Chapter 3
Three
Tabitha
“How was the drive?” Angie asks.
“Great scenery, as always,” I say. “A little long, but I had some good tunes to keep me company.”
“That’s good.” She looks relieved. “Sorry to make you drive all the way out here by yourself.”
I shake my head. “It’s not a problem, Angie. I was looking forward to it. It’s such a gorgeous drive, especially when you hit the parts where the snow hasn’t melted yet. And besides, you’re getting married! That’s something worth driving for.”
Angie beams at that, her eyes sparkling. “I’m glad you’re excited about it, because I’m absolutely terrified.”
I reach over and give her arm a squeeze. “It’s natural to be nervous, Ang. But you love Jason, and he loves you. This wedding is just celebrating what already exists between the two of you.”
Angie sighs, her forehead creasing. “I know that. It’s just…everything seems so overwhelming right now.”
I look around the beautiful guest room in the beautiful house where Angie grew up. As one of the Steel family heirs, she’s got a huge-ass trust fund. Plus she’s gorgeous—tall, nearly black hair, dark-brown eyes, a figure that could stop a truck.
I’m shorter, curvier, and my eyes are a boring light brown compared to Angie’s mesmerizing dark ones.
Still, I have to ask.
“Overwhelming? Your mom’s a gourmet chef, and your aunt’s an amateur event planner.” Plus she’s got all the money in the world, but I keep that to myself.
“Oh, not the wedding,” she says. “It’s Henry. He’s still not…himself.”
Right.
Of course he’s not.
He shot a guy.
A prick of a guy named Ronny Burgundy, though we knew him as Ralph Normandy. I can’t believe I once thought that asshole was kind of hot.
Now he’s kind of dead.
Good riddance.
He tried to frame Jason, blackmail Angie, and then kill all of us.
Thank God for Henry.
“Poor Henry,” I say.
I try to sound sympathetic. I am sympathetic. But inside, my heart is pounding.
Henry. Gorgeous Henry.
The hero who shot that prick and saved us all.
“Yeah,” she says, her voice just above a whisper. “He won’t talk about it. He’s been keeping his distance from everyone, even Aunt Melanie.”
“I thought she was helping him,” I say.
Angie’s aunt, Melanie Steel, is a renowned psychiatrist. She’s retired now, but she still helps family and friends.
“She is. At least, she’s trying to. He won’t always talk to her.”
“Give him time,” I say.
“It’s been over six months,” Angie says. “I love my brother, and so does Jason. We want him to be himself at the wedding.”
“You don’t get over taking a life overnight,” I remind her.
“I know,” she replies, her voice sad. “I just miss him, you know? The real him. Right now… It’s like something’s missing.”
I smile but don’t say anything. Sometimes, silence says more than words could ever express. A minute later, Angie wipes away a stray tear trailing down her cheek and forces a smile.
“Enough about that,” she says. “Let’s not spoil the mood. You’re here for the wedding. We should be talking about happy things.”
“Like what?” I ask. She definitely needs a distraction.
“Like bridesmaid dresses,” she says. “Or flowers, cake flavors, dance steps.”
I glance at the box and gift bag. “Or—”
“Woo-hoo!” Angie’s twin sister, Sage, interrupts us and barrels into the room.
Angie always says I remind her of Sage, but I don’t see it.
First of all, Sage is way more beautiful than I am.
She and Angie are fraternal, not identical, twins, but they still look quite a bit alike.
In fact, Sage is even more gorgeous than Angie.
Slightly bigger boobs, slightly longer eyelashes, and slightly shinier hair.
Plus, she’s got a major personality to boot.
She’s always laughing, always energetic. It’s impossible not to love her.
“Hey, sis,” Angie says.
“Tabitha, so great to see you again!” She grabs me in a bear hug.
Angie once told me that her family hugs a lot. She wasn’t kidding. I thought I was a hugger. These people make me look standoffish.
“Hi, Sage,” I say once I disentangle myself.
“You’re looking good, Tabitha,” Sage says. “I love what you’ve done with your hair!”
“Thanks,” I say. “Just a little summer change.”
“It looks great on you.” She glances over at Angie. “Don’t you think so, Ang?”
Angie smiles. “Of course.”
I already know what Angie thinks. She didn’t want me to lighten my hair but said it was my choice.
Frankly, I was sick and tired of being a dishwater blonde.
Now I’m a honey blonde, and I love it.
If only I could have lost a few pounds before the wedding…
I sigh.
Oh, well.
It doesn’t matter, anyway.
My girl-next-door looks are nothing around the gorgeous Steel and Simpson clan. I’m not exactly hideous, but every Steel could be a damned model. I’ll just have to get used to being the forgettable one in the room.
It kind of sucks, to be honest, because I’m usually the life of the party.
But not with Sage Simpson around. And not in this sea of beautiful—not to mention richer-than-God—people.
“I think it’s fab,” Sage gushes.
Right. We’re back to my hair.
“Thanks,” I say again.
“It does look great, Tabs,” Angie says. “I know I wasn’t on board at first, but you’re going to look gorgeous in the bridesmaid dress.”
She’s not wrong. Angie chose the color—a periwinkle blue—and fabric—lush satin—and then she let each of us choose our own designs for the gown out of four choices.
It was sweet of her. I’ve been to so many weddings where the bridesmaids wore poofy monstrosities.
This way, we could each choose a look that flatters our individual bodies.
Not that I’ll look anything like the rest of the Steels during the weekend’s events.
Sage, of course, chose the strapless number, and her blue is a bit darker since she’s the maid of honor.
I chose a dress with spaghetti straps and a full skirt. May as well accent my curves, and the dress fits like a glove. I had it sent ahead after I had a fitting in Boulder. It should be in the closet here at Angie’s house.
I open the closet and there it is, covered in plastic.
“I need to try it on again, I suppose,” I say.
“Not right now, you don’t,” Sage says. “Right now, you need a drink.”
“And food!” Angie agrees. “I’m starving.”
“You both know I never turn down food or drinks.” I flash them my most charming grin, and the three of us let out a laugh.
I just wish mine felt genuine.