I laugh, and we are interrupted by a couple of people who come over and congratulate us, and my head goes to Shelby. I wonder if my mother called her to see if she's okay. I wonder if she is okay. I wonder if she misses me like I miss her. I wonder if she dreams about the week we had together like I do every fucking night. Dinner is a blur as we all eat, and everyone tries to make small talk.
I'm standing at the bar waiting to get a bottle of water when Jenna, my co-worker, comes over. "What are we drinking?" she asks with a smile on her face. She stands beside me with her hands on the bar.
"I'm getting a bottle of water," I tell her as soon as the bartender comes over. "What do you want?"
"We are going to have two shots of tequila." She holds up her fingers, and I just shake my head. "Two," she tells the bartender, and he turns away.
"I'm not drinking that," I tell her, laughing. She turns to look at me now.
"We're celebrating." She cocks her hip as she leans into the bar. I just shake my head and grab the bottle of water when the server comes back. "Come on." She holds her hand out for me. "Just one."
"Fine," I concede. "But it's a one and done," I say, and she just smiles big. We take the shot, and she sucks on her piece of lime.
"So, I heard through the grapevine," she starts to say, and I put the glass down on the bar. "That you’re single."
Well, it was only a matter of time before it got to my co-workers. "You heard right." I don't know why, but I feel like she's gotten closer to me.
"I'm not going to lie." She pushes her blond hair over her shoulder, leaning over and touching my hand. "I'm not upset about it." Her hand lingers on mine for longer than it should. She looks around now. "I'm staying in room eight fourteen," she says, getting closer to me. "If you want to come by and talk." She takes another step, and this time, there is no space between us. "Or not talk."
She turns around and walks back to the table, grabbing her jacket and purse.
I look down at my hand and then look back up again to see that she is walking out of the restaurant and headed to the hotel. I look around and see my dad talking with someone else and just hold up my hand to him. He nods as he continues the conversation.
I walk out of the restaurant to the elevators pressing the button for up. The doors open, and I step in, looking at the numbers and pressing it before the doors close.
Chapter 28
Shelby
"So once you get set up here," Clarabella says to the bride that we are doing a walk-through with, "we get you and the wedding party ready for the day."
"It's beautiful," the bride gushes. "Absolutely stunning. Would it be possible to have a party here the week before?" She looks at me for the answer, and I have to admit I'm not even listening to what she's saying. I was doing the walk-through, and the only thing I could think about was how much I didn't want to be here. Which was killing me since I love my job. Love it. I wanted to love it again, but everything in my life is a mess, and there is nothing that I can do, which makes me even more crazy.
"I'm sorry," I say, shaking my head.
"Marcela was wondering if we can do a party here the week before for her bridesmaids' trial," Presley fills me in with a smile on her face and a “what the fuck” look in her eyes.
"I would have to check the dates," I try to cover up. "But I think that should be okay." I look at my sisters. "If you will excuse me, I have a call," I say, smiling to all of them when I walk away. The sound of my heels fills the corridor as I make my way to the bar. I grab a bottle of water, turning and walking to my office.
"What the fuck was that?" Clarabella questions, coming into my office and pointing at the door the minute I sit down and open my bottle of water.
"I was going over a list in my head,” I lie to her and avoid looking at her because she’ll see right through me.
"Listen, I don't know what's going on with you," Clarabella says. "But you need to go home and get that shit sorted out."
"You are not going to kick me out of my office." I stand up, angry.
"I'm not kicking you out of your office, idiot." She rolls her eyes. "I'm telling you to fix your head when you go home."