FIFTEEN YEARS LATER

I’m about eighty-five percent sure Joe is cheating on me.

Maybe I’m too pessimistic and it’s only forty-five percent.

Or I’m naïve and it’s really ninety-five percent.

Ugh.

Why in the world did I go to Vivvy’s house and listen as she spread poison in a bless-your-heart kind of way about a soon-to-be-married man and his clueless fiancée?

Let’s be real—the percentage should be zero because Joe is faithfully in love with me and we’re getting married in less than two weeks. No woman in her right mind would go forward with a wedding when she’s any percentage confident that her man is cheating on her.

Then again, since all this wedding planning started, I’ve been in every mind but the right one. I think there’s something about weddings that bring out the monster in me... or it could be because I’m flipping tired of trying to distinguish between the colors of champagne pink versus blush pink so that my cousin Peggy Jane-Ellen Price’s skin doesn’t look sallow while she recites Corinthians behind the pastor’s pulpit.

I’m happy as long as it doesn’t look like Pepto Bismol or calamine lotion because the last thing I want anyone to think about is upset stomachs or itchy bug bites on what is supposed to be the most romantic day of my life.

Anyway, back to Joe’s potential cheating. I’m not the type to sit idly by while the gossip mill feeds everyone within spitting distance about Joe’s peccadillos.

Nope. Not me.

Instead, I’ve invited one Aiden McHugh, NFL quarterback and all-around pain in my tail to dinner at Raleigh’s most popular and expensive restaurant, 451, in the hopes of convincing him to help me.

As my older brother’s best friend, he has to come to my rescue. While I realize it might sound silly for a woman of twenty-six to have a binder in the first place, in my defense, I use it to help plan my wedding.

The only problem is that Aiden’s not known for his kindness. He’s known for the most passes, the strongest arm, and the grumpy disposition.

If there’s one redeeming factor about Aiden, it’s that he’s remained friends with the people he knew before he made it big.

Only, he has cultivated the reputation of an asshole...

Aiden slides into the booth, in the seat across from me. His light blue eyes roam my face before settling on my lips.

Typical.

As soon as I turned twenty-one, it was as if a switch flipped for Aiden. Instead of the guy who treated me like a kid sister, he became the guy who treated me like I was a piece of meat or didn’t exist... unless he was forced, by me, to interact.

Honestly, I’m shocked he showed up, and I tell him as much.

“You picked my favorite place. Why wouldn’t I show up for a free meal?” he replies. “You are buying, correct?”

“Maybe to hang out with me, and we’re going dutch.” I smirk at him. “You can afford it.”

“Baby girl, we don’t hang out.”

Baby girl. Ugh. I hate when he calls me that. It’s demeaning, and it feels foreign coming from him.

“Fine. We don’t hang out, but we used to, and I’m counting on our history together to make you... ah...” Just say it.

“To make me what?”

My cheeks heat.

I hate this part. I don’t want to admit that Joe is less than perfect, and not just because it hurts my heart. Aiden has never liked Joe. Ever. He’s always been waiting for the other shoe to drop... so he can point and laugh while saying, “Told ya he was a cheater, LT.”

“For you to find out if Joe is cheating on me.”

“The fuck?” His jaw works, and a dull flush appears across the bridge of his nose. “Don’t you think this is something your brothers should take care of?”

“He’d suspect Kingston, and Boone can’t lie worth a flip.”

“But I can?”

“Southie for life. Isn’t that what you used to tell me?”

“Yeah.”

“Look, all you have to do is get a little buddy-buddy with him. Maybe even offer up one of your lady-friends, if she agrees, or make someone up just to see what he says.”

“Hearsay isn’t an admission of guilt. You’d need to catch him in the act, LT.”

I drop my head in my hands. “Why did you have to major in pre-law?”

“Had to make sure I could keep myself out of jail.”

I peek at him between my fingers. “Not breaking the law in the first place didn’t occur to you?”

He gives me his patented Aiden look. The one that makes me feel like a snob who should be banned from his company.

I drop my hands, sighing thickly. “I’ll do anything, Aiden. Wash your car. Clean your house. Do your laundry. Set you up with, uh... whoever.” I don’t care who or what he wants as long as I get my life going in the fairy-tale ending of a direction again.

His eyes turn unreadable. “I’ll do it, but you only have to pay me back if he’s cheating.”

I smile gratefully. “Deal.”

“You sure abut that, LT?” He rubs his jaw. “I haven’t said what my payment would be.”

My smile fades. “What’s your payment?”

“If Joe’s a cheater, I get a night with you.”

“Uh, okay.” I shrug. Weird, but not unheard of. I mean, he used to spend time with me when we were younger.

“In my bed,” he adds, his voice deepening on the last word.

