Forty-Two
Stacy
“To a badass weekend and the most incredible couple,” Brayden says, holding up his mimosa in a salute.
“Hear, hear,” Miles agrees.
“Let’s get fucked up,” one of Evan’s college friends, Nigel, hollers as we all toss back our drinks.
I grin as chatter breaks out around our circle, cuddling up in Reece’s lap on the loveseat of our Airbnb. We’re munching on a yummy breakfast of fruit and pastries, switching between mimosas and coffee as we discuss the upcoming events for the day.
We got to Nashville two days ago and most of my nerves dissipated quickly upon arriving.
I was nervous to see Tashia again after Thanksgiving, but we seem to have a silent truce going on.
We stay out of each other’s way but we’re pleasant nonetheless, enjoying our time with the group while we gallivant around Broadway in sashes, ridiculous headpieces, and eons of liquor in our bloodstreams.
Our first night was chill, a laid back game night with pizza and beer while we played drinking games and beer pong.
We spent the day yesterday on a trolley tour, sipping on seltzers and stopping for tapas at different cocktail lounges throughout the day.
Last night we went to a wonderful steak dinner, hitting the bars afterwards until last call.
We stumbled home with flushed faces and bellies full of tequila, devouring our leftover pizza before we all ambled to bed.
I’m pretty sure Evan was up late puking after the rest of us passed out, but that’s neither here nor there.
There’s been no drama so far, two days full of laughter and tipsy memories being made, and I have a ridiculous amount of hope going into our last full day of the trip.
Not to mention, it’s New Year’s Eve. I love how symbolic the holiday is.
A new year means turning over a new leaf, starting over, waking up with a clean slate.
I feel like it’s just what I need with Reece.
Our relationship started in a weird, rocky fashion and I can’t wait to go into the new year in an unabashed, chaotic, real relationship.
A relationship so full of love and respect I can hardly stand it.
“What’s your New Year’s resolution?” I murmur to Reece while Lily pours everybody another mimosa.
“Hm.” Reece taps his fingers on his champagne flute thoughtfully. “To finally learn how to cook.”
“That’s your resolution… for this upcoming year?” I tease.
Reece gapes at me in disbelief before tickling my sides. “Alright, smartass, what’s yours?” he chortles.
I giggle and swat Reece’s hand away from my waist. “To figure out what I want to do with my life,” I finally sigh while Mae snaps at Miles for sitting too close to her on the rug.
Reece is quiet for a long minute, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder. “Did your resolution for this year come true?”
I shrug. “Didn’t make one.” I crane my neck to glance at him. “You?”
Reece’s eyes soften as he pulls me closer to him. “My resolution was to be happy. Actually happy, without having to fake it for my family’s sake. So… yeah. Yeah, it came true.”
?
“I still can not believe you didn’t tell me about you and Reece,” Mae hisses from the pedicure chair beside me, wrapped in a snug white robe with cucumber slices on her eyes.
I give her a droll look that she can’t see while the nail tech swipes red paint onto my toenails.
“Propst will have our asses if she finds out. We have to keep it quiet. Speaking of, will you lower your voice?” I whisper, jerking my head towards the other side of the room where Gemma, Lily, Tashia, and Tashia’s high school best friend, Olivia, are all getting their fingernails done.
Gemma and Olivia have green tea masks slathered across their faces, Tashia and Lily with matching charcoal masks on while they chatter about bridesmaids dresses and floral arrangements for the reception.
Still don’t want to risk them overhearing our conversation, though.
The guys and girls have separated for the afternoon.
After breakfast, we all took some time to ourselves, some of us taking naps, others meandering to nearby stores or cafes, before we split up for group activities.
Reece planned an outing to an indoor golf simulation bar for the boys while Lily planned an afternoon at a spa for the girls.
Our plan is to meet up with the boys later at the bars and so far, I’m actually having a very relaxing day.
Or I was until I was accosted by my best friend .
I can’t really blame her, though. Since she caught Reece and me red-handed in the bathroom of my apartment, we haven’t had much time to talk. Finals came in hot and heavy and then I disappeared up to Lake Erie with Reece for the holiday.
My cheeks flush at the memory.
That being said, I can’t necessarily blame her for her burning curiosity or even her slight anger with me for hiding my relationship from her.
