She rolls her eyes. “That’s different.”
“Why, because I’m such a nerd?”
“Something like that.” She’s smiling again, which is good. “But thanks. I’m glad you’re here. In case I forget to say it while I’m in the middle of bridesmaid hell, I figured I should say it now.”
“I’m glad too. You need somebody here to keep you sane. I’m happy it’s me.”
Kylie waves Hayley over from across the room, where everybody is posing for pictures.
“I never thought you’d be the one keeping me sane, but here we are.”
“Yeah, life’s funny like that.” I give her a tiny shove in her family’s direction and watch with a whole lot of sympathy as her mother arranges her hair, which looked pretty the way it was.
There was a time when I wondered what drove Hayley. What made her work so hard.
Then, I spent about five minutes around her family and never had to ask that question again.
She catches my eye, and I wince in sympathy, standing alone. Like the outsider I am. Which is okay since it gives me ample ability to observe. The way a writer does.
Except I’m not the only one observing.
I feel eyes on me. I know it’s probably no more than paranoia—who’d be watching me right now when there’s a bride and her bridesmaids? And, hey, let’s not even talk about the scenery—but I can’t shake the feeling. Somebody’s watching me.
Should I laugh like I just said something sparklingly witty?
Uh, no, since I’m standing alone, I don’t think laughter would have the intended effect.
Despite Hayley’s advice, I take a look around. Casual-like. No big deal.
And I find a pair of turquoise eyes looking back at me.
Only Kellen isn’t like most people. He won’t look away, embarrassed at getting caught.
If anything, he holds my gaze. Daring me to react. To avert my eyes.
I have to eventually, moving across the room to tease Brandon about the bridesmaids who are clearly sizing him up like they want to share him for dessert.
And I tell myself the flush on my cheeks has to do with getting too much sun this morning.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“There isn’t enough coffee in the whole wide world.” I respond to Hayley’s groans with a groan of my own. Funny how the sparkle has already dimmed with the two of us stumbling from our room in time to meet with the group before going on our bus tour of the mountains.
This resort seemed so magical yesterday.
After I didn’t get enough sleep for the second night in a row, it feels a little too sunny and shiny. But there was no way anyone was leaving the party last night.
My feet are dragging across the gravel pathways, and I’m not so jazzed about exotic flowers anymore. Like, who do they think they are, all colorful and fragrant and whatnot?
“Do I have to?” I must’ve asked that question ten times by now, like a toddler.
“Yes.” When Hayley starts with the one-worded answers, I know she’s good and tired.
Does that stop me from pestering her? Of course not.
“But I’m not even part of the bridal party.”
“So help me,” she hisses. From the squint lines on her face I can tell she’s glaring at me from behind her sunglasses.
“I’m just saying.”
“And I’m just saying, enough already. You’re here as my guest, and I refuse to go through this alone. If I don’t show, it’s a whole thing. I don’t want this to be a whole thing.” She turns her head to glare at me again just before we enter the main building. “And neither do you, Kathryn Antoinette.”
Oh. So, that’s how it is. The gloves have come off.
I’d tell her she owes me for this, but I’m not entirely out of my mind. The girl has made it possible for me to enjoy a week in paradise.
If paradise were chock-full of forced group activities. I mean, there’s a reason I’m a writer, and it’s not because I work well in groups.
Still, I put on a happy face when we find the rest of our group waiting by the front desk like dutiful soldiers.
Bleary-eyed, hungover, dutiful soldiers. I’m so glad I slowed down my drinking last night. It looks like the groomsmen are leaning on the desk to keep from falling over.
Except for one of them. Of course, he catches my attention first and foremost. It’s one of those psychological things. You tell yourself not to think about something or somebody and that’s the only thing on your mind.
He looks good—like, not just good compared to the testaments to binge-drinking who surround him. The man might’ve just gotten back from a trip to the spa. He’s rested, refreshed, wearing a bright polo shirt that makes his eyes pop.
Not that they need any help doing that.
Kylie’s smile shows off just about all her teeth. “Great! Now that we’re all here, we can get started.”
“Wow. Be a little more obvious,” Hayley mutters under her breath.
I don’t bother chiding her because I just got scolded in the most passive-aggressive way possible.
There’s nothing that makes my skin crawl more than being spoken to like I’m a naughty little girl. I have to briefly wonder how Kylie would look on her big day with a black eye.
Lack of sleep does wonders for my mood, I think sarcastically to myself.
“The bus is waiting outside.” Kylie is all mother duck, gathering her ducklings and moving us toward the door.
I pick up a pair of iced coffees from a tray. I guess there were more earlier along with a continental breakfast. There are still muffins and pastries available.
“Here.” I hand Hayley the coffees before sliding a few pastries into my purse and then a couple muffins into hers.
“We definitely look like the low-class guests right now,” she whispers, handing me back my coffee.
“I don’t see you refusing the food. Sorry that I don’t feel like going hungry this morning.”
This early, early morning. It’s not even seven o’clock, but here we are, boarding a bus. Would it help if I begged a random passerby to rescue me? Too late. We’re getting on the bus, the last two in line.
“I need you to be on time for things,” Kylie whispers in a fierce tone when Hayley reaches her.
“I need you to schedule things at a decent hour,” Hayley fires back—and she doesn’t bother whispering.
There are a few snickers from others in the vicinity, though I notice their expressions go blank and innocent the second Kylie looks around to find the culprits.
I feel sorry for her. I do. I only suspected she couldn’t possibly enjoy this when I first got here and saw how she was acting. Now? I’m absolutely sure of it. No way is she having a good time.
It seems wrong.
But I can’t exactly sit and have a heart-to-heart with her now. Especially when the bus is moving and, as everybody knows, we held up the departure.
“I have a seat free.” Kellen waves to Hayley and me as we make our way down the row, swaying back and forth and clutching the seats to keep from falling.
“I’ll keep going. I think my brother needs help.”
Darn her.
It doesn’t matter that Hayley’s half-dead from exhaustion; she’s still working on getting me hooked up. She gives us both a little grin, nodding toward the back. Sure enough, two girls are flirting with Brandon, and the poor guy is not going to be happy with his sister’s interference.