Chapter 2
Lainey
Memories from last night flood in, unbidden and all too vivid. I almost forget where I am. But then the faint, lingering scent of Zach’s cologne on the sheets snaps me back to reality.
I glance toward the bathroom door, where the sound of the shower running brings a fresh flush to my cheeks. Zach Darling. Of all people. I mean, yes, Zach’s infuriatingly charming and good-looking, but waking up in his bed is a line I swore I’d never cross.
But that was last night. It was just a momentary lapse of judgment. I can’t let it mean anything more.
I slip out of bed as quietly as possible, gathering my clothes from the floor piece by piece and slipping them on as quickly as I can.
There’s no time for a farewell, and honestly, that’s for the best. The last thing I want is an awkward morning-after chat with him standing there, hair dripping, and that infuriatingly charming look on his face.
No, thank you.
Grabbing my purse, I let myself out of the room, careful to close the door softly behind me.
The hallway feels far too quiet as I walk to the elevator.
Catching my reflection in the polished metal doors, I cringe.
My hair’s a mess, and my cheeks are flushed—not from exertion, of course. Definitely not.
The elevator dings, and I step inside, determined to put this behind me. I’m not about to let a night with Zach Darling derail my entire day.
The bridal shop is already open by the time I arrive, and Chloe’s in the back with Janelle, talking with the stylist as they sort through a few dresses. Janelle turns first, her face lighting up as I walk in.
“There she is! And here I thought you might skip out on us this morning.” Janelle gives me a knowing smile, her sharp hazel eyes studying me a little too intently.
I try to play it off, setting the coffee tray down and slipping off my sunglasses, giving them both a wide grin. “Who, me? Never. Chloe, I wouldn’t miss this for the world. I even brought coffee.”
Chloe peeks around a rack of dresses, her sharp eyes zeroing in on me. “Lainey, you’re… glowing. Is that… a glow?”
I nearly trip over my own feet. “Glowing? Don’t be ridiculous. It’s just… post-engagement party energy.”
“Uh-huh,” Chloe says, clearly unconvinced. Her grin is all mischief. She exchanges a glance with Janelle, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Mm-hmm. Just the party, huh?”
“Yes. Just the party.” I take a long, slow sip of coffee, hoping it’ll hide the telltale blush creeping up my cheeks. But Janelle isn’t letting me off that easily.
She raises an eyebrow, her lips quirking into a smirk. “You seem… different. A little distracted, maybe? And it’s not like you to be late for a fitting, especially one for your best friend.”
I shove a coffee cup into her hand before she can push further. “I’m fine. Let’s focus on Chloe, shall we? Big day and all.”
Chloe, however, isn’t letting it go. “Wait—hold up. Is this why you disappeared last night?”
I choke on my own coffee. “What? No! I didn’t disappear. I was just… tired. That’s all.”
Chloe’s eyes go wide, and her jaw drops. “Oh my God, Lainey. You had sex!”
My mind flashes back to Zach, his smirk, and the way his hands felt as he wrapped me up against him. I shoot the memory away.
She continues. “Was it one of the hockey players? Because I saw one of them totally checking you out.”
“You did? Who?”
“Blake Saunders.”
“He’s cute, but no. Too young.”
“So you admit you had sex last night?” Janelle says.
“Was it someone we know?” Chloe chimes in.
“No one you need to worry about,” I say quickly, but my flustered tone betrays me.
Janelle’s laugh is low and knowing, and she steps closer, nudging me with her shoulder. “Sounds like someone swept our Lainey off her feet.”
“Hardly.” I give her a look. “It was just… one of those nights, okay?”
Chloe can barely contain her excitement. “Come on, spill. Who was it?”
I hesitate, but there’s no point in hiding it. They’ll find out, eventually. “Fine,” I mutter, casting a quick glance around like Zach might magically appear. “It was Zach.”
Chloe’s jaw drops, and Janelle laughs so hard that the stylist gives us a curious glance. Chloe reaches out, clutching my arm. “Zach Darling? Our Zach?”
“Yes, that Zach,” I say, rolling my eyes. “And before you get any ideas, it was a one-time thing. Just… a momentary lapse in judgment.”
