Twelve #2
Finally, I turn to Tashia. She’s smiling at me, beaming really, but her brown eyes are tight.
There are adorable freckles sprinkled across her button nose and round cheeks and she smells like rose water.
The dress she’s wearing hits her mid-calf with a slit trailing up to her thigh and it fits her like skin, the scooped neckline low enough to prove that she’s got more in the way of cleavage than I do.
She looks warm, inviting and kind, but her eyes watch me like I’m prey.
And I know better than to think that Tashia may actually like me.
“You must be Stacy. I’m Tashia.” She extends her left hand, a sickeningly large oval diamond ring on her finger.
I want to chuck it at her forehead.
Instead, I turn on the charm and shoot her a syrupy smile. “I am! Congratulations on your engagement. Thanks for giving me a reason to dress up and have a night out with my man.” I lean back into Reece, wrapping one arm around his waist and resting my other hand on his chest.
I feel him chortle softly against my body as Tashia gapes for a millisecond.
It feels good. Too good.
“Reece, I’m so glad you two actually made it,” Lily cuts in, her vengeful gaze bouncing between me and Reece. “I was worried maybe you’d back out. ”
“Of course he’s here!” Evan steps forward, bringing his younger brother into a hug. “He’s my best man. It’s his duty.”
“Aside from planning the bachelor party,” Brayden interjects, pointing at Reece with his champagne glass. “Which will be badass, yes? Please say yes, dude. These eighth graders are vicious. They’re already killing me and I need a weekend of strippers and binge drinking.”
“No strippers,” Tashia protests, cutting her eyes towards me like I’m supposed to back her up.
Oh, shit, right.
“Yeah, yes. I agree,” I say, snuggling harder into Reece’s side. “No strip clubs. Please?” I glance up at him.
He smirks at me. “Don’t worry, angel. I don’t need to see any strippers. You keep me perfectly satisfied.” His voice is gruff, almost too quiet for the others to hear as he presses a kiss to the side of my head.
Something hot coils low in my stomach. That’s the first time Reece Taylor’s ever put his lips on me and instead of feeling repulsed, my body feels like it’s on fire.
“Ugh,” Brayden groans. “Some of us are single, man.”
“For good reason,” I hear Gemma mumble under her breath. I glance up and catch her eye and we both giggle quietly into our hands.
“If there is even one stripper at your bachelor party, I will make sure Tashia gets on the stage at a Chippendales show. And they get nasty,” Lily threatens Evan.
Brayden shrugs. “Even trade, in my opinion.”
Tashia waves off her best friend. “I don’t want any strippers, either.
” She stands on her tip toes to press a kiss to Evan’s cheek.
“This guy is plenty enough.” She pulls back and I can’t help but notice the way her eyes cut to Reece.
He doesn’t react, one hand in his pocket with the other securely at my waist.
But he’s not stupid and neither am I. That comment was incredibly pointed.
“Gross,” Gemma complains. “I’ve been here for twenty minutes and have already inadvertently heard about both of my bothers’ sex lives.” She grimaces.
Tashia shoots her a smug smile. “Sorry, Gem. We’re just still in that honeymoon phase from getting engaged.”
My teeth grind together as I grip tighter onto Reece.
“I hear that,” I interject. “Reece and I are so in that new couple bliss bubble. You know, late for class, late for work, can’t shower alone.
It doesn’t help that Reece is so — Well, Tashia, you remember.
” I wink at her as the circle falls into stunned silence.
Gemma snorts into her champagne, turning around to cover a giggle as Reece bites down on his lip in my peripheral to keep from laughing.
Lily looks like she might burn the country club to the ground as Brayden howls.
“Holy shit. Tashia upgraded to the vintage model,” he hollers. “I’d never even thought about it that way. She had to test drive both before choosing one.” He continues to snicker as Tashia’s cheeks flame red. Evan looks nearly unaffected, laughing good-naturedly with his best friend.
“Speaking of bachelor parties,” Tashia finally says, clearly desperate to change the subject, “Stacy, we haven’t planned mine quite yet but when we do, you should come.”
“I should?” I say at the same time Lily says, “She should?”
