Good Boy (WAGs #1)(6)

“Oh man.” He snorts. “That really is perfect for you. The gorilla cage, right?”

“By the lions’ exhibit, actually. But I called it off two months before.”

“What happened?” He looks stunned by this plot twist.

I take a sip of Scotch and wonder what I’m willing to admit to my teammate. “She did something unforgivable. A real betrayal, like Young and the Restless type of shit. So I knew it was over before it began, you know? Anyone who can lie to my face is not someone I need to marry.”

Beside us, Jamie’s brother Scott winces. If I’m not mistaken, he’s had a recent breakup, too. “Sorry, bro,” he offers. “But you’re better off knowing.”

“No kidding. And I don’t want to be a Donny Downer, ’cause these two—” I wave my glass at Grooms One and Two, “—have what it takes to go the distance.”

“Yeah!” Scotty’s twin, Brady, raises his glass.

Their older brother Joe puts his fingers in his mouth and whistles.

Heads turn, because we’re the loud crew in this establishment. But fuck ’em. We’re celebrating true love here.

“KISS!” I yell, banging my glass on the table. “Come on, let’s see a practice kiss.”

Wes rolls his eyes, but Jamie laughs. Then he gets up and sits right on Wes’s lap, grabs his face and plants one on him.

We all howl our approval, and it’s a miracle I hear my phone over the din. I fish it out of the pocket of the suit jacket I’d tossed over the back of my armchair. Kind of a dick move to answer your phone when you’re celebrating the deep eternal love of two of your closest buds, but I’ve been waiting for this call all day.

“’Scuse me,” I tell the boys. “My date’s checking in.”

I duck into a nearby corner and swipe my index finger on the screen. It takes a few swipes because I’ve got big fingers and they never click what I want ’em to click. “Angie, honey!” I say after the phone blessedly unlocks. “You get in okay? All in one piece?”

Her hesitant voice tickles my ear. “I just got to the hotel.” There’s a pause. “Are you sure it’s all right that I take your room?”

“S’all good. I made other arrangements.” And I did, thanks to a saint named Cindy Canning. Jamie’s mom is far beyond da bomb dot com. She’s like…da bomb dot gov.

“I’m nervous,” she admits. “I won’t know anyone there.”

I grin into the phone even though she can’t see me. “You know the most important person there, Ang.”

“How many times have I told you not to call me that?” She sounds exasperated.

“How many times did I tell you I don’t listen?” I counter. “Anyway, check in and get some sleep. Have a nice, relaxing morning. I’ll pick you up tomorrow after lunch.”

I hang up before she can protest, because it already took some serious effort to twist her arm into being my date. I’m not sure Jess is gonna like it, but hey, Jess isn’t the boss of me, now, is she?





Jess


I juggle my phone, day planner and steaming mug of decaffeinated tea as I leave my tiny kitchen and enter my tiny living room. My friend Dyson is babbling in my ear, giving a long-winded response about everything from the weather to the color of his tie, when all I asked was whether he plans to show up early to help me out.

I set my mug on the coffee table and cut him off midsentence. “Babe, I adore you. You know I adore you. But for the love of God, can you ever answer anything with a simple yes or no?”

“What was the question again?”

I almost hurl the phone against the wall, but stop myself at the last second. “Are you coming early to help with the setup, or are you showing up at three?” I ask through gritted teeth.

“Ah, I’ll come early,” he decides. “We can watch everyone arrive and dish about what they’re wearing. Ooooh! Do you think Cousin Brandy will have another wardrobe malfunction?”

Oh God, and repeat the Strapless Bra Mishap of 2014? I hope not. My sister Tammy still has nightmares about that. It happened at her and her husband’s ten-year anniversary party, and she’s never forgiven our cousin for it.

“I already made Brandy send me pictures of every item of clothing she plans to wear,” I assure him. “We should be good.”

“Way to crush my dreams.”

I snicker. “What do you need to see tits for? Wouldn’t you rather my cousin Andy’s tuxedo pants popped open and flashed some dick?” Andy is Brandy’s twin brother. No joke. My mom’s sister—Aunt Val—is terrible at naming children. Andy and Brandy’s little brother is named Chuck. Not even short for Charles. Just Chuck.

“Ooooh, Andy will be there? He’s almost as dreamy as Jamie.”

“Ew, Dyse. You are not allowed to drool over my little brother.”

“You’re right. I’m not allowed to now. I missed my chance. I cannot believe Jamie is marrying a man. It’s like the universe is having a laugh at me right now. If I thought there was even a two percent shot Jamie would turn to the dark side, I would’ve blown him in the high school locker room while I had the chance.”

“Omigod, no thank you for that image.”