The cucumbers slide off of Mae’s eyes as she turns to look at me. “But, Stace, I’m your best friend . Why wouldn’t you tell me?”
“And I suppose you’re being completely honest with me about your weird situation with Miles?” I shoot back, raising a brow at her.
Mae gapes and I almost think I’ve got her before she redirects the conversation. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”
“I know,” I grumble, looking down at my toes. “You just went on and on about how our fake relationship was such a terrible idea. You knew from the beginning that something would happen, that the deal would end in disaster and…”
“And you’re prideful as hell and didn’t want to admit I was right?”
I snort, laying my head back and glancing at my best friend. “Damn straight.”
Mae chuckles before her expression falls, her eyebrows knitting together. “Stace, this doesn’t have to be a disaster. You know that, right? I mean, if you’re happy… that’s not a disaster at all.”
I gnaw at my lower lip to bite back a smile. “I am, you know,” I whisper.
“Happy?”
I nod. “So, so happy.”
Mae grins, reaching over to my chair to cover my hand with her own. “Then it doesn’t pain me to say that I told you so.”
“Shut up,” I groan, swatting at her hand as she giggles.
“God, I’m jealous ,” Mae goes on, thumping her head against her headrest.
“Of me and Reece?”
She nods. “Seeing you two so disgustingly happy is making me want to fall in love.”
I smirk at her while the nail tech switches feet. “I know one man who would be ecstatic to take you out…”
“Hey.” She jabs a finger at me. “Don’t you dare bring up Miles Gray right now. This is about you and your sappy, sickening, sex-crazed relationship.”
I sigh and bite my lip. “It is,” I whisper, looking over at her again. “Sex-crazed.”
Mae whines. “Do you want me to go lay down in traffic, Stacy?”
“I’m just saying, I know someone who would love to help you get—”
“Finish that sentence and I’m telling Propst,” she threatens, cutting her blue eyes at me.
I titter, my face aching from the smile plastered across my lips. “You know, I thought about you after the first time Reece and I had sex.”
“Not surprised,” Mae snorts. “I know you’ve always secretly been in love with me.”
I grin over at her. “We were laying in bed together and I thought… ‘Holy shit. My best friend was so right. She’s so wise.’” My smile widens as Mae descends into hysterical laughter, recalling our conversation about good sex from this past summer.
That night feels like a lifetime ago.
And I couldn’t be happier with the change of course my life has taken since then.
?
“It’s not fair. I don’t get why he doesn’t want me ,” Olivia sobs, snot bubbling from her nose as she slumps back into the couch.
Clearly, we’ve reached that point in the night.
After the spa, we stopped at a wine bar for some champagne and appetizers before heading back to the Airbnb to get ready for a night out at bars.
We all managed to overindulge in said champagne and have gotten pretty well past tipsy at this point in the day.
Rideshares were called to haul our drunk asses back to our rental and it’s been chaos ever since, clouds of perfume and hairspray wafting around the house to the tune of Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.
The drinking has continued, Gemma making everyone espresso martinis while we cycle in and out of the two bathrooms to curl our hair and glue on fake eyelashes.
Olivia especially has decided to partake in quite a few libations and is now sobbing in the living room about her ex-boyfriend hard-launching his new girl on social media.
It’s only seven.
I plop down next to her, Mae following suit as we both mumble words of encouragement and pat her back. “He’s not worth it,” I assure her as if I have any idea who the man is.
“He is ,” she insists, wailing into a throw pillow. “You don’t understand, he told me he wanted to get married and have babies with me six months ago and now he’s in New Orleans with a dental hygienist from Florida?”
Glancing over her shoulder, I shrug at Mae as her eyes go wide. We barely know this girl and somehow have gotten the wonderful deed of consoling her while Tashia and Lily, who actually know her, put their makeup on together in the primary bathroom.
“Olivia,” Gemma sighs, weaving down the hallway from her bedroom, black, sparkly jumpsuit ablaze as she shakes out the dramatic, unruly curls she’s decided on for the night. “Men are pigs. We’re here for Tashia, you can cry about Travis tomorrow. Get dressed and I’ll get you some water.”
Olivia lifts her head, mascara streaking down her tear-blotched cheeks. “And another espresso martini?”
Gemma shakes her head. “I think you’re good for now, babe. Water first then we can get you ready to go out, okay?”