Janelle’s eyebrow arches as she tilts her head. “Was it really just that? Because from the look on your face, I’d say he left quite the impression.”
I cross my arms, feeling a mix of embarrassment and something else I can’t quite name. “It’s not like that. He’s… well, he’s Zach. Charming, infuriating, and way too confident for his own good.”
“How did this happen? I thought you two couldn’t stand each other.” Chloe asks.
“I blame it on the alcohol.”
“You had two shots,” Janelle says.
“I know! We were dancing. And I was feeling all kinds of ways after finding out that Drew was attending Chloe’s wedding. And she’s all happy with Wyatt. Then it hit me. I’m thirty. I don’t have a love life except for a few one-night stands. Then it just happened.”
“Wait, who’s Drew?” Janelle asks, tilting her head.
“My cousin,” Chloe says.
“Your cousin?” Janelle echoes, her brows lifting in surprise. “Okay, we’ll get back to Drew later. First, the good stuff—was it good at least?”
“That’s the worst part. The sex was fucking mind-blowing.”
Chloe’s eyes widen. “Define mind-blowing.”
“Four orgasms,” I mutter.
They both gasp in unison.
“Four?” Chloe echoes. “Lainey, how are you even standing right now?”
Janelle smirks. “No wonder women are all over him.”
“Exactly!” I say, throwing my hands up.
“Please tell me you used protection,” Janelle says.
“Of course. We went through all the condoms in my purse.” I look around for my purse. Then I remembered I didn’t bring it because I knocked it down when I got home to take a quick shower and change. I didn’t have time to pick it up, so I only brought my wallet.
Chloe and Janelle exchange a glance before Janelle laughs. “You were totally prepared for a night like this, weren’t you?”
“Not intentionally!” I snap, but I can’t keep the heat from rising in my cheeks. “Oh gosh. Should I even be talking to you about this? Aren’t you still considered our boss, Janelle?”
“Hey, we went over this. We’re practically partners now. Just because I’m the CEO doesn’t mean I call all the shots. You both own a share of the company now, and I’m grateful to run Luminous with you two. We’ve grown from 50 to 100 employees, and I couldn’t have done it without you.”
After the PR case with Wyatt’s hockey career went viral, Luminous Communications—our entertainment PR firm—skyrocketed in popularity, attracting high-profile clients and doubling its revenue.
Janelle had always planned to expand, but the rapid growth required more funding. That’s where Wyatt came in.
He bought a significant portion of the company’s shares and split them between Chloe and me.
It was his way of thanking me for helping Chloe take care of Jasper all these years—a gesture of appreciation I hadn’t seen coming.
I’d refused the money outright, but Wyatt, being Wyatt, invested it into the company instead and handed me the shares.
Now Chloe, as VP, manages client strategies and oversees operations, while I work as Accounts Director, ensuring campaigns run smoothly and relationships with our clients thrive. Together with Janelle, we’re building something bigger than I ever imagined.
“Janelle, you’ve built something incredible,” I say, meaning it.
“You and Chloe are the reason we’re thriving now.”
“Aww, thanks.” Chloe and I both say and give Janelle a group hug.
“Oh, great news. Zach is officially out of the wedding planning picture. He agreed to let me take the lead while he handles his part.”
“Well, I’m fine with whatever. I trust you. Wyatt doesn’t care either. He’s giving you all the power and his credit card. Even though I told him I’d pay for half since I didn’t want my parents to pay for the wedding.”
“Love that, Chloe! Wyatt’s a keeper. So… Lainey. Did Zach let you take the lead before or after the orgasms?” Janelle laughs.
Chloe covers her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh. “Oh, stop! You’re terrible.”
I can feel the heat rushing up my neck. “Could we not, ladies?” My voice pitches higher than I’d like, but I meet their gazes head-on. “And, for the record? Before.”
“So he buttered you up and then took advantage,” Janelle says.
Chloe laughs then asks jokingly, “So, are you still looking for a date to the wedding, or do you have one now?”
I give her a mock glare, but I can’t help the laughter that slips out. “Ha ha, very funny. I’m still on the hunt for Mr. Perfect, thank you very much.”
Janelle raises an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “Mr. Perfect? What’s all this about?”
