1
Ava
Gripping my steering wheel tight, I snap out of the memory of that awful day four years ago when I found Eric and Blaire in my bed.
Pulling down my visor, I flip the mirror compartment open, wiping away a smudge of mascara from an errant tear.
An angry tear. I get so mad with myself that I still allow his actions and words to affect me so many years later.
I look back into the mirror, facing off with the eyes of a woman desperate for a change.
“You are a badass, boss bitch, and no man defines your worth.” I speak through clenched teeth, reminding myself of the woman I once was before Eric.
I remind myself of the woman I’m clawing tooth and nail to get back to, but I’m determined to be a better version.
A stronger version. I will never let a man control me again without my permission to do so.
Now I just have to somehow portray that girl to the world again.
Right now, they see a quiet, shy girl. I’ll admit, I blush pretty easily, but I’m working on it.
Those who truly know me know that that is just the initial me you see.
Not everyone out there is as bold as Jane or Sydney.
I sure do love their fierce spirits and can only hope to muster a fraction of them.
The mild February morning is unusually nice for this time of year. Usually we’re still buried in snow and frigid temps. I’ll take it though. It’s likely going to snap back to icy tundra status any day now.
I pull into the driveway of Colin’s old place, putting on the brake and pushing my ignition button. I step out of the car and am greeted with a warm smile, big brown eyes, and an infectious giggle.
“Yay! You’re the first one here! I just started unloading some boxes. Coffee’s hot!” Holly exclaims, clearly excited for the big day.
“I am so excited to get you officially moved in!” I clap. As we’re stepping into the doorway, the moving truck pulls in followed by Sydney and Colin.
They hop out of the truck and Sydney jumps with glee, rushing over to us.
“I called in reinforcements! They’ll be here soon,” Colin says as he walks up to the front door.
The guy from the moving truck grabs his clipboard from his front seat and shuffles our way.
“So glad you were able to find some extra people to help haul on such short notice! My number two woke up puking, so I left him at the hotel. I’m Craig.” The man reaches out to shake Holly’s hand. She smiles warmly and shakes his hand back.
“We have three more guys that should be here any minute, so this shouldn’t take too long,” Colin informs Craig.
I groan with disdain at the mention of three more guys, knowing automatically that one of them will be someone I had zero urge to interact with today. Colin and Sydney both shoot eyes my way, Sydney pressing her lips together between her teeth to bite back laughter.
“I need coffee for this,” I mutter and walk through the front door.
I haven’t been in here in years, and the place assaults me with old memories.
Memories of Jenna. I exhale heavily and press forward, walking down the short hallway to the kitchen on the right.
New memories will be made in this place, and Jenna would approve.
I open up the cupboard and search the mugs for the one I’d like to use.
When my eyes land on a hot pink one, I grin and grab it.
It’s one of Jenna’s old favorites. After filling it with coffee, I doctor it up the way I like it.
I blow on it for a few seconds before taking that tentative first sip to see if it’s to my liking.
Perfect. I wonder if Colin would be okay with me keeping this one.
As if he heard my thoughts, he enters the kitchen and his eyes zero in on the mug.
He blows out a breath, catches my eye, and we share a silent moment reminiscing.
“Would you mind if I kept this mug? I’ll give it a good home,” I ask, giving him a sincere smile. He nods, the corner of his lip tugging up in a smirk before pursing them in thought.
“That would be great. She’d be happy for it to still be used and would love that you’re the one using it. I couldn’t throw it away.”
I reach out and touch his forearm in thanks and solidarity. The hole she left in our lives will never be filled.
“If you come across anything else of hers you’d like, you don’t have to ask. Just take it. I have our special memories already. There’s boxes of hers in the guest bedroom you can go through.
My eyes mist over from his thoughtfulness. I know that it has to be hard for him. I nod at him in acknowledgement.
“Thank you, Colin. That means a lot to me.”
He steps up and gives me a quick hug. He probably needed it just as much as me. He then reaches up and grabs two more mugs, getting to work making Sydney’s and his coffee.
“We’re here!” Trystan hollers from the front of the house.
“Let’s get this done so we can cook out for lunch!
I brought hot dogs and brats since I can’t lift the heavy stuff!
” I look down at my watch to check the time while Trystan tosses the meat in the fridge.
It’s already almost ten. Colin and I walk out front to find Garrett and Mark already starting to pull things out of the back of the moving truck.
Holly is in her element, telling the mover where she’d prefer things to go.
Handing Sydney her mug, Colin leans down to kiss her on the cheek before taking a decent gulp from his own mug then setting it down on a big box by the steps to go help.
I physically tense as Mark passes by me with a big box, his bulging biceps straining against his stupidly tight hoodie.
“Oh, great. Hi, Ava.”
“Don’t sound so happy to see me, Mark.”
“Ecstatic. I missed you.”
I snort at his sarcasm. It’s almost funny.
“Don’t trip and break your money maker.”
“I have multiple money makers.”
“Pig.”
“Prude.”
