“Wait,” she narrows her eyes at me, “did you guys . . . ?”
I shake my head. “No. I probably would have, though, but he said I drank too much, and of course when we had a moment, he had to ruin it by opening his stupid mouth. There’s just something about him that drives me . . . ugh! Like, I hate him and how bossy and domineering he is, but it’s also crazy hot and I find myself clinging to little crumbs of hope.” I shake my head.
“Have you guys talked since?”
I shake my head again. “No. I told him that he needs to get his shit together and that I wasn’t his to boss around or own. He can’t just pop into my life when he needs to get laid or if I look at someone else, meanwhile he says he isn’t ready for another relationship after things with August.” I roll my eyes and let out an audible sigh. “Men.”
“I feel you, girl,” Steph says, tossing her arm over my shoulder as August returns to the room.
“Sorry, was talking to the clients who want to buy that HUGE mansion up on the lake that’s been for sale for, like, ever. They want to make an offer!” she says, squealing and jumping up and down. “That’s so amazing. I’ve been in desperate need of some good news lately.”
“Everything okay?” I ask.
“Yeah, Remi and his brother have been so busy with their company that I feel like I hardly see him, and it’s made things a little tense. He’s always out near Vegas and he keeps inviting me. He said the casino would comp everything, but he’d be working, so I’d be alone all day with nothing to do until he came back at night.”
“Oh my God,” Steph says suddenly.
“What?”
“How about a girls’ trip to Vegas? It sounds like we all three need some girls’ time, so you could spend the nights with Remi and we could go shopping and to the spa and have drinks by the pool.”
She claps her hands and jumps up and down, making us both laugh. I don’t know a lot about Steph’s past, but I know it’s been troubled and she really doesn’t have any family or friends besides the two of us. Seeing her get so excited warms my heart.
“Yes!” August and I both say at the same time.
“That purse will look amazing with those shoes you just bought,” I say to August as she holds up a purse to see if it goes with the dress she’s wearing.
“You think?” She spins around in the floor-length mirror, doing a double take. “Remi is going to flip at how much leg and boob this dress shows, but hopefully it gets me laaaaid,” she sings as she strikes a pose.
Steph and I are staying in tonight while August and Remi go out for a date. Our casino has a kick-ass room service menu that we plan to take full advantage of while wrapped up in our giant fuzzy robes. We talked about going out dancing, but after the flight and spending most of the afternoon by the pool in the sun, we’re already beat.
“We’ll just be a couple of old ladies in the room while you guys are out wining and dining on the strip,” Steph says, flipping through the drink menu. “Oh, Sex on the Beach, yes!”
“Steph, when was the last time you had sex on the beach?” August asks.
“Uh, never. The last time I had actual sex, though . . . umm, yeah can’t remember.”
August spins around. “Seriously? With the way you look, you could get any man to eat dirt out of your hand. Not even a fun little one-night stand?”
Steph shakes her head and shrugs, burying her nose back in the menu.
“Leigh, what about you?”
Panic grips me. I can feel my throat tighten and I’m sure I look a few shades paler.
“I know you and Remi didn’t . . . it’s okay,” she says, reaching over and grabbing my shoulder.
Oh, that’s why she thought I’d panicked. I’m searching for what to say when her phone buzzes and she answers it.
“Hey, babe, where are you? I’ve got this amazing dre—what? Noooo,” she whines and I can tell it means her plans are probably canceled. “I know. Yeah, it’s okay. Love you too, baby.”
She tosses her phone on the bed along with her purse and dramatically flops down. “Well, shit, apparently there was some emergency, so he can’t go tonight.” She stares up at the ceiling before turning to face Steph.
“Gimme that menu. Time to order one of everything and eat my feelings.”
By the time the room service order arrives, we’re all three in our robes, sitting on the balcony of our suite overlooking the strip. It looks like we really did order one of everything on the menu. There are trays piled high with nachos, pizzas, fries, burgers, hot fudge sundaes, cocktails, and two bottles of champagne.
We’ve made a picnic on our balcony by placing a few towels on the ground along with the extra pillows from our beds. I’ve had two Sex on the Beach cocktails and I’m pouring myself a flute of champagne when I get the sudden urge to come clean to August.
“I slept with Grant,” I blurt out, and her head whips around to me.
“What? When?”
Suddenly I realize how this sounds. She’s probably assuming it was when they were dating or engaged.
“A few months ago, and then again a few weeks after that.” I feel like the pound of nachos I inhaled is about to come right up. I look over at Steph, who has a deer-in-the-headlights look.
“Is that why you got all panicky a little bit ago when I asked you when the last time you had sex was?”
I nod my head slowly and she laughs.
“Oh my God, Leigh, I don’t care.” She’s smiling a genuine smile and relief instantly washes over me.
“You sure it’s not just the alcohol talking?” I say, lifting my flute.
“Nooo, I promise you I meant what I said, like, a year ago when Grant told me he liked you and then tried to play it off like he found you annoying or whatever. If he makes you happy, go for it, girl!”
I shake my head as tears begin to tumble down my cheeks.
“Oh no, don’t cry. It’s okay,” she says, pulling me in for a hug.
“I’m sorry . . . this is embarrassing,” I say, laughing through my snotty tears. She rubs my back.
“Are you guys dating? That’s exciting, Leigh, I don’t want you to feel like you have to hide that from me. It’s awful that you were carrying that burden.”
I wipe the tears away and let out a huff. “Well, needless to say, we aren’t together. He’s kind of a huge ass and I want to punch him in his perfect fucking face.”
August laughs. “Sounds like Grant. What’d he do this time?”
I spend the next 20 tearful minutes filling August in on the series of events between Grant and me, including the miscarriage. This results in another round of tears and hugs with all of us.
“My opinion—not that you asked for it, and not that it has any validity—but I feel like you two shouldn’t give up on each other. I know you both pretty well, and trust me, that dude was smitten with you early on. He’s a doctor and he really does have that cocky God complex nailed down. You’re such a driven and independent woman who doesn’t need him, and I think he’s threatened by that. It’s toxic for sure, but therapy is a freaking wonder, let me tell you. It got Remi and me though all our stupid bullshit.”