Chapter 1 Eva #2
I turn around swiftly to see Maddy, who’s at the door with a beaming smile.
It’s been two months since I last saw her because she was vacationing with her boyfriend in the Bahamas.
I’ve lost count of how many times they have vacationed in the year they’ve been together.
Maddy is truly living her best life while I’m watching potential porn movies acted out in my café.
“Oh my God, you’re here!” I run toward her and straight into a tight embrace.
She smells just like I remember—strawberries and cream.
As we pull away, I take a moment to really look at her.
She is sun-kissed, but what catches my eye is the hint of gold in her usually dark brown hair.
Last year, during her quarter-life crisis, she impulsively got bangs.
Now, they’ve grown out enough to just tuck behind her ears.
Her gemstone-green eyes sparkle with anticipation, and I realize she’s waiting for me to notice something. I glance over her again, but nothing seems unusual. She’s dressed in denim jeans with a black top and an oversize ivory knitted cardigan.
Then, she raises her hand and waves it at me. The diamond catches the light, nearly blinding me as Maddy thrusts her hand in front of my face, her smile practically bursting with joy.
I squint at the ring, trying to make out the cut. I am no expert on carats, cuts, or top designers, but even I know this ring is massive and worth a lot.
“It’s a big ring,” I say slowly.
“I know, but do you know what type of ring it is?”
“Tiffany?” I answer with a scrunched face.
“It’s an engagement ring!” Maddy shrieks. “I’m getting married!”
My fingers instinctively trace the edge of the ring while Maddy’s words begin to sink in. Did she just use the M-word?
Oh my , I mouth, yanking her hand toward me to get a better glimpse. “Maddy, are you for real? Or is this some prank because you’re bored, and you know I’m heading to the doctor for a checkup and worried they’ll find something and then tell me I have one week to live?”
“Now who’s being melodramatic?” she teases. “Myles proposed. And the best news is, we’re getting married in a month. Here, in Cinnamon Springs!”
I shake my head, trying to slow my thoughts because my overstimulated brain has many, many questions.
“One… month?”
“Yes! And before you even think it, I’m not pregnant.”
“I wasn’t thinking it,” I lie.
“Of course you were.” Maddy tugs my arm, guiding me to one of the empty tables outside.
“Myles’s grandfather is unwell. I mean, he’s ninety-six, which is a miracle in itself, so who knows how long he has left?
It’s super important to his family that he’s part of the day, so Myles asked if I would be open to planning it quickly.
I mean, it’s a wedding. How hard can it be? ”
I snort, covering my mouth the moment it slips out. “A wedding is a big event and a month isn’t a lot of time. For starters, how many people are you inviting? Have you considered what venue can hold all your guests? And so quickly? You’ll need a wedding planner.”
“There’ll be about a hundred people, including Myles’s family,” Maddy rushes to respond.
“My father secured the Grand Honey Lodge. It’s the perfect location.
Plus, they will do all the catering. As for the wedding planner, I’ve contacted three, but they said it’s too short notice, no matter how much I tried to entice them with a bonus. ”
“Oh.”
“Myles’s mother has insisted on planning it, since apparently she is part of some charitable committee and plans events all the time.” Maddy’s face changes, as if she’s trying to convince me she’s happy Myles’s mother will take over.
“Okay, so that’s covered, I guess. What about your dress and your bridesmaids?”
“Well, here’s the thing…” Maddy smiles, resting her hand on top of mine. “No one in the world means more to me than you. So all I need is for you to say yes to being my maid of honor. The bridesmaids will be Myles’s cousins Ramona and Hailey since he’s an only child, and he’s close to them.”
“I… I would be honored.” My eyes blur as I reach out to hug her.
We were never the type of girls to gush about marriage and babies.
Our lives focused on college and then real-world responsibilities.
Maddy switched her major from literature to theater, much to her father’s disapproval.
After one trip to see Hamilton , Maddy decided she was destined for the stage.
Well, not the stage itself, but behind the scenes.
She’s always had a fascination with costumes.
Once, for a town fair, she made us dress up as Tweedledum and Tweedledee for a pie-eating contest. She made the costumes herself and insisted we would win the grand prize of two hundred dollars for the effort.
In the end, we were runners-up, and I was throwing up cherry pie for a solid four hours after that competition.
The runners-up got free pies from Shirley’s Pie House.
We never picked ours up.
After interning for what felt like forever, Maddy got her dream job in Manhattan, despite her father being less than pleased she chose a career in theater.
It’s there she met Myles—he’s a talent scout who invests in up-and-coming theater productions.
The funny thing is, they had crossed paths before at family events but had never spoken to each other.
“I’m shocked, but if you love him, this is great.”
“I do love him, Eva.”
“Then, it’s settled.” I clap my hands with excitement. “Let’s get you married. You tell me what you need, and I will do my best to make it happen. It’s not like I have anything else going on in my life right now.” I let out a nervous laugh.
Maddy sighs. “You know me better than anyone else.”
“Yes, some say we were conjoined twins in a previous life,” I tease, then follow with, “But?”
