While the weekend will provide a respite from William’s constant badgering about when I’m going to get over the fact that he lied to me, I’m not certain it’ll provide much else.
Instead, I’m stuck thinking constantly about my coffee business meeting with Carson.
Most of the women attending this bachelorette party are also from San Diego, and I immediately latch onto one named Courtney—or maybe she latches onto me. Whatever the case, we make an immediate connection of friendship that will, at the very least, last through the weekend.
She seems sweet, and she also seems the most like me. She’s known Josie for a long time, and she doesn’t know anyone else here. She’s married, and I’m in a long-term relationship that’s supposedly heading that way. Apparently she has been friends with the bride since elementary school. We bond over the fact that we don’t know anyone besides Josie, and then we bond over wine. Well, I bond over wine; she’s not drinking because she’s pregnant.
Friday night is when everyone arrives. Saturday is meant for playing and drinking, and Sunday is the day we depart. It’s a quick weekend trip, and we’re all staying together in a cabin Josie’s rich parents are paying for.
Courtney and I end up together in a room with two twin beds. After an evening of drinking wine, we’re gossiping before bed. The lights are out and we’ve both washed off our makeup. We’re giggling and, admittedly, I’m a little drunk as we talk into the darkness from the isolated comfort of our separate beds.
She tells the first secret without any prompting.
“I didn’t want to come this weekend.”
I giggle. “Neither did I. Why did you come?”
“This stays between us, and I’m probably only telling you because of pregnancy hormones, but I have a relationship blog. Lately I’ve had to…embellish some of the stories. My blog used to thrive on my dating mishaps, but I’m happily married now and I don’t really have much to complain about anymore. I thought maybe this weekend with some single girls could give me some new material.”
“What would your readers think if they found out?”
“It’s a pretty big deal, to be honest. I think they’d be pissed. Only my husband and my best friend know, so you can’t tell anyone.”
“Promise I won’t.”
“Why did you come this weekend?”
“I wanted to get away from my boyfriend for a couple of days.”
“Why?”
I should probably be hesitant to tell the truth after what she just told me about her blog, but all the wine I drank prevents that hesitance. “This is something I haven’t told anyone, either, so it stays between us.”
“Ooh, sounds juicy.”
“I have a total crush on someone who isn’t my boyfriend.”
“Just a crush? Or are there feelings involved?”
“I don’t know. William kept something from me right around the same time I met this really hot executive from a competing company, and he’s showing all sorts of interest in me.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. Part of me feels like I should forgive William and try to get past it.”
“But the other part of you?”
“Wants to know what it would be like to have sex with someone like Carson King.”
“Carson King?”
“Yeah.” I sigh dreamily as I think about him running on the beach. How was that just earlier this morning? “He’s been pretty persistent in asking me out.”
“Carson King, as in Carson King from King Communications?”
“Yeah. Do you know him?”
“Sort of.”
“Oh, shit. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“Don’t worry. Your secret is safe.”
“How do you know him?”
“I’m, uh…sort of married to his brother.”
“Oh Jesus.”
“Yeah.”
I laugh—wine-drunk Sylvie finds this whole situation highly amusing. Courtney starts laughing right along with me.
Once our laughing starts to calm, I ask, “What can you tell me about him?”
“Well, he’s really close with my husband. He lives in New York, and he’s next in line to be the CEO of King Communications.”
“I already know most of that. What about his dating life?”
“How much honesty are you looking for?”
“Give it to me straight. I’m numb with wine so I can handle anything.”
“Dating life? Nonexistent.”
“He doesn’t date?”
“He doesn’t do what I would call dating, exactly.”
“What does that mean?”
“In the two years I’ve been married to his brother, I’ve never seen him in a relationship. When he comes to town, he almost always stays in a hotel even though we always invite him to stay with us. Carter told me it’s because he always ends up bringing some woman home with him, and I have to say, I appreciate that he does that. Millie doesn’t need to hear Uncle Carson’s moans in the next room, you know what I mean?”
I try for a laugh, but it doesn’t come out right. I attempt to clear my suddenly clogged throat.
I was wrong—wine numbness does not equate to me being able to handle anything.
My chest hurts as she talks, and a stinging heat presses behind my eyes.
“But he came into town yesterday and stayed with us last night. It was only maybe the second or third time he’s done that since Millie was born. He didn’t bring some random girl home. He went out with Carter and Axel, their cousin, last night, and they came home at a decent time. He even played with Millie this morning. They were so sweet together. Honestly, if he ever catches the daddy bug, I think he’d make a wonderful father, but first he has to settle down. He has to stop sleeping with any woman that breathes and pick just one. He just hasn’t ever seemed interested in commitment.”
The heat behind my eyes morphs into actual tears, and they leak silently from my lids as I lie on my back and stare into the darkness up at the ceiling.
I thought maybe there was something between us. I thought maybe he and I had a chance.
Clearly I was wrong. His sister-in-law knows personal things about him, and I stupidly asked for honesty.
Maybe this is all for the best. Now I can easily get over my crush and move on. Now I don’t have to think about this womanizing asshole anymore. I don’t have to live my days under a cloud of confusion as I wonder if I should give up what I have with the very solid and secure man I live with.
This was exactly what I needed to push me right back into William’s arms.