The Baby Blitz (Varsity Dads #3)(10)
Author: Lex Martin

 

My sister makes a face at me. What? I mouth.

 

She turns to Vanessa and shakes her hand. Everyone is polite. Says hi. But the greeting is particularly reserved after how they gushed over Maggie.

 

My eyes gravitate toward her again. Gramps has one arm over Maggie’s shoulders and is telling her some joke that has her completely absorbed.

 

As we all move toward the elevators, I force myself to talk to Vanessa, but the whole time I’m trying to ignore the sight of Maggie in that form-fitting dress that puts all of her curvaceous assets on display.

 

Kayla gets my parents and Gramps settled in their rooms while Vanessa, Joe, Maggie, and I wait in the hall.

 

“It’s been a million years, Joe,” Maggie teases Joe. “Thought you’d be retired before you popped the question.”

 

He laughs and shakes his head. “I forgot how you love to bust my balls.”

 

Hell, I forgot they knew each other.

 

Maggie smiles. “Kayla used to talk about you nonstop when she’d babysit my little sister. She told me a long time ago that you were the one.”

 

His eyes grow soft. “I’ve always been in love with her.”

 

Kayla pops her head into the hallway. “You’d best be talking about me.”

 

“Who else could I possibly love to the point of obsession?” he says before he kisses her forehead.

 

They smile at each other in such a tender way, I have to look away. It feels like we’re intruding on a private moment. I glance at Vanessa, who’s shifting awkwardly and edging away from the group.

 

Maggie, though, hooks her arm through Kayla’s. “Y’all are sweet. Good thing you’re getting married tomorrow, or the stork might beat down your door before you make it to the minister.”

 

Kayla blushes and gives Joe a look, but before I can tease her, my sister clears her throat and ushers us to our rooms, which are just across the hall.

 

She swipes the key to mine and opens the door to suite 301. “I guess this is your room and, uh, Vanessa’s.” Kayla gives me a weird look. “And good news! Maggie is just next door!”

 

Maggie and I look at each other, and she gives me a big, fake smile. “Awesome.”

 

I don’t know what’s going on, but I have the distinct feeling I’ve done something I shouldn’t have.

 

 

 

 

 

7

 

 

 

 

 

MAGGIE

 

 

 

 

 

With a knot in my stomach, I watch the door to Michael and Vanessa’s room shut. What was I thinking? That he’d be by himself this weekend and excited to see me? That he’d want to hang out? That he’d fall at my feet once he saw me in Sienna’s dress? That we’d, what, have one of those hot wedding hookups I’m always reading about in the grocery aisle?

 

I let out a cynical laugh. I feel stupid. Like, ‘crawl under a rock and hide for the next year’ stupid. When did my hatred of him become this untenable craving? Why did he have to go and do nice things for me? I had him all boxed up as someone who didn’t give a shit about me. But then he went out of his way—twice—to help me. Only to later ignore my attempt to thank him.

 

Michael Oliver is literally making me go insane one slow interaction at a time.

 

“Sorry about that.” Kayla tugs me down the hall.

 

Ugh. What did she see on my face just now? Kayla is wildly perceptive, unlike her numbskull brother.

 

I pointedly ignore her suggestion that I was uncomfortable just now. “Have I told you how excited I am to be in your wedding? Just think, K. You’re getting the fairytale you always wanted.” Her eyes get watery, and I shake my head. “None of that. You can’t cry. If you cry, I’ll cry. It’ll be a vicious cycle.”

 

She laughs and wipes her eyes. “Deal.”

 

I drag my suitcase into my room. It’s clean and bright, and I’m already in love with the king-sized bed. “I’m gonna starfish on that mattress the moment you’re gone.”

 

Kayla stares at the door along the back wall.

 

I look around, spot the bathroom, and then turn to look at the door that appears to connect my room to…

 

“Is that Michael’s room?” I whisper.

 

She winces. “Maybe?”

 

Great. Now I get to listen to him bang his girlfriend all night.

 

Lowering her voice, she explains how she had planned to set him up with the bridesmaid who broke her leg. “I thought it was kismet.” She juts out her lower lip. “I thought this meant the stars were aligned for you two to make it to the Promised Land.”

 

“Promised Land?”

 

She tilts her head toward the bed. “I’m pretty sure he forgot he told me I could set him up on a date this weekend.”

 

Perhaps hearing him with his girlfriend is what I need to get him out of my system once and for all. Michael Oliver is not meant for me, and the sooner I learn this lesson, the better.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

At the church, Kayla and Joe introduce the members of the bridal party to each other, and then we do a quick run-through. Who am I paired with? Michael, of course.

 

As each couple walks down the aisle as though Kayla and Joe just got married, I gingerly hold his arm.

 

“How’ve you been?”

 

I’m so stunned he’s talking to me, I trip. He steadies me with a hand to the small of my back. Vanessa watches us with a frown on her face.

 

“I’m good. Thanks. I’m not used to these heels.” Sienna packed every single outfit along with matching shoes for the entire weekend. The only clothing that belongs to me is my underwear, and even that’s new. Sienna said I couldn’t wear these dresses with cotton underwear and made me buy some silky numbers that she said would eliminate panty lines.

 

“You, um, you look beautiful.”

 

I stop in the middle of the aisle and stare at him. “Did hell freeze over just now and I missed it?”

 

“Shut up, smartass.” He laughs and tugs me toward the back.

 

“You can’t curse in church,” I hiss. My mother would have a coronary if she heard him just now. “Look what you did. Now I’m gonna have to say a rosary for you.”