She tried to refuse. “Stop saying those kinds of things to me.”
“What kinds of things?” he asked. He tucked his hands behind his back so that she had to keep it.
Defeated, she kept it in her palm. “Sweet things.”
“Not if you think they’re sweet,” he said with a grin.
And that British accent wasn’t helping her resolve any.
This was a bad idea, a horribly bad idea. He was hot and charming and sweet and trying to get her to open up to him, but the last thing she wanted was to attach feelings to another human being. It’d ended with Preston choosing Lydia over her and Neal likely cheating on her and deciding they were incompatible after a year and a half of dating. Mostly, it’d just ended in heartbreak.
“I should go,” Trihn said, backing away.
“Trihn”—Damon reached out for her and took her hand—“don’t go.”
Her phone buzzed in her purse, keeping her from having to respond him. Saved by the bell. “Sorry. I have to take this.”
She dug into her bag and pulled out her phone. She nearly groaned when she saw who was calling. If she had known it was Lydia, she might have braved the conversation with Damon.
She and Lydia used to be best friends, but after the stuff with Preston, botching all of her and Lydia’s plans to live and go to NYU together, and Trihn leaving the city, their relationship had never really repaired itself. Lydia acted like it wasn’t as big of a deal as it was to Trihn, but that was her hippie sister. Plus, she had won.
“Lydia, I’m in a club. Give me a minute to get somewhere quiet,” Trihn said into the receiver.
She mouthed, Sorry, to Damon, but he just held on to her hand.
“I have to be back in the booth soon. I’ll wait for the end of your call.”
She nearly groaned but just nodded. He followed her as she sought out a place to talk to Lydia. She was not looking forward to having these two conversations all in one place.
Trihn finally made it to the back patio. During the warmer months, it was an outdoor pool area, and Sunday afternoons, they would have crazy parties that attracted all the hottest crowds in Las Vegas. But tonight, it was cold and empty. Trihn was glad she had worn a blazer over her corset top.
“Sorry, Ly. What’s up?”
“Oh my God, Trihn! I’m so glad I got ahold of you.” Her voice was shaky, and she sounded like she was in tears.
A part of Trihn was excited for Lydia’s discomfort, and then she silently smacked herself and got back into sister mode.
“Lydia, are you okay?”
Lydia sniffed twice. “I’m just so emotional.”
“It’s the middle of the night in New York right now, Ly! What’s going on?” Trihn asked.
“Preston proposed! We’re getting married, Trihn!”
“I’M SORRY. COME AGAIN?” Trihn said.
Whatever Lydia had just said couldn’t possibly be real life.
“Preston proposed, and I said yes!” Lydia cried.
Trihn pitched forward. Someone reached out for her before she fell down, and she dimly realized that it was Damon.
She couldn’t form coherent thoughts. There was nothing coherent about the statements that Lydia had just made.
“Preston…proposed…”
“Yes! We were out late, walking through Washington Square Park, and he just got down on one knee right there. It was so romantic.”
Trihn took a seat on one of the stray lounge chairs and tried to remember to breathe. This couldn’t be happening. She needed to get it together—at least while she was on the phone with Lydia. She could freak out after she got off the phone.
“Wow,” she said with fake enthusiasm. “That’s great, Ly.”
“Thanks. You could try to sound excited for me.”
“I just didn’t realize you guys were that serious. It hasn’t been that long.”
“Almost two years. Well, two years in May, but whatever.”
Trihn felt the knife stab through her chest and twist.
Trihn had met Preston two years ago in June. He and Lydia had been dating for a few weeks prior to that, but Lydia had claimed they weren’t official until August, right before Trihn had left.
Trihn hadn’t realized that they acted like those months hadn’t existed with Trihn in them.
“Oh,” Trihn said.
“But we wanted you to be one of the first to know. I have to call Mom and Dad next, but I had to talk to you to ask you to be my maid of honor!”
Trihn leaned forward and put her head between her knees. She thought she was going to be sick. “Really?”
“Yes! It will be so amazing. We don’t have a date yet, but we’ll let you know as soon as we do. I’ll talk to you later, Trihn.” When Trihn didn’t respond to her comment, Lydia hung up the phone.
Two years. Married. Maid of honor.
Her head was spinning. She was definitely going to be sick. She slipped the phone back into her purse and blankly stared forward at the brick wall.