Chloe and I exchange a glance, and I feign reluctance before shrugging.
Chloe starts to tell her about what happened back in college. “Okay, so back to Drew. Lainey had this huge crush on him, like major heart-eyes, can’t-eat-can’t-sleep crush.”
Janelle’s expression softens with sympathy, glancing at me with understanding. I put on an exaggeratedly tragic face, clutching my chest. “Yes, it was heartbreaking. My one true love turned me down.”
“Lainey was devastated when he started dating Clarissa.”
At the mention of her name, I grimace. Clarissa—my eternal nemesis. Blonde, gorgeous, and somehow always perfectly put together. She was everything I wasn’t back then. And Drew? I thought we hit it off, but clearly, I thought wrong.
Janelle chuckles and steps forward to give me a hug. I laugh, waving her off. “I’m over it, I swear. It was years ago.”
Janelle tilts her head, curious. “Who’s Clarissa?”
Chloe doesn’t miss a beat. “She was a girl who was always in competition with Lainey for no reason. She was the queen of popularity—beautiful, polished, comes from a wealthy family and every guy wanted her.”
“And she made sure everyone knew it,” I add, rolling my eyes. “Especially when Drew picked her over me.”
Chloe nods. “She definitely rubbed it in Lainey’s face every chance she got. Like it wasn’t enough that she already had everything.”
Janelle raises an eyebrow, her sympathy morphing into irritation on my behalf. “Wow. She sounds like a piece of work.”
“She was,” I say with a dry laugh. “But like I said, it was a million years ago, and I’m over it.”
“Wait,” Janelle interrupts, her gaze narrowing. “So, does this ‘Mr. Perfect’ hunt have anything to do with Drew?”
I hesitate, fiddling with the edge of my coffee cup. “Not… entirely,” I say, avoiding their gazes. “I have my checklist and was already on the hunt for a date and had them lined up for this week. I just… I don’t want him to think I’m still hung up on him. That’s all.”
Chloe and Janelle exchange a look before Chloe speaks. “Lainey, Drew’s not going to care if you’re single or not. You don’t need to prove anything.”
Janelle nods. “She’s right. But I get it—you want to feel like you’re in control of the situation.”
Chloe’s voice softens. “Lainey, you’re amazing, date or no date.”
I sigh, glancing down. “I just… I want him to see that I’ve moved on. It’s silly, but I don’t want him to think I’m still pining over him just because I’m single.”
Janelle nods thoughtfully, then places a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “There’s nothing wrong with being single, you know. Look at me—I’m single, and I’m perfectly fine.”
Chloe laughs softly and nudges Janelle. “And you’re sexy as heck as a single woman. I’m sure you have men falling at your feet that you’re hiding from us!”
Janelle responds with a wicked smile but says nothing, letting the implication linger as she turns her focus back to me. “Lainey, maybe your checklist is holding you back,” she says gently, her tone full of meaning.
“It’s just that… sometimes it feels like if I’m not checking off all these boxes, I’m somehow not moving forward,” I admit, glancing down. “I know it sounds silly.”
Janelle’s expression softens. “Not silly at all, Lainey,” she says gently. “Sometimes, what we think we want isn’t exactly what we need.”
“Exactly,” Chloe chimes in, a playful glint in her eye. “Maybe your Mr. Perfect isn’t a checklist at all. Maybe he’s the guy who makes you feel alive, even if he’s not… well, perfect.”
I roll my eyes, trying to brush it off. “I’m just being practical. It’s not like I can go around letting my heart lead the way without thinking.”
“Maybe that’s exactly why you should try it,” Janelle says with a wink.
Before I can respond, the bridal consultant steps into the room, carefully carrying a gown so stunning it momentarily silences us all. “Here it is,” she says with a warm, practiced smile.
We refocus on Chloe’s dress fitting, my friends letting the topic of my love life drop—for now. As Chloe steps into the gown and twirls in front of the mirror, she looks like a vision straight out of a dream, every inch the glowing bride.
But even as I watch her, admiring how perfectly the dress suits her, my mind drifts back to Zach and the easy laughter we shared last night. Just for a moment, I let myself wonder if maybe, just maybe, I’ve been focusing on the wrong things all along.