by Rayman Black
I grinned ruefully. “All I remember is thinking I would never find another woman quite like this one. Seemed prudent to take advantage of the opportunity in front of me.” I groaned and rubbed my head with one hand. “Not sure if prudent is the word I’d use to describe it this morning, though. It’s making my head ache.”
“More like impulsive,” Joshua agreed. He kicked my foot to get my attention and said, “You look like shit, man. Despite your usual head for whiskey, I can see the hangover all over you. Get your ass in the shower and take some aspirin.”
I nodded. A shower sounded like heaven. Maybe it would sluice the cobwebs out of my head and reveal a plan of action to follow. I stood, then paused, looking down at my teammate and friend. “What are you going to do?” I asked.
He grinned. “This situation calls for food and reinforcements. I’m going to get us a little of both.”
7
Katie
The good news was, Lori had stayed in her own room last night. The bad news was, so had her husband. At least, I guessed as much, considering the adjoining door between our rooms was now locked.
When I got back to our room, I couldn’t decide if I was thankful or disappointed that Judith was nowhere to be found. The bed I crashed on when we arrived was undisturbed, but I could see the covers of the other bed had been hastily thrown on. She had clearly been here last night, but where could she have gone so early in the morning?
I pulled on a pair of panties and swapped my dress from last night for black yoga pants and a loose sweater the color of poppies. Then I tried the door, only to discover it was locked. Shit. Now what? I shook my head and knocked firmly. No, this wasn’t a time for delicacy. I needed my friend, dammit. Thomas would just have to deal.
I heard rustling behind the door and waited impatiently, shifting from foot to foot. What the hell was taking so long? I had enough time to begin to doubt my right to infringe on their conjugal privacy before I heard the lock disengage and the door swung open.
Lori stood there, hair disheveled, hastily tying on a robe. I heard the door to the bathroom click shut. So I wasn’t wrong. Thomas was here with her. I didn’t think it would be Sabrina in the room, not on her wedding night.
“Bad time?” I asked, taking a small step back. I could already feel my defenses crashing into place, readying me to resist disappointment when she told me, yet again, that she had other things she needed to do right now. But to my surprise, she smiled and gestured me into the room.
“Get in here,” she said, waving me to the chairs by the window. “Just be careful where you sit. We had a lot of sex in here last night,” she joked.
I laughed, the sound in the quiet room somehow releasing the tension between us. I sank down onto the chair and heard the sound of the shower turning on in the bathroom.
“Pretty crazy that we all ended up in the same place, huh?” I asked, my fingers plucking at the edge of my sweater nervously. “I mean, what are the odds?”
I remembered Chris telling me at the bar that our meeting was against the odds. “Pure Vegas magic,” he’d called it, before kissing me senseless. I pushed away the burn of memory and tried to focus on here, now, with Lori. Intense heat did not a relationship make. That one I knew well enough, though I had to admit that I’d never felt heat like this before.
“Apparently, we’re all in the same hotel, too,” she laughed. She eyed me speculatively. “Are you okay? How much of last night do you remember?”
I pulled out my phone and showed her the wedding photo. “I remember enough,” I said dryly. “I think I remember all the important bits.”
Lori nodded, her eyes sympathetic. “And how do you feel about it?” she asked quietly.
I drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “How do you feel about it?” I asked, struggling to control my tone. I didn’t want to come across as angry, but there was a bubbling frustration rising inside me that was trying to break loose and roar. “Mine runs along the lines of, What the fuck is wrong with you, Katie?”
“That’s a little harsh,” Lori commented, unfazed by the edge in my voice. Then again, at this point she might just be used to it. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you. Chris is a good guy, and no one can deny he’s a pleasure to look at.” She glanced guiltily toward the bathroom door. “I’m very happy with Thomas,” she hastened to assure me. “I’ve just got eyes, too, you know?”
