Jimmy looked at Liam and Kevin. “Look, guys, I don’t know how you want to handle this. You’re both a huge part of my life.”
Liam held up his hands. “I’d be honored to be your best man, but I’ll be there no matter what. I’m not going to be pissed. Kevin’s your brother.”
“Hell, I’ll be pissed,” Kevin said. Then with that wicked smile he enjoyed tossing around, he added, “Just kidding. Whatever you decide is fine.”
Kathy’s heart sped up and then tumbled into her stomach. She did not want to stand up to her best friend’s wedding with her ex-boyfriend. Talk about uncomfortable situations. Although she’d known she wouldn’t be able to escape seeing him, having to interact with him was a different thing altogether.
Jimmy continued, “I can’t decide. That’s why we asked you guys here.”
“Flip a coin,” Liam offered.
A fifty-fifty shot at freedom was better than nothing. Kathy crossed her fingers and sent up a silent prayer.
“Rock, paper, scissors,” Kevin countered.
Before Jimmy could stop the game, both Kevin and Liam were waving fists. Kathy’s heart stopped as they called it.
Liam was a rock—apt for him because he was as steady as they came. Kevin, on the other hand, chose paper and won. Didn’t that just figure. He was a guy who got carried away on a breeze or whim.
The men congratulated each other, and Kathy forced a smile. Jimmy poured everyone a shot of whiskey and when the glasses were drained, they left the office to rejoin the party.
In the hall, Kevin stepped in front of her, startling her to a halt.
Standing close he asked, “Can I talk to you a minute?”
Although he’d phrased it as a question, his eyes said more. Her sense of fight or flight kicked in—and with her it was always flight—but she fought the urge. She didn’t want to talk to him because she had nothing to say, but she nodded. Kevin O’Malley had the look of a man who’d make a ruckus if he didn’t get his way. She wouldn’t cause a scene at Moira’s party. Or anywhere else, for that matter. Not only did she dread any negative attention, she also wouldn’t risk ruining what should be a fabulous night for her best friend. Kevin stepped backward, deeper into the dim hallway. The noise from the party raged behind them.
“Moira said something to me earlier, and I wanted to clear the air.” His words came out harsh and he sounded pissed.
Kathy crossed her arms. She was well aware that although Moira was often annoyed by Kevin, his relationship with Kathy had become a special point of contention between them.
“She said something about me breaking your heart. . . .”
Kathy felt sick. She didn’t want to rehash anything. Especially with Kevin. “Don’t worry about it. It was a long time ago.”
He paused, confusion filling his face. “I’m not apologizing.”
“Excuse me?” She’d figured Jimmy had put him up to this to create peace before the wedding.
“Why the hell would I apologize when you’re the one who took off? No good-bye, no fuck you very much. Nothing.” His gaze met hers and those brilliant, deep blue eyes held an emotion that looked eerily similar to hurt.
But Kathy knew better. His sharp comment kept her heart at a gallop as she processed his words. “What?”
“You were there in my life, then all of a sudden you weren’t. We were having a great time. Then, like a ghost, you were gone.” His dark eyebrows lowered.
Kathy licked her lips and took a moment to formulate her response. The audacity of this man. What had she ever seen in him? Only a pompous ass like him would try to spin the crappy way their relationship ended to place blame on her. She lowered her voice and through gritted teeth said, “I disappeared because I found out you were cheating on me. As far as I was concerned, that sent a clear message that we were over.”
Her breathing sped up, but she managed to get the words out without her voice wobbling. Go, Kathy! A first for everything.
His eyes widened in shock. Looking down, he rubbed the back of his neck as if he regretted starting this. “It wasn’t—”
His reaction gave her the fortitude to continue. She stepped closer and kept her voice low. “Do not lie to me now. I saw. You canceled a date with me, claiming you had to work late. I felt bad for you and wanted to surprise you. I came to your apartment just in time to see you stumble up with another woman. She was hanging all over you, and you went into your apartment together.”
His eyes squinted as if he struggled to remember the night. He appeared genuinely confused. Had everything meant so little to him that he had no memory?
Waving a hand, she dismissed both her thoughts and him. “Look. It doesn’t matter. It was a long time ago. Water under the bridge. Life goes on and all that.”
She turned to walk away because she didn’t want to continue this conversation. Her stomach was still in knots and now she’d have to explain to Ray where she’d been. At least she felt slightly vindicated at letting Kevin know how wrong he’d been about what had happened between them.
“See you around?” he asked quietly.
Not if I can help it. “Some, I guess, with the wedding.” She walked out of the hallway and toward her boyfriend. Yeah, that was right. Life did go on, and she was at this party with her boyfriend. If that caused an extra cocky sway in her hips, so be it. Kevin should know what he’d been missing.
Chapter Two
Present day
Kathy walked through her apartment, gathering torn wrapping paper and empty cups. How the heck had a group of women made such a mess? If they were this bad for Moira’s bridal shower, she’d hate to see what would happen at the bachelorette party. Jimmy and Moira stacked presents near the door to prepare
