Chapter 17
Daniela
It’s the morning of the bridal shower. Liam’s mom drove into town yesterday to help with preparations and decorating, and we’re currently having another famous Liam breakfast at the dining table.
Jackson is trying to convince everyone to go for a boat ride tomorrow. And, of course, Dex is the one with the big fancy boat. The matter isn’t settled, since the owner of said boat isn’t even currently here, but it’s not off the table.
I like Liam’s mom, Sandy. She reminds me a little of my own mom.
Spunky. And she’s basically taken charge of the whole shower, which is great for me.
As much as I want to help wherever I can, I don’t possess the creative talent it takes to throw together a picturesque backyard bridal shower.
I’m a math nerd, not an artist. But Sandy does.
I’m perfectly content being told what to do, where to put things.
“All right, Daniela, be ready to get to work in about…an hour?” Sandy looks at me, and I nod obligingly.
“Yes, ma’am,” I respond. She has this powerful matriarch energy that makes me want to listen with rapt attention, but she’s warm and kind at the same time.
I throw on denim shorts and a T-shirt, then hurry out the door to go grab a coffee. My friends make the best homemade coffee, but I feel like taking a drive by myself before the craziness of the day ahead.
I pull up to a little family-owned coffee shop that I found on my phone five minutes ago and, noticing that the drive-thru line is wrapped around the building, I decide to run inside. I don’t want to be late helping Sandy.
The smell inside is heavenly, and—of course—there’s no line in here.
I’m usually with the people who would rather wait in the drive-thru, safe in the comfort of their cars.
It’s better than stepping inside with the risk of getting caught in a crowd.
But today, I’m in a hurry. I have tunnel vision as I head straight to the counter, place my order for a chai latte, and move to the next counter to wait .
I’m not usually one for people-watching. I prefer to keep my head down and mind my own business. But I hear a laugh coming from a table behind me, and my intuition—stupid, traitorous thing that it is—tells me to look.
It's Marny.
I could swear she averted her gaze just as I turned, but I could be wrong. Not that I care. She’s sitting with a friend at a tiny table, chatting over coffee. Just as I’m about to turn back around, she meets my eyes and gives me a wide smile.
“Hey,” she calls out.
I stand there awkwardly as she waves me over from across the coffee shop.
I try to play dumb, giving a half-hearted wave and pretending not to understand that she’s beckoning me. But that only makes her motion more insistently.
Grumbling to myself, I head toward the table. I can be nice—she hasn’t actually done anything to me.
Marny’s golden hair is tied up in a messy bun, and she’s wearing gym clothes. So is her friend. She smiles as I approach, but somehow it feels like I’m walking toward a cougar rather than a docile bunny rabbit.
“Hey,” she says again. “You’re Layla’s friend from last week, right?”
“That’s right,” I say.
“I’m assuming you’ll be at the wedding?”
“Yep. I’m the maid of honor,” I reply, smiling .
“Oh, how fun,” she beams.
“Yep.”
“I just adore weddings. I’m sure theirs will be…charming. Dex said it’s going to be in Liam’s backyard?” She glances between her friend and me. “Oh my gosh, I went to the most incredible wedding in Manhattan a few years back. Now that was a wedding.”
Okay. This is only my second impression of her, and I already don’t like her snooty undertones. Nobody disses my best friend’s dream wedding.
“Yep, it will be quite charming . It has a beautiful backdrop. It’s the perfect vibe for them.”
“Oh, yeah, I remember it well. We used to hang out back there all the time, you know. Back when Dexter and I were a thing.” She looks off into the distance for a moment, then sighs. “Young love, am I right?”
Just then, the barista calls out my order, and I’ve never been happier to be called Daniel. Before she can say anything else, I wave and turn away.
“That’s me,” I say, already walking away.
“Well, let me know if you need any help with any wedding stuff!” she calls out.
Yeah, right.
I pretend not to hear her.