I giggled, surprising myself. “Jesus, Lori, no one’s going to get mad because you recognize another guy as handsome. For what it’s worth, I happen to agree with you. Chris is totally sexy, and seems to be a decent guy, too. And that may be a good enough reason to climb into bed with him for a vacation tumble, but is that really an excuse for getting fucking married?”
Lori grinned. “Why not? I married Thomas so I could jump his bones whenever I want to. It’s not a terrible way to start a life together.”
I hmphed at that. “It’s a completely stupid and lunatic thing to do,” I disagreed. “Starting a new life with a spur of the moment wedding in Las Vegas is like trying to pick up a baby from the grocery store. At best, it’s totally ill-advised. At worst, it ought to be criminal.” I closed my eyes as I remembered that I wasn’t the only one who’d married spontaneously last night. “Shit. Don’t tell Sabrina I said that, okay?”
Lori patted my knee. “Don’t worry. It stays between us.”
I opened my eyes and looked at her sadly. “Why are you being nice to me? I’ve been a shit friend to you lately.”
She waved her hand dismissively. “You haven’t been a shit friend. You’ve been dealing with some pretty strong emotions. Not always well,” she added, laughing when I swatted her. “But still, what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t cut you some slack now and then?”
I shook my head, unwilling to let it go that easily. I hadn’t really meant to bring up the subject, but now that we were here I wasn’t going to turn away and bury it again. I might not find the nerve to traverse this territory again.
“It’s not just about ‘big emotions,’” I said, using my fingers to make air quotes. “And Jesus, you sound like a fucking psychiatrist already. It’s about everything changing so fast. I didn’t handle it well, I’ll be the first to admit that, but it isn’t all about me being a selfish twat, either.”
Lori looked surprised. “No one thinks you’re a selfish twat, Katie,” she said.
“If you don’t, I know Judith does,” I said. “And whatever word you want to put to it, the bottom line is things are just weird between all of us, and I hate it. If we were speaking to one another, would you have let me marry a goddamn stranger in Las Vegas? I seriously doubt it. Fighting with you guys has had consequences more far reaching than I ever imagined.”
Lori seemed to be fighting to speak. Her eyes were wide, her mouth opening and closing like a landed fish. Color suffused her cheeks. When she spoke, her voice was strangled.
“Is that what you think happened last night?” she asked. “And if so, what the hell is wrong with you? I mean, you’ve said some stupid shit the last few months, but this really takes the cake, Katie.”
I shrugged miserably. “If the shoe fits.”
Lori closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, her nostrils flaring. “I’m going to just refuse to get pissed off here, and see if I can talk some sense into you.” She opened her eyes and pinned me with her stare. “Listen to me carefully. You. Are. Not. Fucked. Up. What you are is fucking depressed, and Judith and I have been trying to reach through it for months. That, my dear friend, is the only reason I’m not slapping your face for even suggesting that we would allow you to ruin your life out of spite.” She held up her hand, forestalling any attempts for me to speak. “First of all, you’re twenty-two and legal. We couldn’t have stopped you from getting married if we tried. Secondly, I don’t think you ruined your life, and I don’t think you made a bad choice. Impulsive, maybe, but you’ve got good instincts, Katie. There’s something about Chris that draws
you. I think you guys would be good together, if you gave it an honest shot.”
My head whirled, trying to take in all she was saying. The word depressed echoed again and again in my head. Was it true? Was I depressed, not bitchy? I thought about the last several months, about the lethargy and the lack of interest in my classes. The trouble sleeping. The migraines. The unexplained anger that flared up randomly. I had assumed the causes to be a combination of sadness over my distant friendships and stress over my senior year workload, but I wondered now if maybe there was something to what Lori said.
“And just how in the hell did I not see any of that?” I asked aloud, wonderingly. “I’m a psychology major, for goodness’ sake!”
Lori clucked sympathetically, her eyes warm. “It’s always harder to see ourselves. Remember how long it took you and Judith to get through to me about what an asshole Jack was? Or about giving Thomas a chance, for that matter? Why wouldn’t we do the same for you? It’s what sisters do.”