“You want to sleep with me?” I all but hiss.

This has to be some kind of joke. Aiden and I are... nothing to one another. Or, at least, we’re not like that to one another.

Sure, he’s hot, but...

“I want to do a hell of a lot more than sleep, baby girl. Whaddya say?” he asks, his Boston accent sharper than usual. “Promise I’ll be a proper gentleman and whatnot when we fuck.”

“Nothing like making a deal with the devil,” I mutter loud enough for him to hear.

“You have me confused with someone who gives a fuck about what you think.” He stands up. “Enjoy your dinner, princess.”

“Oh, I will.” I eat my emotions all the time. Literally, I do. I can’t help that I’m an emotional eater. Breakfast, lunch, brunch, second breakfast, dinner... whatever time of day it is, I can make it work.

“Go for it, baby girl, and enjoy working off the calories before the wedding.”

“You... you’re such an... an asshole.” I mime wrapping my fingers around his throat, but all he does is laugh as he leaves our table.

The waiter stops by the table, a confused look on his face. He must be new here, because many a drama has happened in the main dining room of 451. “Are you ready?”

I snap open the menu. “Yup and I’ll be starting with dessert first.”

***

IT’S BEEN TWO WEEKS since I made that stupid deal with Aiden. So far, he’s told me exactly squat. He’s also stopped answering my texts and calls, which means I’m still in the dark.

Come hell or high water, I will get an answer.

Luckily for me, my best friend in the entire world invited me to come to Miami with her. Aiden is here, hanging out with her boyfriend and completely unable to avoid me.

I frown.

Except he somehow managed to avoid me on the plane ride down by going to sleep. Then he escorted me to my room in this hotel of a house before his phone rang and he just had to take it.

Earlier today, I attempted to eat lunch with him by the pool, but he made me so mad I forgot what I came here for in the first place.

But I’m not worried.

I’m focused now.

And when the opportunity arises, I will strike.

Until then, I’ll keep supporting Paige while she stalks Dallas on social media while he’s at a party and tries to convince herself that he’s not the one for her. Which is total bullcrap. He’s so the one for her that I want to propose marriage for him so they go off and make babies together.

“Do you think I’m being unreasonable by not letting my relationship with Dallas go public?” she asks.

Absolutely. The poor man is dying to show her off and tell everyone she belongs to him. How can she not want that? “You don’t want to know what I think.”

She sits up. “Sure I do.”

I shake my head, sending my ponytail swinging. “No, you want to hear me agree with the rules you’ve already put in place for him to date you.”

“Fine. I do like confirmation, but I’m being completely serious. I swear I want to hear the truth.”

Then that’s what I’m going to give her. “I think you’re letting your past control your future. Your fear of abandonment and of turning into your mother is going to push away the man who wants to hold you close and never leave you... and if you don’t stop it, you’re going to lose him.” I grab her hand, squeezing it tight and hoping she’ll take what I say to heart. “If Dallas moves on, you’ll regret it more than anything else you’ve ever given up on in your life.”

“I don’t want to keep him at a distance, but I don’t want to get hurt again. If he cheats like the others did, it will break me—I know it.” Her mouth quivers, and she looks like she’s about to cry.

Paige never cries... not like me. I cry when I’m happy, sad, angry, or when I watch one of those treat people kindly commercials made in South Korea, The Philippines, or Japan hit my Facebook feed.

“I’m so close to being in love with him, Layton,” she adds.

I can’t help but smile at her confession. “I know, sugar.” Knowing she needs it, I hug her tight and say, “They’re not all bad, and we both know it. Dallas is already a good man... but when he’s with you, he becomes a great one.”

“Thanks.” She lets go of me.

Suddenly, a huge yawn cracks my face and I stretch to wake myself up, but it doesn’t work. “I guess I should go to my own bed so we can get our beauty sleep.”

“Some of us more than others.”

“You’re such a bitch.” Grabbing a pillow, I smack her with it and jump off the bed before she can retaliate.

“Love you, mean it, byeeeee,” Paige sings out.

“And I mean this from the bottom of my heart.” I flip her off, and open the door.

“I’m telling your momma on you.”

“She won’t believe you.”

“Fancy meeting you here,” Aiden says from the hallway. He has a girl on each arm and a stupid smirk on his face.

Gah.

“Fancy meeting your future baby mommas in the middle of the night.” Rolling my eyes, I execute a perfect curtsy. “If you’ll excuse me, Your Royal Pain In My Tail, I’m going to bed. Ladies.” I nod to them.

Wait. I can’t excuse him or his lady friends. I need answers.

“Saw your man tonight, having his bachelor party at the same club I met Trista and Jean. Who knew Joe was such a traveler?”

My body runs hot, then cold, but I manage to play it cool by crossing my arms and putting on what I hope is a challenging expression on my face. “And?”

