Chapter 26
Chapter twenty-six
Izzy
“Tell me again why we couldn’t just buy bridesmaid dresses online?” I ask as I turn slowly, internally cursing the three mirrors and the image they send back to me. This is about the fifteenth dress we’ve tried on, and it feels like they’re getting smaller as it goes. Or maybe I’m expanding?
I’m taller than most men, and while it was fun to be supermodel height when I was a teenager and fit from constantly playing sports, now that my metabolism has started to slow down, I’m just…
bigger than everyone else. Even my two sisters, who seem to have inherited a different metabolism than I did, or they just have more self-control when it comes to sugar, aren’t as large as I am.
Not that I’m willing to give up my sweets addiction to lose the extra weight I’m carrying. I’m also aware that I’m not supposed to care that I’ve gained fifteen pounds since college. I’m supposed to be happy that my body is healthy and allows me to do what I want.
And I am. But I also am caught in a constant battle of wanting to be healthier, to lose weight, and to be the woman who owns who she is now.
Turns out, it’s just one more place I’m not as successful as I should be.
Not looking as fit as everyone else is also an inconvenience when I’m about to be in my little sister’s wedding party…a group that consists of more than one athlete who has been paid a lot of money to professionally model for companies.
“Come on, Iz,” Bryn says. “This is fun.”
We clearly have different definitions of fun.
“Plus, I’m getting married in four weeks. There’s a chance if you order a dress online, it won’t make it on time or it won’t fit. And then what are you going to do?”
“Wear joggers,” I offer, wishing I had some on now.
Lila and Kelsey are up on short platforms next to me, each wearing the same dark, almost midnight, blue dress.
The top is okay, just a bit lower of a V than I would like, but the bottom is a hard pass on me.
Not on the other two, of course. It’s supposed to sit just above the knee, but as someone whose height comes primarily from the torso, it’s short on me. Borderline indecent.
“Do it,” Bryn dares me. “You won’t.”
“You’re going to feel like a real ass when I ruin all your pictures in my athleisure.”
“You know I give approximately zero fucks about my wedding pictures. I love Jameson. I just want to marry him and start our lives together,” she says, a look of love softening her features.
“Then why are we here again?” I ask.
“Because you have to wear something,” Bryn says. She scans the three of us again. Lila and Kelsey both have their phones out, thumbs flying over the screens. “I like this one. I think it’s the winner.”
“No,” I say seriously. “I can’t pull this off.”
“You look great, Izzy,” Bryn says, gathering her things off the couch. “Really.”
I don’t. And standing up at the wedding next to these two pocket-sized runners is not going to help.
“Kelsey?” I ask, knowing she’ll tell me the truth.
Her eyes lift from her phone screen, giving me a full-body perusal. “It looks good. The color is great on you.”
“My ass is hanging out the back,” I say on a sigh as I walk back to change. The only option at this point is to admit defeat and buy a pair of spandex to wear underneath it. I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror as I walk into the training room. On second thought, maybe some shorts shapewear.
“Your ass isn’t hanging out,” Kelsey says from behind me.
“Honestly, you look great,” Lila says, the final one into the changing room.
Kelsey may not lie to me, but Lila most certainly would. She’s a kind soul. She’s also not my sister and so is far less likely to tell me the truth.
“I bet I know one famous musician who’d like it,” Lila continues. “I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that you’re dating Jaxon Steele.”
I roll my eyes before realizing I’d better control those reactions, even if no one can see me this time.
“We’re not dating,” I say, trying to work through what I’d say if this whole thing wasn’t fake. I’m sure, at this point, I’d still be denying it. “And it’s shocking how excited you are about this considering you’ve worked with the man for the last year.”
“Oh, I control myself around him,” Lila replies. “But secretly I still think his music is the best thing that’s ever happened to society. If I ever get married, I’m definitely walking down the aisle to his song.”
I snort. “If you ever get married? You live with your boyfriend of two years who is also your brother’s best friend. If you’re not engaged by the end of the year, I’d be shocked.”
“I agree with Izzy,” Kelsey chimes in.
“You should bring Jaxon with you to the wedding!” Lila says.
Well, isn’t that convenient? I’d planned to wait a week or two and ask Bryn if there was any way to sneak him in last minute, but this might work better.
“Why?” I ask as I walk out of the dressing room.
“Because you two hung out at least three times this week outside of his morning coffee deliveries,” Lila says with a grin. “Obviously you are doing more than just catching up.”
We join Bryn in the main room of the dress shop just as Kelsey says, “Oh, is that what the youths are calling it these days?”
Lila laughs. “No. I millennial’d that for you old ladies. I didn’t think you’d understand if I said, ‘So, about your situationship. Are we talking sneaky link, smashing, or have you DTR’d?’”
Kelsey pops an eyebrow at her employee, her annoyance clearly warring with her amusement at the terms.
Bryn on the other hand simply says, “Even though Jaxon is almost old enough to be a zaddy, no way it’s anything more than talking.”
“How am I only two years older than you and somehow feel like you’re speaking another language?” I ask.
“Because they basically are,” Kelsey replies. “But enough with that nonsense.” She looks me in the eye. “You and Jax have a lot of history, including him leaving you and you refusing to talk about or think about him for the next fifteen years. Are you sure you know what you’re getting into?”
It’s the same question I’ve been asking myself on repeat the more time I spend with Jaxon.
We’ve been down this road before, and he showed me just how willing he was to walk away from me.
It was devastating then, and that was when we were just friends.
Now we’ve got something like friendship building, but there’s also undeniable chemistry there.
