The Forever Girl (Wildstone, #6)(95)

“You’ve got a good guy now,” Cat said.

Maze felt a smile cross her face at the thought of Walker. For the first time, she believed in this thing between them and that it could actually work. Even more shocking, she realized her worries and fears about how much she felt for him had gone, leaving a huge warm glow in her chest for him. God, she was so sappy. She closed her eyes, remembering the peek she’d gotten of him in his dark navy suit earlier, looking good enough to eat.

“I know love’s never worked out for you before,” Cat said, “but this time it will.” She emphasized her words with a little wave of one of the champagne bottles and fell over. She stayed down, staring up at the sky. “You’ve got a real shot at something, Maze, something real. I promise you it’ll work out.”

“I don’t need promises. Promises aren’t real.”

Caitlin shook her head, getting grass in her lovely updo that was no longer all up but half in her face. She blew a few strands out of her eyes and turned her head to point at Maze. “I’ve never broken a promise to you, not once.”

Maze looked down at this woman who was one of the most important people in her entire life. No matter how long they went without speaking, it didn’t matter. Nothing would change; Caitlin would always be there for her, and she would always be there for Caitlin, no questions asked. “It’s true, you’ve never broken a promise to me.”

“Damn right.” Caitlin fought to try to right herself and ended up just bicycling her hands and legs in the air. “Dammit!” She gave up and flopped back. “You’ve been the best friend and the best sister I could hope for. I mean, I dragged you into staying this whole week and you never even complained.”

“Oh, I complained.”

“Okay, maybe a little,” Caitlin said with a rough laugh. “For a minute. But then you dug in, took my hand, and walked me through everything. Every single thing. You did whatever had to be done, even if it meant facing your past, like Walker, and my parents. You were there for me, Maze. Just like when you first lived with us and I needed someone to love. You let me love you.”

“Well, it’s not like you gave me much of a choice,” Maze muttered, uncomfortable with the praise.

Cat laughed at her. “Stop making it weird. You’re my person, Maze. And . . . shit. Where was I going with this? Oh!” She rolled to her hands and knees and finally managed to sit up, legs crossed, hair wild, boobs bulging. “Promises. I don’t break promises.”

“Um, this might be a bad time to bring this up, but you just walked away from a pretty big promise.”

“Nope. I promised to get married today, and I am getting married today.”

Maze laughed. “Once again, I’m already taken. And plus, nothing personal, but you don’t have the equipment I usually prefer.”

“Good thing then that I’m my type!” Caitlin said exuberantly, waving the champagne for emphasis. “I’m marrying myself!” Still sitting on the grass looking like a hot mess, she wrapped a blade of grass around her ring finger. “I, Caitlin Walsh, promise to love, cherish, and never obey myself! I promise to always eat a chocolate chip cookie before bedtime and to be there for myself through thick and thin.”

“Just a chocolate chip cookie? Like a single cookie?”

“Yeah, don’t you remember?” Cat asked. “When we’d sneak them late at night?”

“Oh, I remember. But we always ate more than one.”

Caitlin sighed. “That was before I gave up carbs to fit into that dress you’re wearing. I wish I could get Mom to give me that recipe.”

“First, be honest. You never gave up carbs. Nor should you. Carbs make the world go round. And also, I have the recipe if you want it.”

Caitlin stared at her, mouth open. “You have the recipe? How? Mom never gives it to anyone.”

Maze shrugged. “She gave it to me that summer we all stayed at the lake. I think because it’s supposedly so foolproof that even I can make them.” She paused. “Well, probably. I never actually tried. And honestly, I don’t think she’d be surprised by that. She just wanted me to have it in case, because . . .” Maze felt herself get choked up. “Because she had more faith in me than I had in myself.”

“Oh my God. She does like you better!”

“But I like you better,” Maze said softly.

Caitlin gave her a drunken smile. “No, I like you better.” And with that, she fell onto her back again and stared up at something that made her frown. “Uh-oh.”

Maze lay back as well and peered up to see what Caitlin had seen and sucked in a breath. Uh-oh was right.

An upside-down Walker was staring down at the both of them, face quietly intense, mouth grim.

Caitlin pointed at him. “You’re upside down.”

“And you’re MIA.”

Caitlin sat up and took another swig from her bottle. “I’m not marrying Dillon today.”

“No shit,” Walker said. “And what the hell are you wearing?”

Caitlin looked down at herself in Maze’s bridesmaid dress. “We switched.”

Walker turned his attention to Maze, and she felt herself smile helplessly at him. “Hi.”

He just stared down at her, hands on hips, taking in the disaster that was her: the sweater that had fallen open, revealing the wedding dress split to her belly button; her lack of shoes and her undoubtedly crazy hair. “I know,” she said. “Impressive, right? Like you can’t wait for more of this?”