I looked at the bartender. “Line them up.”
Thirty minutes later, the four of us, Neil, Paige, Reid, and I were laughing hysterically at Paige, who was doing a spot-on impression of our mother, which even Reid could appreciate. I had the bartender substitute Paige’s shots for water, and she didn’t seem to notice. We knew we were supposed to be somewhere, but for a brief moment in time, we captured a glimpse of the old days, and we weren’t ready to let go. I caught Reid’s eyes on mine, and it was probably because I was watching him just as hard.
“You okay, sis?” Paige asked as I swallowed down another shot. I was done drinking due to my shitty attention span and wiped my hands after sucking on a lime and tossing it in the glass. I learned my limit years ago and rarely strayed.
“I think the better question is, are you? I’m not the one who’s about to get married.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” Reid muttered, just for me to hear. I cut my eyes his way.
“I don’t want you stressing,” Paige said. I cut her off fast.
“I’m fine.”
“I know I made it hard on you,” she said softly. “I’m sorry.”
I grinned at her. “You’re a bride.”
“I’m getting married.” She hugged me close as we sat on the bar stools, while Neil and Reid stood talking behind us. “He keeps staring at you,” she said bluntly.
I saw Reid’s eyes drop to the floor and he grinned. He was busted because Paige wasn’t talking quietly at all, and I couldn’t convey it quickly enough.
“Paige,” I said with big eyes. “They can hear you.”
“Do you still love him?”
Reid’s gaze landed on mine as Neil rattled on about their honeymoon trip to Jamaica
Paige rattled on, too, as if we were speaking about the weather. “I know it was only like two minutes y’all were together, but if this upsets you—”
“Paige,” I whisper-yelled as she continued to talk out of her drunk ass.
“Noooo,” she said with a confident grin. “You’re happy with Nate. And who wouldn’t be. The man is beautiful.” Reid’s jaw ticked, and I nodded to Paige.
“There you are!” my mother yelled, and all four of us jumped.
“We have rehearsal right now,” she said, motioning us with her hands in her ridiculous dress. She looked slightly frazzled as she spied the empty glasses on the bar.
“Bear?” my father asked, appearing behind her. “Who do we have in here?” he asked as he took a step forward.
Heat burned my face, and I began to panic while Reid took a step forward to introduce himself.
“Reid Crowne sir, it’s nice to meet you.”
My father cringed and stared at Reid’s hand as if he were going to take it off after he claimed his head.
I jumped from my stool. “Daddy, it’s cool.”
“This Reid,” my mother said with a clueless smile in his direction. “I like him, honey. He going to gift Paige the limo for tomorrow.” She grabbed Neil in her clutches as Reid tried to work his magic yet failed.
“I think you should leave,” my father snapped, his eyes glaciers shooting right at Reid. “Right now.”
Reid stood stunned as I pushed my Dad a few feet back. “Daddy, don’t. I’m begging you. Don’t.”
“What’s he doing here?” he asked, flicking a silver-gray gaze—the color of mine—back at me as if I’d physically hurt him.
“I invited him, Daddy,” Paige said in a slur that had me wincing.
Shit was about to get real, really real.
Scurrying to clean up the mess, I began to usher my father out of the door.
Reid tried to interject. “Sir, I know—”
“You need to leave,” he stated again, his angry eyes fixed, his voice unwavering. I looked back to Reid, my hand on my Dad’s heaving chest. “Don’t worry about it. Okay?”
“Daddy, don’t be rude. This is my wedding!” Paige was hopeless as she tried to straighten her titled green tiara with Mexican flag colored tulle hanging from it.
All we needed was a parade of Chihuahuas and a pi?ata to keep it hood.
“Paige,” my father whisper-snapped, “are you drunk?”
“No, Daddy,” she said as she lowered her head slightly. My mother looked between all of us, her suspicions on high alert before she went full rant. “Are you serious with me right now, Paige?” My mother never had fully perfected her English.
“Yes, I’m serious with you,” Paige said, poking the bear.
My mother wasn’t having it. She put her hands on her hips, a telltale sign shit was officially real. “I’ve had enough of your shit, young lady. You will act like a bride. You have people waiting. Get your ass out there now, Altos Paige Ornita Emerson.” Paige ducked her head with each sharp syllable of her name. “I don’t have the patience to tell our preacher, who christened you, you have no respect for Jesus.”
Paige burst out laughing as I cowered behind my sister from my dad’s accusatory stare.
“I respect Jesus,” Paige said, kissing my mother on the cheek. She walked over to Reid. “Ignore Daddy. I want you here. Please stay.”
And as if on cue, as if she was preparing for that moment her whole life, Paige turned to her groom and held out her hand. “Come on, baby, let’s do this.” Neil shook his head with a laugh and took her hand, looking back at Reid. “Hang out, man. It’s cool,” he assured as Reid stared at him without answering. My father, who was graying by the day in his fitted dress suit, looked between Reid and me as my mother followed the groom out.
“Come on, Stella,” he said with an anger-cloaked voice. “I don’t want you upset.”
Reid looked over to me with clear confusion. “It’s okay,” I assured him. “Just wait in here, or whatever.”
He nodded and watched as my father took my hand and led me out of the room.
“You are the maid of honor. It’s time to rehearse,” he said sternly.
I glanced back over my shoulder and saw Reid’s resolve. He wasn’t going to leave it alone. He had questions and wasn’t leaving without answers. Answers I would do everything in my power to keep from him.
After the rehearsal and an incessant amount of catch up kisses, I was touching up my lipstick in the bathroom when I heard a click behind me.
A surge of nervous energy circulated as Reid’s eyes found mine in the mirror. He was leaning against the door, studying me. I couldn’t get over the change in him. Eyes no longer hidden by hair, they were more haunting than ever as they watched me line my lips.
“Please,” I said, tracing the bow of my top lip. “I’m seriously close to losing my shit on the DJ. He’s passing out liquor to my fifteen-year-old cousins. I caught them trying to steal a golf cart. This is the crap I’m dealing with. And you saw Paige,” I reminded him, pressing the gloss over my bottom lip.
“You’re punishing me.”
“What?”
“For leaving, for letting you go, for the concert. You’re punishing me for all of it.”
“I’m in love with my boyfriend, Reid,” I said, zipping my purse.
His eyes flared. “That may be the truth, but you’re in love with me, too.”
“Don’t do this,” I snapped as I turned to face him head-on. “Just don’t.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s too late,” I said as my heart sounded off a warning. “I don’t want to fight with you, Reid.”
“I’m fighting for you, Stella,” he said, taking a step forward. “I keep waiting for you to end it with this guy. You tell me he’s a good man, fine. I say I can be the better man. I’m putting my hat in the ring. Right. Fucking. Now.”
“You’re insane,” I said, gesturing for him to open the door. He crossed his arms, refusing to budge.
I took a steadying breath. “I have to go.”
“I’m right. You’re punishing me. You’ve been punishing me. And won’t even give me the time of day.”
“I’ve been living my life. You’ve been busy yourself.”
“And you never answered a single phone call.”
“You’ve called once a year,” I said accusingly.
“On our birthday. It was a good excuse.”
“For what?” I snapped.
“To show you I was still waiting!”