Another jolt shook me as I realized the truth of her words once more. “Jesus, Lori, are you saying you and Judith have been trying to help me this whole time? I’ve been thinking you’re pissed at me!”
“Well, we were, partly,” she admitted. “Especially at first. But yeah, we’ve been trying to tell you what we’re seeing in you. You haven’t wanted to listen.”
I took a deep breath and made a choice to set aside my defenses. “I’m sorry,” I said simply. “I’m sorry I’ve been so hard to handle, such a crap friend. I’ll tell Judith, too, but I’m really glad you guys didn’t give up on me.”
“Never,” she said firmly. “We will never give up on you, not in a million years. And we both forgave you a long time ago. We’ve been worried about you.”
“Well, I’ve certainly made a cluster fuck out of things, haven’t I?” I commented. “First with the jealousy and pettiness with you guys, and now this crazy marriage to Chris. This is exactly why I want to go to India and just be by myself for awhile, where I’m a foreigner and expected to be crazy. Maybe I won’t do so much damage there.” I blew out a breath and looked at my friend desperately. “What am I supposed to do now? Can I get this marriage annulled? I mean, is that a doable thing?”
Lori regarded me thoughtfully. “Has it occurred to you yet that your ‘crazy’ marriage to Chris might be the antidote you needed for the jealousy?” she asked. “I’m not trying to tell you what you should do, but just think about it, okay? You were happier than I think I’ve ever seen you last night. I know you’ve been lonely for a long time, maybe even since freshman year. I’ve seen you hook up at the bar plenty of times, but I’ve never seen you with anyone the way you were with Chris.”
Her words made me uncomfortable in a way I didn’t want to examine right then. No one was supposed to see the deep ache of loneliness I lived with. That’s what the party girl image was all about. “Is that why you guys didn’t interfere at the chapel?” I asked, trying to divert the topic.
It worked. “Well, that’s why I didn’t,” Lori said mischievously, her eyes lighting up. “I think maybe Judith was too busy trying to get her hands on Joshua.”
I gasped, distracted even from my own thoughts by this unexpected bit of information. “Judith?” I repeated in disbelief. “Our resident good girl? No way!”
Lori nodded, grinning. “Our little girl seems to be all grown up now,” she said. “Didn’t you see the way she was dressed yesterday? It seemed like she had it in mind to find someone last night. And from the sounds I heard through the door, I’m pretty sure she succeeded.”
“Of course she did,” I muttered. “I’ve never seen her not do what she set her mind to. Listen, all of this is too damn much for me right now. I would pay a million dollars for a shower.”
Lori stood when I did and pulled me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around her and held on, thankful for the bridge we built between us.
“Take your shower, and take some Tylenol, too,” she said, patting my shoulder and stepping back. “I’ll round up the ladies and we’ll find some breakfast. I expect we have a long day ahead of us.”
8
Chris
Kevin rubbed his eyes and gave a jaw-cracking yawn. “Okay, fellas, care to explain what the fuck I’m doing with you on the morning after my wedding, instead of curled up in bed with my warm and willing wife?”
Joshua snorted. “Did you plan that alliteration, or was it just a happy coincidence?”
Kevin shot him a withering look. “It’s too early to be funny,” he said.
“And that’s the difference between me and you,” Joshua replied, unfazed. “It’s never too early to appreciate humor.”
I held up my hand. “Guys. I’m sorry to interrupt your recent connubial bliss,” I said dryly, glancing at Kevin. “But I find myself in a unique situation. I thought I could use some wise counsel.”
“Well, shit, when you put it that way,” Joshua complained, punching me on the shoulder. “You make it sound all noble and impossible to refuse. Or joke about.”
“Thank God,” Kevin muttered. He looked at me blearily. “I’m not sure I’m even awake, but I’ll do my best,” he said. “Congratulations, by the way. You held to your word and completed your challenge. Or, at least, it sure looked like you did with Katie last night.”
“Yeah, about that,” I said, exchanging looks with Joshua. “How much do you remember about last night? About the chapel, or what came after your wedding?”
