Seduction - Chapter 21 #2
She laughed. “Where did you get that idea? She’s indecisive about everything.”
Justin stared daggers at me.
Okay, fine. Daphne was a little indecisive about some other things. But not the same way she was with food. I hadn’t lied. I’d just…sugar coated the truth. Sue me. “I’m sure she’ll be out any minute.”
“So I have to ask,” Kristen said and turned back to me. “What’s it like being married to Professor James Hunter?”
Alina kicked her shin.
“Ow! I wasn’t being bad. I was just asking a question.”
“Ignore her,” Alina said. “Kristen had a crush on James in college. But it’s over now. Because she has an incredibly sweet boyfriend.”
Kristen shrugged and grabbed a glass of champagne. “Tim is wonderful. And perfect in every way. Including how he understands the need for hall passes.”
Alina kicked her again.
“Stop it,” Kristen said and grabbed her shin. “I was joking. Obviously I’m not going to try to sleep with Penny’s husband. That would be inappropriate. Unless she were to give me permission. Oh! Maybe we could swap.”
There was an awkward silence.
I was certainly not going to give this crazy woman permission to sleep with my husband.
Besides, James wasn’t into tall, tan girls, with big breasts and pretty faces.
I swallowed hard. He wasn’t. I was just getting in my head because my tummy was growing and I looked short and squat next to these volleyball players.
I cleared my throat. “I’m going to go check on Daphne.” I climbed out of the limo. I knocked on Daphne’s door but no one answered. I slowly opened it. “Daphne?” I called.
Still no response.
I walked into her place and wandered into the back where her bedroom was. She was sitting on her bed in the middle of about 50 dresses.
“The one I wanted to wear doesn’t fit.”
“That’s okay.”
“I’m fat! For my wedding!”
I laughed. “Daphne, you look amazing. I’m the one that’s going to be fat for your wedding.” I pointed to my baby bump.
She finally smiled. “There’s a difference between pregnant and fat. You’re glowing.”
“I don’t know about that. I feel huge.” I plopped down next to her on the bed. “Especially next to Kristen. I really wish I never knew about her crush on James.”
“Oh my gosh.” She grabbed my hand. “Please just ignore anything Kristen says tonight. She and Alina were pre-gaming and I swear she’s already drunk. And when she’s drunk she…”
“Talks inappropriately about my husband?”
“Bingo. I’m so sorry. She’s incorrigible.”
“It’s fine. I’m used to women wanting to sleep with James.”
Daphne laughed. And then she groaned. “Wait, it doesn’t go away once you’re married? Because I could seriously knock some girls out the way they look at Rob.”
“No, it doesn’t go away.”
“I guess that’s what we get for marrying the Hunter brothers.”
I smiled. “It’s worth it though.”
“So worth it.” Daphne grabbed one of the dresses off her bed and pulled it on. “Thank you. For calming me down.”
“Hey, that’s what sisters are for.”
She smiled at me. And then tears started to well in her eyes.
“Daphne, don’t cry. You look beautiful.” And she did. If I thought Bee’s dress was sparkly, this thing was off the charts. And she looked perfectly skinny.
“It’s not that.” She quickly wiped under her eyes so her mascara wouldn’t run. “I just…I really…I always pictured my brother would be here for my wedding. For all the important stuff, you know?” Her lower lip started trembling. “All the big things.”
Oh, Daphne. My heart ached for her. I stepped forward and hugged her. Because it was all I could do. Suddenly her freak out made a whole lot more sense. She wasn’t nervous about marrying Rob. Or worried she was getting fat.
“I wanted him here,” she said, a few of her tears landing on my shoulder. “How did he not know how much I wanted him beside me?”
“He knew.” I hugged her tighter as I blinked back my own tears. She was missing her brother because tomorrow was one of the most important days of her life. And she wished he was still around to see it. He’d had addiction problems like James. But his story had ended in tragedy.
“I miss him most on holidays. And things like this.” She sighed and hugged me back. “You should see me on Christmas. Literally every Christmas since he passed. I’m a mess.”
“I know it’s not the same at all but…I do understand.
When I almost lost James? It was like a piece of my heart shattered.
And I don’t know what I would have done if he never woke up.
You’re so strong, Daphne. But you don’t have to be strong alone anymore.
Because we’re you’re family now too. And I promise, we’re not going anywhere. ”
She laughed even though it was tinged with sadness. “You know?” she said as she stepped back. “If you haven’t noticed…I can be a little indecisive.”
“Oh? Really?”
She laughed. “Don’t even with me.”
I laughed.
“I thought I’d be second guessing this crazy wedding by now. I fell in love with Rob so hard and so fast, you know? But all of you guys made it easy for me to be sure I made the right choice. I think I needed this more than I ever realized. A big family.”
“And now you have it.” I smiled at her. “How about we go get this insane bachelorette party over with so we can get you down the aisle.”
“Deal.” She wiped under her eyes once more. “Let’s go party in style!”
“That’s my girl.”
She laughed and looped her arm through mine.
I wasn’t sure why I ever thought she hated me. She’d quickly become one of my very best friends.