Page 12 of My Heart Still Beats
She gnaws on that gorgeous, full lower lip.
And I realize…
She doesn’thaveanything planned.
“Nothing’s final yet,” she says. “I’m flexible.”
“Okay. I can work with that. The men and I will have a golf game in the afternoon. The private resort has an amazing golf course. We’re going to play nine holes. Then we’ll have dinner, catered by the resort. We’ll roast him. And boy, do I have a lot of stories.” I smile.
Disappointment creeps through me when she doesn’t return my smile.
“Then,” I continue, “we’ll pop open the champagne, toast the groom, and…”
“The stripper…”
“Strippers,” I say.
“More than one?”
“I’m sending my brother off in style.”
She rolls her eyes. “Okay. And then we’ll be getting close to midnight at that point?”
“Yeah. That’ll take us up to midnight.”
She nods. “I don’t have anything planned for the afternoon.” She purses her lips. “I don’t have anything planned at all, actually. You’ve probably figured that out. But I thought we would spend the afternoon on the beach. Relaxing.”
“You could book massages and facials for everyone.”
Her eyes light up. “Yeah, that’s a good idea. Why didn’t I think of it?”
I could answer for her, but she doesn’t really want me to. She didn’t think of it because she hasn’t put any thought into this. She’s been focusing inward lately, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
She takes her phone out of her pocket and makes some notes. “Beach day. Massages and facials. Then dinner. If you guys are having dinner at the resort, where shouldwehave dinner?”
“It’s a large resort. They have two separate dining rooms plus two outdoor dining areas.”
“All right. Just tell me where you’re having yours, and I’ll arrange to have mine somewhere else.”
I nod. “Good enough.”
“Then after dinner, we’ll give Skye her gifts. And then I don’t know what the hell we’ll do until midnight.”
“You could go dancing,” I suggest. “There’s a DJ, and you could arrange for him to work one of the ballrooms. You guys can dance, have a drink. Toast the bride.”
She makes more notes on her phone. “Great. Sounds good.”
I can’t believe this.I’mplanning the bachelorette party.
Who would’ve thought?
“Hey, Ben!”
I turn toward the voice I recognize.
Apple Ames strides back toward our table. Naturally blond, Apple colors her hair black and wears long flowing dresses in dark colors. She’s heavily tatted and pierced and doesn’t look at all like the hotel heiress that she is. That’s what I like about her.
“Oh, sorry,” she says. “I didn’t realize you were with somebody.”
