Thankfully, the arrival of the food curtailed any further discussion of Max and his eminent suitability as an eligible bachelor.
Autumn, Jodie, and I surreptitiously pointed out people from school, who we hadn’t seen in ages who hadn’t been invited to the bachelorette party, to Charlotte and Tori. Between us, we identified a few fashion faux pas from older family members too. Charlotte and Tori also regaled us with tales from their workplace, where they’d first met Brianna. It was turning out to be fun, despite my initial reservations.
By the time the main course arrived, I’d already abandoned my promise on the wine. We’d gotten through one bottle of white. I hoped I didn’t live to regret it later. The parmesan-crusted breast of chicken with a sage beurre blanc, roasted new potatoes, and seasonal vegetables couldn’t have tasted any better. I applauded the chefs for making mass catered food taste so delicious.
There was some time between the end of dinner and the start of the dancing. The staff had to clear away some of the tables to create a dance floor, so Autumn, Jodie, and I moved to the bar. We made false promises to catch up with Charlotte and Tori later. They were nice enough, but as they both had partners, it was difficult to include them all in the conversation, particularly as the guys had all but blanked us during the dinner.
“Remember what we said about shots?” Autumn reminded us as we went to order some drinks.
“One?” Jodie raised her eyebrows.
“Not for me. Vodka and soda, please,” I asked the barman.
“Spoilsport.” She pouted. “I’ll have a tequila. Autumn?”
“I’ll stick with wine. And I need the bathroom, so hold on to my drink for me?” Without waiting for an answer, she melted into the crowd and headed for the ladies’ room.
While we waited for our drinks, Jodie surveyed the guests. “Max really does look hot in that dress suit, doesn’t he?”
I shrugged noncommittally. If I started to talk, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to stop, and Jodie would find out everything that had happened between Max and me in the past 24 hours. Then everyone at the reception would know too.
“I can totally say that because Autumn isn’t around to hear me. She gets sooo protective over her brother.” Her eyes narrowed as she stared at him. “He’s single. I’m single. I’ve always liked him. Maybe tonight’s the night for me to make a move.”
“You can’t have a crush on Max!” I blurted out without thinking.
“Honey, why not? He’s not off limits to me. Autumn isn’t here to witness this, so she can’t put the blockers on it. She never issued the same ‘stay away’ order to me.” The corner of Jodie’s mouth curved up into a smile. “I’m sure he’d welcome being whisked away from chatting with the grandmas.” She downed her tequila shot, then swiped Autumn’s glass of wine and stalked off towards her target.
There wasn’t a single damn thing I could do about it. Not one thing. It wasn’t as if I could go running after her and stake my claim on Max. I watched as Jodie tapped him on the shoulder, then placed a proprietary hand on his arm, giggling at whatever he’d said. I sucked in my lips, trying not to get upset. All Jodie was doing was talking to him. Flirting with him. Sucking up to him.
She might have been one of my best friends, but right now, I hated her.
I sipped my vodka soda, wishing I’d gone for the shot instead, silently seething at the scene unfolding in front of me. Where the hell was Autumn? What was taking her so long? If she didn’t come back soon, I planned to head back to the cabin and screw the rest of the wedding reception. Who cared if I wasn’t there for the cake and toast? No one would miss me. I could get out of this stupid dress and heels and find a movie to watch instead. Something with lots of violence or horror. Rom-coms were totally out of the question.
“Are you okay?” A male voice said from behind me. “Only the look on your face could probably sour cream at ten paces.”
I turned and found Trent standing there, a beer in one hand and a crooked smile on his face. “Sorry, I was just having a moment.”
“Can be tough at weddings, can’t it? When you see everyone else so happy, and you’re feeling like shit because the one person you want to be with isn’t available.”
What did he know? Had Max said something to him? I knew Max better than that. He wasn’t the type to shoot his mouth off to his buddies about an almost conquest. If Trent knew anything, it had to be through second-guessing.
I glanced over at Jodie and Max again. Their heads were bent close together in conversation, as they chatted to Brianna and Joshua. The DJ started playing a slow song, likely the buildup to the bride and groom’s first dance.
“Trent, remember that dance I asked you about earlier?”
He nodded slowly.
“Want to take me up on it now?”
He held out his hand and I took it. “With pleasure, Sophie, with pleasure.”
Chapter Twelve
Max
The grating whine of Jodie’s voice in my ear started to bother me. Sure, she’d saved me from talking to both Joshua’s and Brianna’s sets of grandparents. Joshua’s grandparents knew me from when I was a kid and still asked me about playing World of Warcraft, when we’d grown out of that years ago. We’d spent a summer at their house in Florida, and I’m sure they saw me as the thirteen-year-old boy from back then. Jodie’s arrival had been a godsend, but since she’d come over, all she’d done was go on and on about the women they’d been forced to sit with at the reception dinner and how