I scoff and drink more of my coffee as he gives me a “go fuck yourself” smile, which I return, lifting my coffee mug toward him as he steps over the threshold.
“Fucker…” I mutter under my breath. Jane nudges me in the side and gives me bug eyes that pull a giggle from me.
“Yeah, yeah, I know. Grow up. Be nice. We’re all stuck together. There’s a wedding coming… Yada, yada. When you going to have kids so you can mother them instead?”
She snickers and throws an arm around my shoulders.
“Alright girls, the guys are unloading. Let’s go start unpacking!” Holly waves us inside as the other men follow, carrying boxes with their respective labels to the rooms that they’re marked for.
By eleven-thirtyish, we have everything in the house, a decent amount of the kitchen already unpacked, and we’re all starving. Colin starts up the grill outside, showing Holly how it all works.
“So, Sydney,” I begin, “Now that we’ve got your dress ironed out, when do we get to go find ours? Did you settle on a color?”
“How do you all feel about emerald green? I think it would look fabulous against all of your skin tones.”
“Oooh, I like that!” Jane jumps in quickly as she shelves the last glass from her box.
“Thank goodness it's not bright pink,” I say out loud, cracking a playful smile because I knew she wouldn’t do that to us anyway.
“I could always change it!” she says teasingly, winking at Holly when she settles at the island next to me.
“I think hot pink would be the best!” Trystan quips, walking through from the living room toward the back door. We all give a collective “Ugh”, and he laughs heartily, joining Colin outside.
“What’s wrong with hot pink?” Mark asks.
“Too bright for that much skin coverage and all day wear,” Holly replies.
“Looks perfect on a set of lips though.” Mark grins lewdly, and we all sigh, shaking our heads.
“Don’t add anymore to that,” I mumble, popping a chip from the bag on the counter into my mouth.
“What makes you think I was about to do that?” He cocks his eyebrows at me in a taunt as he draws closer to where I sit.
“Because you always have something dirty to say.” I pointedly roll my eyes at him, letting him know just what I think about that.
“Keep rolling your eyes at me like that and they’re gonna get stuck.” I glare at him instead when he stops within a foot of me. “Oooh, that’s better. I like that fire.”
Jane and Sydney combust into giggles. I have to give him that one. My lips stretch into a slight smirk, and he grins, grabbing the plate on the kitchen island next to me and nudging my shoulder before walking away.
“Thankfully, I don’t have to walk down the aisle with you either!” I holler after him.
“Fuck that! I’d rather wear the hot pink dress!” he tosses back over his shoulder. This time, we all laugh.
“I’m so glad Colin decided to let me rent the place!” Holly exclaims as I watch Mark meander out to the grill with the other guys.
“Us too! Now our group is complete!” Jane declares excitedly.
“Ahhh yes, we’re all finally in the same place. No more wine nights over facetime!” Sydney chimes in, nudging her longtime bestie in the arm.
“As much as I loved our Tuesday dinner calls, I am glad to be here in the flesh. I needed this change for sure.” She raises her can of soda. “To new adventures!”
???
Mark
I am so fricking thankful that I got put on best man duty with Holly as the maid of honor.
Holly’s a peach. If I would’ve gotten stuck walking down the aisle with Ava, let’s just say a lot of whiskey would be needed to get me through the evening.
It’s still a good possibility that a decent amount of alcohol will be needed just for the fact that we will be in close proximity to one another for So.Many.
Hours. I frustratedly groan at the mere idea of it.
It’s insane how badly I let that woman get to me. I’ll do it for them though.
“Tell me those brats are almost done. I’m starving.”
“Almost,” Colin mumbles. “What are you giving Ava hell about now?”
“Who said I’m giving her hell? She’s the one tossing dirty looks around like dollars at a strip club.”
“Nice…” Garrett chuckles to himself, mouth stretching wide as he lifts his beer to his lips while Trystan laughs heartily.
“You live to get under her skin. Be nice to her, or she will never warm up to you.”
“We were merely discussing that hot pink is a great shade of lipstick.”
“Please tell me that you didn’t say what I’m imagining you said…” Colin shakes his head, pinching the bridge of his nose between two fingers. He’s going to make a great dad one of these days.
“I said exactly what you think I said.”
His head snaps up at me, an incredulous look washing across his face, and I have to bite back a laugh to see where his head went. I have an idea.
“That it looks great wrapped around your co–”
“Nope…well, you’re not wrong, but that I would rather wear a hot pink dress than walk down the aisle with her.”
Trystan and Garrett are practically dying with laughter, their faces so red they match Garrett’s hoodie. Colin raises his face to the heavens.
“Thank you for that small favor.”
a“I really would’ve loved to have seen her reaction to your idea though. Maybe I’ll go mention it.” I start to walk by Colin, and he quickly snatches the back of my hoodie, halting my mission.
“Don’t even think about it.”
“You’re gonna make a great dad someday.”
“Don’t make me use the line about not making me tell your mother.”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Shut the fuck up.”
I love my friends.