Fiona
STAYING IN BED ALL DAY was the only thing I wanted to do as soon as my eyes opened this morning. However, I had to make up for last night’s behavior and that meant following the itinerary Shay had left for me. The first item on the itinerary was a girls-only breakfast. After that, Shay said she’d send us all on our daytime adventure, whatever the hell that was. I wanted my adventure to involve a bed.
There were only three days left. I could do this. Today, tomorrow, and the big day. Once it was done I would leave and I wouldn’t have to deal with all these old feelings and conflicted thoughts. Making a fool of myself.
Slowly, I opened the door to my hotel room and peeked out to see if there was anyone leaving the room across from me. I didn’t like how everyone had warmed to Rowan. I thought she was rude last night. Knowing the facts and details of our lives wasn’t her business. Asking things that she didn’t need to know about annoyed me. She was lucky Beulah was the sweetest human on earth. I’d have set her straight had it been me.
Marty should have shut her up. Shaking my head with disgust remembering last night’s conversation, I softly closed my door and hurried to the elevator. Rowan wasn’t going to be at breakfast. She wasn’t a bridesmaid. I doubted those two were out of bed. The picture of them in bed together made me grimace. Not what I wanted to think about this morning.
Pressing the elevator button several times hoping that made it come faster was silly, but I wasn’t in the mood to see Rowan or Marty. I had a headache and I needed coffee. Then I would smile and pretend I liked everyone and life was fine. Before caffeine, however, I wasn’t a very good actress.
Maybe the gods thought they were being funny or the bastards hated me. Whatever it was, I heard the door opening down the hallway and I KNEW. I just knew what door it was without looking. I kept my eyes on the elevator door and my spine as straight as possible. Maybe they were getting ice or something. If you even got ice at a place like this.
The elevator doors opened and I all but ran inside. I frantically pressed the lobby button. It wouldn’t light up and the elevator doors wouldn’t close. Frustrated, I pressing it more violently, with force, but still nothing. Why was this happening to me? Why couldn’t I just get through one awkward morning without having to see them. Either of them? Why was fate fighting against me?
A body filled the open elevator doorway. Scowling, I lifted my gaze to see Marty standing there. Alone. Looking like he’d had caffeine. Asshole.
“Beating the hell out of the lobby button won’t help.” He pointed toward the arrow above the doors. “This thing is going up. Not down.”
I slowly lifted my gaze to the arrow and sighed with annoyance. Why had the elevator stopped then? I had pressed the down button.
Marty leaned over and pressed the down button. He stepped outside the elevator. “Might as well get off and wait with me.”
The doors began to close and I just stood there glaring at him. Finally, they clicked shut and I was inside alone. Headed up. But Marty wasn’t in here and I wasn’t in the hallway with him. That was a win. Leaning back against the wall of the elevator I closed my eyes a moment and took a long calming breath. The elevator stopped again and Shay appeared. Confused, she frowned when she saw me. Her frown quickly turned into a pleased smile “What are you doing?”
“Trying to get to the lobby,” was my response.
“On an elevator going up?”
“Long story. I need coffee.”
Shay chuckled. She stepped inside. “Well, this works perfectly. We can walk to breakfast together. Did you sleep well?”
“I passed out.”
“I bet you did,” Shay said with a chuckle.
“Sorry about last night. I was an idiot.” But I wasn’t as rude as Rowan.
“Don’t apologize. Last night was fun. Seeing you and Chantel together like old times was great. I do hate you got sick though.”
The elevator stopped at my floor again and I clenched my jaw as the door opened and sure enough, in walked Marty.
“We meet again,” he said cheerfully to me. Then he turned to Shay. “Good morning, beautiful. You’ve found grouchy here I see. She needs to be caffeinated before her scowl causes wrinkles.”
Shay gave him a warning glance. I saw the glance but ignored it just like I did him.
“She will have some soon and will function like the rest of us,” Shay assured him.
“Thanks for inviting Rowan to breakfast. She was getting dressed when I left. She’ll be there right behind you.”
My gaze jerked to Shay this time. I wasn’t ignoring that. Why would she invite Rowan? She wasn’t a bridesmaid. She didn’t belong there. Shay saw my anger and my surprise.
“Is that an issue?” Marty asked.
I acted like he didn’t exist which was easiest.
“I’m glad she can come,” Shay replied glaring right back at me.
“Do you think she can keep from asking rude questions long enough to get through the meal?” I snapped.
Shay rolled her eyes at me. “Don’t be that way Fiona.”
“Be what way? Protective of my friends and their feelings? That woman gives no thought to the words coming out of her mouth.”
“She was just curious,” Shay replied.
I opened my mouth to argue that normal people didn’t ask those things when curious, but Marty spoke first. “She was asking shocking questions. But that’s Rowan’s way of changing the focus and lightening the mood. Maybe she should have tried doing the change the mood another way, but it worked. Everyone stopped looking at you.”
I opened and closed my mouth several times. I turned my glare back to the elevator doors and stood there silently.
“Don’t be a bitch, Fiona,” Marty said softly. As if he was asking me nicely.
I inhaled sharply but bit my tongue to keep from saying anything more. I wouldn’t take the bait. I was going to get off this elevator and walk away from this man.
“Rowan is great. If you give her a chance—”
“I don’t plan on seeing either of you again after this weekend. Why would I be nice to her or give her a chance? I don’t care, Marty. I. Do. Not. Care.”
The doors opened and I stalked out.
“You sure you don’t care? Because, baby, from where I stand it seems like you care a fucking lot.”
“Marty don’t,” Shay interjected.
I spun around and shot my angry gaze at him. “Don’t call me baby. I prefer bitch over baby.”
Marty smirked. “Why? That’s a word you hear most often?”
“Stop it, Marty,” Shay said again.
“I don’t care, Shay. Come on. Let’s go. He can talk to himself if he needs to hear his own voice that bad.”
“Why is it that Chantel gets forgiveness and I don’t?” he called out as I walked away. I didn’t check to see if Shay was following me. I was focused on getting distance and fast.
I almost responded to that. Almost. But I didn’t. I kept on walking.