Tashia nods, seemingly recovered from Brayden’s inappropriate comment. “Duh. She’s dating the best man. Gemma will be there and we’ll invite a couple more of my friends. It’ll be fun. ”
“Wait!” Evan interjects, snagging another champagne from a waiter passing by. “I have an amazing idea. Joint bachelor and bachelorette party.” He smiles proudly before taking a swig of his champagne like he just thought of the best idea in the world.
I beg to differ as that might just be the worst idea in the world.
The circle blinks at one another before Lily speaks. “I guess that could be fun.”
“Could be? It will be,” Evan enthuses. “I don’t need a stupid last night of freedom.
I just want to party with my favorite people and Tashia’s my favorite person of all.
Why wouldn’t I want her there?” He leans over and plants a sloppy kiss onto Tashia’s cheek and I feel Reece’s fingers curl harder against the curve of my waist.
“Great idea,” Reece manages to grind out, grabbing two more flutes of champagne and handing one to me. “A toast?” he suggests, holding up his drink.
Everyone agrees, holding their own glasses up as Reece goes on.
“To my older brother and his bride. Never in a million years did I expect to be here celebrating you two, but I’m honored to be the best man in this wedding.
I’m so happy for you both.” He salutes, knocking his champagne back as everyone follows suit.
Reece’s words were kind, at least on the surface, but there was a bite to them. Somewhere on a deeper level, Reece isn’t as happy about this situation as he’s leading on and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see it.
Sort of reminds me of how Tashia’s looking at me right now.
Her smile is bright and her intentions seem pure but she looks like a predator on the hunt.
There’s something sinister beneath her dazzling grin and I know that her kind words and camaraderie have a different connotation.
She’s a snake and I’m a tiny mouse. I just hope I’m ready when she strikes.
“That was sweet, Reece,” Gemma comments, looking at her little brother like he hangs the stars.
Everyone in this family looks at Reece that way.
She goes on while everyone in the circle nods.
“Evan, Tashia, I’m so very excited for you two and I’m beyond pumped to finally have a sister.
” She grins against her champagne flute before her expression turns wistful, her brows knitting together as her smile falls.
“I wish Lance were here so fucking bad.”
I feel Reece stiffen beside me as tears rim Gemma’s eyes.
Evan nods in commiseration, stepping forward and catching his twin in a hug.
She buries her face in the crook of Evan’s neck while Bradyen lays a hand on Gemma’s back.
Lily and Tashia shoot each other sympathetic glances before Tashia walks up to pat Evan on the shoulder.
Okay, I’m so incredibly lost. Who the hell is Lance and why isn’t he here?
“I wish I could’ve met him,” Tashia says plaintively.
Evan pulls back from his sister to put his arms around his fiancée. “He would’ve loved you,” he promises, kissing Tashia on the forehead.
Everyone in the circle glances at Reece as if they’re waiting for him to say something but he seems frozen.
His hand at my waist has gone completely still as he stares at the burgundy carpet of the clubhouse.
When Reece doesn’t respond, all the gazes shift to me.
This is one of those times when I’m supposed to speak for Reece, just like I did at Sip Society, like he did for me at dinner. But I’m truly at a loss for words.
The silence beats me down before I finally peer up at Reece and murmur, “Who’s Lance, babe?”
The silence is deafening now, our audience staring at us with jaws unhinged and eyes wide.
The anxiety that was finally loosening in my gut coils up again, tight and unwelcome as dread creeps into my chest. I’m definitely supposed to know who Lance is and suddenly, I’m horrified that I just blew up this whole thing.
Reece clears his throat after another few agonizing seconds of quiet. “Um, Lance was my older brother. He would’ve been twenty-seven but he passed away six years ago.”
The group continues to stare, dumbfounded, until Tashia speaks. “Reece, you didn’t tell Stacy about Lance?”
I’m not sure if Tashia is trying to be vindictive or not, but I don’t quite care.
The feeling of embarrassment is closing in on me, my face heating up as something stings the backs of my eyelids.
I asked Reece specifically if there was anything I needed to know before coming to this party and he let me come in blind.
He omitted a huge part of his life that any real girlfriend would know and now I feel foolish, sad, and a little bit pissed off.
I peer up at Reece while the rest of the group falls into uncomfortable chatter and he won’t even look at me.
A lump starts to form in my throat but I put on my best smile and announce, “I’m going to find the restroom.”