Drive(90)

“You can still back out of this,” I said, nudging his shoulder.

“This is just the rehearsal,” he said as he watched the crowd thicken behind me. “My dad’s side isn’t even here,” I said with a laugh as Neil paled. “It will be fine,” I assured him with a little shake in my voice as Reid appeared with my mother’s arm wrapped around him.

Traitor.

He must have talked some major shit to get in her good graces, and by the way she stared up at him, I could tell that’s exactly what he did. His eyes found mine as I watched his lips twist up in a smirk. And the rattle was back.

Neil lit up beside me when he caught sight of him. “Damn, man, are you a sight for sore eyes!” They did the man hug, back clap thing, and I saw that as my chance to find my sister. Reid’s hand shot out as I attempted to make my escape.

He leaned in to whisper, “Now or later, it’s up to you.”

“I’m going to find Paige.”

“Later, then.”

I was dizzy and the rehearsal hadn’t even started yet.




“Stella!” My favorite cousin Tangie greeted me in the doorway of the small room where the rehearsal was being held. “God, did you see Reid Crowne? I thought I was going to die when he got out of that limo. We thought it was Uncle Georgie being all flashy, but no, a fucking rock star pops out!”

I laughed, and she gripped my hip, pulling me close while we walked. “You look hot! It’s been too long cousin. I need to get my ass here more often to see you.”

“Anytime, Tangie, I meant that. You know I don’t like these other fools.”

“I heard that,” My cousin Ramon—the oldest of all the cousins—chimed in as he joined us. “God, Stella you grew up fast.”

“Don’t let the suit fool you,” I said with a wink. Pretty soon I had a posse in pursuit of my sister and was about to send out a search party when I spotted her in a private bar in the back of the club, pointing to her empty shot glass. “Just one more,” she said with a slur.

Oh shit.

“No more,” I snapped as she held up the tequila shot and smiled at me. I took the glass from her and warmed my insides with its contents.

“Paige, we have to get going,” I said as I gripped her to me, trying to decipher her clarity through inspection, and then glared at the bartender. He looked me over with appreciative eyes. “Really?” I deadpanned. “Get real,” I snapped as Reid walked through the door.

“Oh, my God,” Paige said looking between us. “You made it!” She sprang from me into Reid’s waiting arms, and they hugged each other in greeting. Paige was leaking in a sappy puddle, a mix of tequila and jitters, but I saw it. The genuine love between the two of them, the friendship they missed on both parts. Guilt weighed me down as Reid looked over at me as Paige gushed. “It feels like it’s been longer,” she said, dabbing at her tears as if she were a silly woman. And she was, but it amazed me the gravity of the situation. It all came back to our decisions: mine to kiss him, our decision to be together, and how it had affected all of us in some way.

He stared at me with drawn brows, trying to read my thoughts as I looked on at Paige, who was truly happy to see the friend she had before her sister drove a wedge between them and rock ‘n’ roll ate up the rest of his time, and his attention.

Reid being Reid bent down to whisper to her, making her smile.

“So, are you staying for dinner?”

“Yeah,” he said as he looked over at me. “If that’s okay.”

“Of course it is!”

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?”