Are you seriously going out w/ Kyle? Lauren asked.
Let me guess. Facebook? Macie texted back.
Twitter. Lauren added a winky emoji.
Word gets around fast. Yes, but I will be at your place by nine. Macie hit send and checked the time. She was going to be late for work.
ZAC WASHED HIS HANDS and stared at himself in the bathroom mirror. He had a date tonight. The problem was he wasn’t sure if he wanted to get out of it or not. Emily’s legs stretched longer than the Pacific Coast Highway and were just as gorgeous. She was an all-American blond hair, blue eyed bombshell. They’d met at a bar a few weeks ago and he’d asked her out then. If he really wanted to admit it, he’d been a little drunk and had felt a little rejected by his pen-pal. Which was stupid. She hadn’t responded to his message, and he felt dumped. To make it worse, when he got home after his debauchery, there was a message waiting for him about her love of cats. He didn’t even know his mystery girl, and yet, she knew him on a deep level. Even if she didn’t know it.
His. He needed to stop calling her that.
The doorbell rang, and he closed his eyes. To make his current situation worse, Macie had arrived at Lauren and Ford’s apartment. That woman infuriated him just by being in the same room. Unfortunately, she was Lauren’s best friend and her maid of honor. He shook off his doubt and strolled down the short hall just in time to see Macie step past the door. She may piss him off, but she was damn fine to look at. Her cinnamon brown hair flowed around her elegant face and highlighted her brown eyes. Macie Regan exuded darkness, but her smile brightened an entire room. When he’d first met her, he thought she was perfect with her exotic looks and purple hair. He thought she’d be fun and exciting. Her personality shot down that theory.
“Great,” he said, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Gang’s all here. How’s it going, Chomper?”
“Peachy keen.” Macie’s gaze iced over as Zac shot her a fiery glare. “Thanks for the warning, Lauren.”
Lauren held up her hands. “If I told you he was going to be here, you would’ve made any excuse to get out of coming over. Besides, this involves both of you.”
She sat beside Ford on the couch. That left their loveseat open. Zac preferred to stand. He leaned against the wall. “Then let’s get on with it. I’ve got plans.”
Macie rolled her eyes. “You say that like you’re the only one.” She shook her head, and Zac admired the way her hair swung around like a shampoo commercial. Macie turned her attention back to her friend.
“Wait, didn’t you have a date?” Lauren asked, her face lighting up. “Tell.”
“No,” Macie snapped. Her olive skin reddened with a blush. Zac knew that look. He’d seen Macie get embarrassed more than once. “Move on.”
“Oh, if you won’t tell, I’ll find out on my own.” Lauren pulled out her phone and pressed a few buttons. Macie didn’t try to stop her, much to Zac’s surprise. Lauren’s mouth twisted in disgust. “What an asshole.”
“Drop it, Lauren,” Macie snapped again, her eyes darkening.
“I can’t believe he stood you up,” Lauren said, ignoring Macie’s order.
“Who?” Ford asked just as Zac let out a laugh.
Everyone turned to Zac. Wisely, he ducked his head, but he couldn’t stop laughing inside. Macie didn’t date very often since their sophomore year. Sure, she flirted a lot, but she rarely made serious plans with a guy. She wouldn’t have agreed unless it was a sure thing. Zac knew he shouldn’t laugh, but he couldn’t help it. Macie hadn’t stopped laughing in his face when a date stood him up before Thanksgiving last year. Zac had resigned himself to drinking alone at Hoof, a local bar near campus, only to find Macie serving drinks behind the bar. And she had laughed hard at him. A pillow hit him in the chest.
“Fuck off, Zac,” Macie said. Her voice held all the anger she could muster as tears rimmed her eyes. He almost apologized, but Macie turned away from him and stared at Lauren. “Just tell us what’s going on so I can get the hell out of here.”
Lauren and Ford glanced at each other. Zac hated their silent conversations. And he envied them. They also had the kind of relationship only seen on TV. He’d heard them argue, but never fight. He’d seen them at a standstill, but they always found a compromise. Every flaw of Lauren’s was treated as a quirk for Ford. And Ford’s flaws just meant he was human for Lauren. They saw the bad in each other and loved anyway.
Ford cleared his throat. “We want ... look, we know as best man and maid of honor, you’re in charge of the bachelor —”
“And bachelorette—”
“—parties.” Ford shrugged and glanced at Lauren. “We’d like to have ours together.”
Zac glanced at Macie, watching her already tense body as it wound even tighter. She swallowed hard but put on her obvious fake smile she wore like a badge of honor.
“If that’s what you want,” Macie said.
Lauren relaxed and slipped her hand onto Ford’s knee. “Thank you.”
Zac hadn’t said anything yet, and he didn’t really plan on chiming in. The deal was already done. He just had to make the best of it. Which, in his opinion, meant letting Macie do whatever Lauren wanted. He’d stay out of the way.
“Z?” Ford asked. Lauren stared at Zac with concern and determination. There was no way she wasn’t getting this. Ford’s expression remained hopeful. If he wanted a joint bachelor/bachelorette party, Zac had no clue. For Ford, Lauren’s happiness was all that mattered. “You in?”
Zac felt Macie’s gaze burning into his skin, but he wasn’t stupid enough to look at her. “If Chomper’s in, I’m in.”
“Stop calling me that,”