“It’s just, work is going to be crazy over the next month with the premiere coming up for that show we’ve been working on.
We actually need to postpone our honeymoon until after opening week.
I know it’s not the right time to get married, but if it stays small and intimate, it shouldn’t be overwhelming, right?
I can be present for both. The drive to Manhattan is only two hours.
Less, if I put my foot on the gas and pretend I’m Dom Toretto. ”
I reach out to touch her hand. “You’re capable of anything you put your mind to. But if you need more help, I’m always here.”
“I just don’t want Myles’s mother to make it her day.”
“So, don’t have her plan it. Why don’t you leave the boring stuff you don’t care about to her, and give me the fun stuff you do care about. I don’t care for china patterns but I do care about saying goodbye to your single days with an epic bang.”
Maddy’s eyes water. “You would really do that for me?”
“Like I said, my life is about as exciting as a bear going into hibernation.”
Her mouth quirks as she giggles. “So I’m really not burdening you, and maybe all this wedding planning might send good karma to the universe and deliver you the most perfect man?”
“Okay, now you’re reaching.” I laugh.
Maddy glances at her watch, scrunching her face. “Ah, crap! Listen… I have to meet the minister in ten minutes. It was the only time he could see me. How about we catch up tonight at your place? I could really use some girl time, and we can talk about the wedding in more detail.”
“Sure, but you know it’s Valentine’s Day. Don’t you have a fiancé to spoil?”
“We decided to hold off until the wedding,” she admits with an unsure smile.
An unflattering laugh leaves my mouth. “ You … not have sex for one month? Oh, this won’t end well. I’m not dealing with a bridezilla.”
Maddy chuckles. “Hey, what doesn’t kill me will make me stronger, right?”
I shake my head with a grin. Maddy is many things, but patient is not one of them.
Billie joins us, and Maddy quickly announces her news. The ring is brought out again for display, and Billie gushes over the diamond. Since Maddy needs to go, she rushes through the upcoming plans while Billie listens attentively.
Before leaving to see the minister, Maddy hovers behind the counter and takes a glazed donut, shoving it in a brown paper take-out bag. Billie frowns but offers to make her a to-go coffee as well.
“Thanks, Billie.” Maddy sighs dejectedly. “I’ll need a strong one, too, if the minister brings up my virtue.”
“The virtue you gave away when we traveled to Europe that summer before senior year? I’m sorry… what was his name again?”
The summer traveling around Europe was the best time of our lives. We backpacked and met other people our age. It was just one big party and many drunk nights walking the cobblestone streets in uncomfortable heels in whatever country we were in at the time.
Maddy rolls her eyes. “Can we not bring him up, please? I shudder at the thought.”
“Okay, okay…” I raise my hands with a giggle. “I promise not to ruin your memorable day. See you tonight.”
She leans in, kissing me on the cheek before heading toward the door, where she pauses just shy of the couple and dramatically pretends to gag. They have progressed to kissing, and I’m almost certain I catch a glimpse of tongue.
That’s it! They need to take this elsewhere.
“Oh, shit,” Maddy says, turning back to me, “I just remembered, my brother can help you with all the wedding stuff, too. I still have to tell him, but I’ll do that after seeing the minister.
Aston won’t say no since he knows I’ll annoy him until he caves.
So don’t worry about having to do it all yourself.
That’s if Myles’s mother doesn’t drive us all to the nuthouse.
Did you know it’s bad luck seeing a nun or monk on your way to your wedding ceremony? ”
What the…
My brain is jumping back and forth between the so-called help I’m to receive and the nun or monk just randomly appearing on a wedding day. Cinnamon Springs doesn’t have nuns or monks that I know of. God, this is so beside the point.
Her brother??
“Um, a nun, right…” I mumble.
“I know. Myles’s mother is a piece of work.” Maddy waves with a big smile. “Bye. Love you!”
And in a flash, she’s gone, leaving me completely speechless. The moment she dropped the word brother , my stomach twisted.
The last thing I want to do is spend one minute with Aston Beaumont.
It’s been eight years since I saw him. No, that’s a lie.
Actually, he was passing through town once with his father, and I saw him across the street.
It was summer break, and I’d decided to visit for a few days.
When I spotted him, I freaked out and ran the other way, and afterward, I felt stupid.
So much so, I did tequila shots with some random tourists passing through town and ended up singing “It’s Raining Men” during karaoke hour onstage in front of the busy Friday-night crowd. It wasn’t my finest moment.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, alerting me to my appointment.
“Great,” I mutter under my breath. “What café owner books a doctor’s appointment to renew her birth control on Valentine’s Day?”
Billie’s warm smile is enough to calm my overwhelming thoughts.
“Go to your appointment. We close in an hour anyway, so I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I nod with a forced smile, but deep inside, my resentment spreads by the second.
How can one guy—a jerk, to be precise—still make me feel this way years later? I’ve moved on, and I’m sure he’s moved on.
It was one stupid kiss.
A billion years ago.
We were kids.
End of story.