Lovely Trigger(72)

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT





Lana and I had hit it off during James and Bianca’s wedding weekend, but as she lived in Maui, I didn’t get to see too much of her, though we’d met for lunch twice when she’d been to town on business. The last time, she’d revealed that she was over four months pregnant, though she was barely showing. I chalked that up to supermodel genes.

I was so happy for her and excited to hear that Bianca was throwing her an impromptu baby shower the next time she came to Vegas for business.

I was surprised to learn from Bianca it was happening that very weekend, as Lana had decided to stop traveling from her island home for the rest of the pregnancy, since it was wearing on her.

Another surprise was that it was co-ed. Of all of the men in the world I’d ever met, Akira seemed the least likely to me to enjoy a baby shower. But what did I know?

Tristan was invited as well and wanted to carpool to it, but I shut that down right away. I didn’t know what exactly was going on with us, and it would be awkward enough if it all fell apart to our circle of friends. There was no reason to go out of our way to advertise it now, I reasoned. We were still taking things one day at a time.

That didn’t mean I didn’t go out of my way to look good for the party.

I wore a smooth and fluid lavender matte jersey wrap dress. Not only did it hug every inch of my torso just so, it had a plunging neckline, and with a few swift tugs of the tie at my hip, the entire front would open.

Spectacular access, is how Tristan would describe this dress. It was just the sort of dress that would drive him out of his mind. I couldn’t wait for him to see it.

I knew it was dysfunctional, but I needed constant proof that he couldn’t control his need either.

Somehow, a runaway train was less Troublesome to me than a charging one.

In some respects, I’d rather if neither of us were driving this thing.

I didn’t see him right when I got to Bianca’s house, instead did a round of hellos to what was quickly evolving into my favorite crowd of people.

Bianca and Lana met and embraced me at the door, crowding me until I felt like I was being cornered by a team of Swedish bikini models. They were both so tall, and that was before their heels. I’d have loved to be able to sport some ridiculous platforms so I didn’t feel quite so short, but flats were my fate, so I worked them as best I could, but I did stand up straighter around these two.

I rubbed Lana’s tiny baby bump, congratulating her, feeling only the slightest twinge of pain. I’d had a lot of time to deal with the fact that this could never be me.

“Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?”

She was positively glowing. “A boy. Get a load of Akira. You could guess it was a boy just by the way he’s strutting around and pounding at his chest.”

I glanced around, saw him across the room, chatting with James. He did look particularly smug.

Bianca pinned a pink diaper pin to the neckline of my dress. “Now, you aren’t allowed to say B-A-B-Y, but if you do, whoever calls you on it gets to have your pin. At the end, whoever has the most pins gets a prize.

I fingered the pin and nodded, thinking Oh Lord, baby showers. We’d all likely be forced to eat baby food by the end.

I greeted Estella with a big hug and Frankie with a long one, then moved to shake Akira’s hand, and nod with a smile at James. He gave me a very warm smile in return. I still found myself amazed at the change in him over the last year. He’d always been a great guy, as far as I was concerned, but he was just so much happier now. It was heartwarming.

As I had the thought, Bianca returned to his side, and he snatched her to him, like he’d just been lying in wait for the chance.

I went to mingle with the partygoers that I didn’t know quite so well, but was friendly with.

Camden, Lana’s brother, was in a corner chatting with Bianca’s stylist, Jackie. It struck me what an odd pair they made as I greeted them with handshakes and hugs.

I smiled extra wide as I ran into Stephan, coming out of a hallway that led somewhere at the back of the house. He was Bianca’s best friend and just one of the nicest human beings I’d ever met. He had literally taken a bullet for Bianca. That right there told you all you needed to know about Stephan. He was nearly as obsessed with her as James was.

We shared a long hug. “How are you?” I asked him. I hadn’t seen him for nearly three weeks, which was unusual for us.

“Great. But you need to come visit more.”

He and his husband, Javier owned and operated a swanky bar in the casino. I usually made a point of coming and hanging out at least a few times a week.

“I’ll come have a drink tomorrow or the next day. It’s just been a crazy couple of weeks.”

Javier approached us, dragging me into a deep hug without a word. He kissed my cheek, murmuring, “Miss you, girlie,” and pulled back to smile at me.

I smiled back.

I adored Stephan, and I got along great with him. Everyone did. But Javier and I were something of kindred spirits. He was quiet and very sweet, but he had a wicked sense of humor that he didn’t reveal to many. Our personalities just complemented each other, I thought.

Our quiet conversation was interrupted by two loud squeals that erupted behind me.

I turned and grinned as Marnie and Judith rushed me. They were a funny pair, but two women less likely to be close friends with the reserved Bianca I’d never met. Still, every party she threw, these two were invited and showed up.