“Yeah,” I say, lying out of my ass. My sisters are the ones most likely to call my bluff on dating Jaxon, so I’ve got to bring my A game. “I know he made a mistake when he was eighteen, but we’ve moved past that. I’m having a lot of fun getting to know the adult version of Jaxon.”
My sisters both look unconvinced, though Lila’s face screams smitten sixteen-year-old, so I add, “Plus, have you seen that guy lately? I can put up with a lot to get to stare at that face all day.”
“So you’re dating, then?” Bryn asks, unconvinced.
“Well, we haven’t—what was it?—DTR yet, but I could see it heading that direction.”
Now Kelsey seems skeptical, too. Shit. Why am I so bad at this?
“You should definitely invite him to B’s wedding, then,” Kelsey says, her laser-beam stare a clear indicator she’s moved on to just openly calling my bluff.
I feel like stroking a bald cat and evil laughing. My acting skills might be crap—as all the best kids’ movie villains are—but they still fell right into my trap.
“Oh, no,” I say, potentially laying it on too thick. “I wouldn’t want to inconvenience anyone. It’d be fun to have Jaxon as my date, especially now that he’s planning to stick around for a while, but it’s really not a big deal.”
“No, it’ll be way more fun if you have a date,” Bryn says. “Plus, Jax and Jameo run in the same circle, so it’s not like they don’t know each other. He should totally come.”
Kelsey is still assessing me as Bryn types quickly into her phone.
“There,” Bryn says. “I texted Cathy. She’ll work it out with the wedding planner. He’s in.”
“Fun!” I say, pulling out my phone as well. “I’ll text Jaxon and see if it works for him.”
Me
You’re officially my date for Bryn and Jameson’s wedding.
His response comes back so quickly I wonder if he was just staring at the messaging app when my text came through.
Jaxon
How’d you manage that?
Me
Bryn and Kelsey talked me into inviting you. They think they’re manipulating me, but I’m really manipulating them.
Jaxon
The Jedi has become the master.
Me
Well, at least one thing went right today.
My phone starts ringing as soon as I hit send, and I’m surprised to see Jaxon’s name on the screen.
I motion to my sisters and Lila that I’ll just be one minute, handing Bryn my credit card to pay for my dress, which she promptly waves away. Normally I’d fight her on this, but she is marrying a professional golfer with millions of dollars in endorsement deals.
“Hey,” I answer as I walk out of the dress shop onto the hot sidewalk in downtown Denver. “What’s up?”
“Just wanted to make sure you’re okay.” Jaxon’s deep voice rumbles through the phone.
I kick at a small pebble on the ground, being careful not to scuff my new blush-pink Nike’s. “Why wouldn’t I be.”
“Your last text made it seem like you were having a bad day.”
“I just hate shopping,” I reply.
Jaxon chuckles, and I can feel the smile spreading across my face.
“Some things never change, I guess,” Jaxon replies. “Remember how much you bitched about prom dress shopping? Your mom is a saint for putting up with you on those trips. You were always so grumpy when you’d get back.”
“Yeah, well, trying clothes on is literally the worst. Nothing feels right. Nothing looks right. Everything makes me itchy.”
“Just wear jeans or something. I’m your date. I’ll wear them too,” Jaxon offers.
I sigh. “If only. Too bad I’m a bridesmaid, and my mom will lose her sainthood if she murders me when I show up in non-wedding attire.”
“Normally I’d offer to protect you, but no way I can take on Jen Harper. She may be petite, but she seems scrappy,” Jaxon says with a laugh.
I smile at the thought of my little mom taking on a man almost a foot taller than her and twice as wide.
“She’s definitely the toughest of us all,” I agree.
This. This is the problem. It’s easy to talk to Jaxon. It’s always been easy between us. And if I’m not careful, I’ll find myself in the exact same spot I was all during my senior year: turning to tell him a joke or point something funny out, only to realize he’s not there.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” Jaxon says into the phone after we both stop laughing.
“Thanks for calling to check on me.”
“Of course, Iz. I’m here for you, just like the fantastic fake boyfriend I am,” he replies.
“Isabel,” I correct him, though it feels like I’m doing it more to remind myself than with any hope of getting him to call me something less intimate.
“Goodbye, Iz,” he says in response.
“Goodbye, Jaxon Reid.”
I turn around to find all three of the women I came here with staring at me. Lila looks so excited I swear she’s bouncing on her toes.
“He called you?” Lila all but shrieks.
“Yes?” I say. “And you three stood behind me and listened in on my call instead of getting into the car? Weird move.”
“We’re just so excited for you,” Lila replies, though both my sisters’ faces are portraying emotions that would fall much more on the worried end of the spectrum than the excited one.
“Of course you are,” I say as we all climb into the car. “It’s like it’s written in the happily married handbook that your next step is to focus all your energy into setting up your single friends so they can be in relationships too,” I reply.
“I’ve never tried to set you up with anyone,” Kelsey chimes in, navigating the car away from the dress shop and toward the restaurant.
“Though, I do have to admit it’d be nice to have a couple to go on double dates with.
JT and Jameson have such weird schedules, it’s really hard for us to get together.
Maybe the four of us should go out sometime. ”
“Hey!” Bryn exclaims, turning to glare at our oldest sister from the passenger seat. “You guys can’t go without us.”
“Fine. But it has to be this month, otherwise we’re going without you,” Kelsey replies.
“Deal,” Bryn says, already texting Jameo.
I’ve never been so happy to have the pressure of dating off my shoulders as I am in this exact moment—even if it means opening myself up to being let down by Jaxon…again.