Chapter 27
twenty-seven
Caroline
"I can't believe Wells did that last night," Sam said, her eyes wide as she scanned the room, taking in the handmade bridal signs. The plates were covered with cursive written notes.
"I know," I whispered back. "I've never seen someone's eyes look like that, like there was nothing behind them."
Around us, Charlotte’s bridal shower buzzed with excitement, and the champagne flutes were being poured. Everything was how I’d imagined it’d be.
"And then you left with Reese," she said, giving me a teasing smile.
"I know," I sighed, tilting my head. "And I am so stupid because... it happened."
I had no regrets about what happened. In fact, it was so hot that I had found myself on several occasions biting my lip just at the thought of it. But I was fully aware that I couldn't allow myself to get too attached to him. I was aware of the damage he could do.
"It happened?" she questioned, searching my face.
"Yes," I admitted, forcing out the words. “And it was so bad.”
"It was bad?" she whispered, taking a step back.
"No.. I mean he was amazing," I paused, the memory taking me back. "I almost had a mini orgasm just looking at his body." My eyes drifted closed for a moment, thinking about how annoyingly delicious he is, and how I could almost still smell his cologne.
I looked up to find her biting her nails in anticipation. "Tell me more."
"I know what you want to know," I said quietly enough so no one else could hear. "And it happened twice... I had two of them."
She threw her hands up in the air, a dramatic gesture that made a nearby cluster of women glance over before quickly returning to their own conversation. "You had two of them?" she asked, clearly in shock. "Oh, you're fucked."
I pulled back a chair and took a seat at one of the back tables. "Yep. It’s official. I’m next in line. I have a first-class seat to be 'Reese'd and released.’” The worst part was that I had no one to blame for this but me. "I knowingly allowed it to happen."
"Hey," she said, softly. "It's not the end of the world.
" She reached for my wrist. "There's a high chance that might happen, yes, but Care," her grip tightened, "the way he was looking at you, it was like he was ready to burn down the whole damn bar.
And I've never seen him look at anyone like that. "
The possibility that someone like Reese could see something in me that was worth burning down the bar sent a rush through my body, igniting a small, barely there-flicker of hope.
Was he really looking at me like that? Was it even possible for someone like him to actually have feelings for someone like me?
Or, was last night more about Wells than anything else?
"Be cautious, because you know you’ve already been burned by him," she continued, "but I think.
.. I think you need to see where it goes.
"The clinking of silverware and the rustle of tissue paper filled the air as the room began to settle, each guest finding their way to tables adorned with white linens and delicate floral centerpieces.
"He’s going to be my date to the wedding," I said quietly, reaching for my glass of water, "but after that, he's leaving this town and everything in it behind." The draft wasn’t far off, and everyone knew he’d be chosen early.
He was literally out of here. I was admitting as much as I could without revealing the whole truth—that Reese and I were nothing more than a beautifully crafted lie.
"Whatever you say," she said, her voice a sultry whisper. "But I know that look. And if he looked at me like that, I would do anything that man said."
Voices settled into a gentle hush as my sister, the bride-to-be, stood at the center
of the room, her hands poised to unwrap the mountain of gifts piled around her. She flashed a radiant smile as she looked around the room.
"Thank you all for being here," she said, her voice a pitch I only ever heard when she was trying to impress someone. With each present she unwrapped—a gleaming new toaster, a set of plush slippers, fancy new lingerie—I found myself smiling at her excitement, hoping I’d get to experience this one day, too.
"Caroline," my mother leaned closer to our table, "you and Reese need to be at the reception tomorrow at five. The rehearsal dinner is directly after, so don't be late."
"You got it," I replied, giving her a small smile.
My mother's eyes lingered on mine for a moment longer before shifting to Sam. "And Sam," she added, “the next two days, you’ll be running the show. Don’t disappoint us.” She laughed an almost evil laugh.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Sam shot back with a forced smile.
As the guests began to disperse, I packed a box full of gifts to load into my sister's car. I walked past the ballroom—the next room over from Charlotte’s bridal shower. Through the open doorway I saw men in suits and ties, and women dressed in business attire.
But there were two men who caught my eye.
I could tell them apart from anyone, even with their backs to me—Reese and his dad.
And that's when she appeared, one of the most stunning women I had ever seen. Even her laugh was gracious and sweet as she pulled Reese into an embrace that lasted a few moments too long, her hand lingering on his arm. Even Reese’s dad offered her a smirk of approval, which was a huge upgrade from the stink-eye he’d been handing out to me like party favors.
I had no claim over Reese, and she was definitely his type.
It was insane to feel the hollow twist of jealousy, so I looked away and continued on my path.
I held the box I was holding tighter, its weight grounding me back on track.
Each step was an effort to shake off the image of Reese and that brunette.
I slid the box into the trunk and shut it. Then, I took a deep breath before making my way back inside to grab more. Walking through the entrance, a voice pricked at my ears.
"Reese agreed," she was saying to another woman in a navy business suit. "We have a date set for next Thursday. His father was excited about it."
I swallowed hard, trying to push away the anger. Why was this bothering me? Reese and I, we were destined to be enemies. But, the thought of him with her made my stomach turn.
It was irrational, this burning resentment toward someone who simply existed, unfairly beautiful and probably just as kind.
Gathering the last of the bridal shower gifts, I shoved them in the car, packing my sister's trunk full.
"Caroline, that's a toaster," my sister adjusted a box. "If you broke it, then you're giving me yours."
"Don’t have one," I said, wiping sweat off my brow.
"Don't be late tomorrow," she said, before shutting the truck.