“Why are we still out here?” the chick on the right asks as she rubs against him like a cat in heat. Not that I care—Aiden can invite the Rockettes to his bedroom and it makes no difference to me.

“Because the party can’t start until we’re in my room.”

The chick on the left runs her hand over his abs, her nail polish the cutest color. I have half a mind to ask her what it is, but I’m too pissed off and worried to actually verbalize my thoughts.

“Can you hurry up? He wouldn’t let us touch him at all in the VIP room at the club or in the limo,” she whines.

“Soon as your ride for the night tells me what’s going on, he’s all yours,” I assure her.

Aiden leans forward. “This is called a threesome. If you join in, it could be an orgy.”

If I join in... What an ass—oh no... He wouldn’t invite me unless... “Joe cheated...” My world tilts, and blood rushes from my face. As I attempt to walk away, I stumble.

Aiden’s strong hands catch me by the shoulders and pull me against his hard chest. For a moment, I let him comfort me because I can’t be trusted to walk right now.

Joe betrayed me.

Aiden starts to run his hands down my back. For a hot second, I like it... but the thought of any man touching me right now makes me want to puke. They’re all alike.

Bastards.

I shove him away. “Don’t touch me,” I snarl.

He smirks like he finds me amusing. “You guys go on,” he orders the two women. “Third door on the left.”

“We’re going to do you so good, baby,” one of them squeals, and I roll my eyes.

“He’s not cheating on you, Layton,” Aiden says quietly.

“He’s not?” I attempt to smile, so I don’t look like an idiot. “I mean, duh, of course he’s not. Thanks for telling me what I already knew.”

“Don’t fool yourself, baby girl. Every man is a potential cheater.”

“Is that from personal experience?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Don’t need to cheat when I get all the pussy I want.” He pins his eyes on my face, then cuts his gaze to the room behind me. “I didn’t cheat on your sister.” This he says to Paige, who steps up beside us.

“That’s so charming, and thanks for clarifying the reasons your relationship with Finley ended badly.” I huff, trying to get a hold of my emotions so I can be all blasé, like I wasn’t worried. “I’m going to bed.”

“Mine or yours?” Aiden asks, aggravating me so much that I lunge for him, but Paige grabs onto my shirt to keeps me from following through with a punch.

“Go on. You wouldn’t want to keep your guests waiting,” Paige orders.

He shrugs and walks off.

As soon as he rounds the corner, she lets me go. “Feeling better?”

I lift my shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. “Yes and no.”

“Because I wouldn’t let you hit Aiden?”

“I’ll terrorize him on the plane ride home.” Aiden totally deserves it for being suck a prick about the situation. “Honestly, I’m more upset with Joe. He told me the bachelor party was going to be back home, at his cousin’s house. Not here.

“There hasn’t been a single picture or video posted about tonight on any of his stuff, which leads me to believe he’s either hiding it from me, or he didn’t know what his groomsmen had planned and is worried I’ll think the worst when I find out.” Not that it helps or makes me feel better. The ball that formed in my throat weeks ago isn’t getting any bigger, but it’s not getting any smaller, either. It’s a constant reminder of my doubt about us.

“But Aiden said he wasn’t cheating.”

“I know.” I smile big for show, even as I hold back ridiculous tears. Paige has enough on her plate right now without adding an extra helping of my craziness. “That does make me feel better about marrying him.”

“Good thing since we’re down to nine days.”

“Eight days. It’s already tomorrow, remember?” Keeping my smile pasted on my face, I make a big production of sashaying down the hall to my room.

But as soon as I’m inside with the door closed, I sink down to the floor and let the tears fall. Ugly, snotty tears with hiccups and red eyes. I am not a pretty crier at all.

There’s a knock on my door and I jump to my feet, feeling all warm that Paige decided to check on me. “Just a second.” I grab some tissues and blow my nose, then splash some cold water on my face to try to lessen the red splotches.

I open the door, but it’s not Paige standing on the other side... It’s Aiden.

“What do you want?” I ask, tipping up my chin and frowning.

His gaze roams my face, his eyes seeing far more than I’m comfortable with. “Get dressed, LT. We’re going for a ride.”

“With you? I’d rather—”

“Cry over Joe in your room?” He strokes his jaw. “Sounds like a great way to end the night.”

“I’m not crying,” I protest.

He arches a brow. “Don’t make me call you on your bullshit, sweetheart. I know what you look like when you cry—it’s not pretty.”

I gasp. “I am always pretty.”

“Then get your pretty ass dressed and let’s go.”

“I’m not participating in an orgy... Or watching one.”

“Not asking you to do either.” He gives me a pointed look until I grab some clothes. With a scathing glare, I slam my way into the bathroom.