Kevin frowned. “I remember marrying my lovely bride,” he said slowly, thinking. “And I remember taking about a thousand pictures. Oh, and I remember taking Sabrina back to my room, too, but that’s not really anyone’s business. Why, what am I forgetting?”
I sighed, running a hand over my head. “Congratulate me again, because it looks like you weren’t the only groom. Turns out I married Katie last night.” Again, despite the band of panic around my chest, there was a warm bubble of satisfaction pushing against it underneath. I married Katie last night.
Kevin froze mid-yawn, his eyes growing comically round. “You’re not serious?” he finally sputtered.
I held up the marriage certificate, creased from my pocket but with my signature and Katie’s still clearly legible. “I’m serious.”
“Well, shit. Congratulations, brother.” He eyed me shrewdly. “Or should I start commiserating? What are you thinking about this?”
“I’m not sure,” I answered honestly. I shrugged. “A lot of that will depend on how Katie feels about it, but the fact that she left before I woke up is rather telling, I think.”
“There could be a lot of reasons for that,” Joshua reminded me. “Just wait until you talk to her before interpreting her actions, okay? You don’t know.”
“There are a lot of things I don’t know,” I said, suddenly irritated. “Like what the hell was I thinking last night?”
Kevin nodded. “That’s a good question. What were you thinking last night? It’s not like you to make a huge life choice on a whim, even when you’re drinking. How much do you remember?”
“Not much,” I said, but that wasn’t exactly true. More memories had returned over the last hour, and I thought I pretty much remembered all of it. At least the salient bits. There were some things I didn’t want to talk about, things that knocked perilously close to places I didn’t let myself go anymore.
“Do you remember proposing to her?” he pressed. “Or anything about the ceremony?”
I sighed. “Yeah, I remember some things. Like feeling really good around her, and wanting to keep her with me. Other things, too,” I said, thinking again of her long, smooth legs and curvy body. “She seems amazing. But I don’t really know her, do I? What kind of a start to a marriage is that?”
Joshua snorted. “Little late to think about that now, isn’t it?”
I shot him a look, but he just grinned. An answering smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. It was a little late for second guessing. All I could do now was push forward, and ho
pe Katie and I could work things out okay. Whatever else happened, I didn’t want to lose the chance to explore what we started last night.
“How do I get ahold of her?” I wondered aloud. “It seems so high school to ask you to ask your lady to ask Katie if she wants to see me, you know?”
Kevin laughed. “Fortunately for you, that won’t be necessary. Turns out they booked into the same hotel we did. Sabrina said their rooms are two floors down from ours.”
Joshua nodded. “How do you think Judith and I got up here so fast?” he asked.
Kevin looked at him, his gaze sharpening. “Wait a minute, what did you say?” he asked. “Did I miss something else last night?”
Joshua shifted his feet. “No, nothing serious,” he said, waving his hand. “Not like Chris has going on with Katie. I mean, what are you thinking you’re going to do?”
I shook my head and stood. “Probably figure out how to get it annulled. I don’t want to talk about it right now. I’m starving. Is there anywhere decent for breakfast around here?”
Joshua pushed off the wall he was leaning against. “There’s a place called Hash House A Go Go not far from here,” he said, tugging a ball cap out of his back pocket and putting it on. “I looked it up earlier. It got good reviews online. Should we call Thomas?”
I nodded, relieved to turn the topic to something else for awhile. From the speculative look on Kevin’s face, it was clear the reprieve wouldn’t be long. He had something to say, and eventually he was going to say it. I led the way out of the room, sending Thomas a text with our plans. He didn’t answer right away, but I wasn’t surprised. I assumed he was with Lori. If I were with my new wife unexpectedly in a town like this, I wouldn’t be answering my phone either.
What was I doing having breakfast with my group of dudes when I had an unexpected new wife in a town like this? For the millionth time that morning, I cursed myself for not getting her phone number last night, then smiled in dark amusement. Imagine not having your wife’s phone number.