on the surface, everything seemed beautiful, fine, composed, and perfect. But that beauty could only be created from the indentations and crevices formed from each layer of paint, every color, and every painstaking stroke.

  “I’m at a loss for words. You always seem to do that.” Kadence paused, glaring at the cup in her hand, before shaking her head. “Your art, I mean. Your art always seems to do that.”

  “Thank you.” Avery hid her bashfulness behind a large swig of alcohol from her own cup. But to her dismay, Kadence’s awestruck features soon changed, taking on a somber expression.

  “Hey.” Avery took a step closer, the index finger of her free hand drawing light circles around Kadence’s healed wrist. “You all right?”

  “Yeah.” Kadence chuckled to herself. “As my sister would put it, I’m just being an idiot.”

  Avery furled her brow. “Penny for your thoughts?”

  Kadence glanced at the piece in front of them. “Now that you’ve finished your masterpiece, I have no excuse to come see you.” Kadence’s cheeky attempt to sound light-hearted fell short as Avery detected the real sense of disappointment in her eyes.

  “You’re always welcome to come hang out.” Avery rotated her hand until her palm pressed against Kadence’s limp fingers, hand hanging at her side. Gentle digits entwined with hers.

  “You know, it’s not fair. You should be there when she gets it. Or at least be able to see her reaction somehow. You put in so much effort.”

  “I might be.”

  Emerald eyes brightened. “Really?”

  Avery nodded. “Melody sort of invited me.”

  Kadence grinned. “When did she do that?”

  “Just now.” Avery attempted to sound unfazed, but the astonishment was still there. “Informally, of course. I didn’t get an invite or anything. I don’t know.” She paused, wheels turning in her head. “Do you think she was trying to prank me?”

  Kadence hummed. “No. I don’t. Melody doesn’t do pranks. She teases, but she doesn’t prank.”

  “Okay.”

  That didn’t stop Avery from feeling nervous regarding the entire situation, Emma’s implications of it being a date, and more specifically, Kadence’s date, hovering in the back of her mind.

  Kadence was quick to pick up on her hesitancy. “Do you think you’ll come?” Kadence‘s lips tugged up in the smallest smile.

  Avery knew she was just trying to relieve her hesitation with coy banter. She gratefully played along. “I don’t know. Do you want me to come?” The light tone veiled her seriousness.

  The alcohol in their systems must have increased her confidence, because Kadence stepped closer until their chests were pressed
together. “What do you want?”

  Avery swallowed, eyes darting to the plump curve of Kadence’s bottom lip. Her stomach tumbled and her heart hammered in her ears.

  A bang on the door caused the two to jump apart, Avery with a small yelp, and Kadence to scramble back with darkened pupils. There was a faint scuffling on the other side. Avery glanced back at Kadence, sending a wide, toothy smile. The two women broke into laughter.

  “We should probably get back out there.”

  “Agreed.”

  ***

  Somehow, between dancing and the congratulations, Avery ended up with another drink in her hand. And another. And another. And another.

  “All right, guys,” Kadence declared as Avery choked on the next cup offered that night. Calming fingertips ran up and down her spine. “I think Avery’s had enough.”

  “Ugh. Thank you,” Avery sputtered, tossing her empty cup in defeat onto the coffee table.

  “Stay here.” She patted Avery’s knee before standing. She returned a moment later, handing Avery a red plastic cup. Avery eyed it with disdain.

  “It’s just water.” Kadence tilted the container so Avery could see the clear liquid inside. “And it might be a good idea to tap out for the night and find you some food.”

  “Yes!” Avery groaned. “Please.”

  They spent the rest of the night in the kitchen. Avery occupied her slurring tongue with canned spaghetti while Kadence pandered to her drunken ramblings.

  “Did you know,” Avery singsonged with drooping eyelids. “There’s this dude, a prisoner in the nineties, who asked specifically for canned spaghetti as his last meal?”

  Kadence quirked a brow, amused. “Is that so?”

  “They gave him regular pasta instead.” Avery threw her hands into the air. “What a horrible way to go.”

  “Horrible.”

  Avery, in her drunken state, didn’t pick up on Kadence’s sarcasm and continued with her tirade. She pointed her spoon at Kadence. “It is. Consider yourself educated.”

  Kadence shook her head with quiet laughter, refilling Avery’s cup with water. “And you can consider yourself wasted.”

  Avery sighed, downing the glass before mother nature sent her rushing off to the bathroom for the third time in an hour. She relieved herself before returning to the kitchen to find Kadence and Melody sitting on the barstools.