Page 38 of Let's Call a Truce
“Sisters don’t count,” Asia replied, lobbing the pillow back at her. If that pillow made it through the night without a wine stain, it would be a miracle. “What I’m trying to say is that I’m here for both of you, and you’re both equally important to me. I don’t gossip about the people I love.”
I pulled her in for another hug.
“Thank you,” I whispered to her before turning to our friends. “What’s the point of being best friends with someone if she’s not gonna gossip with you?”
Dani and Gabriela cheered, hollering for the details and drama. Asia waved her hand to quiet them down, and a weight settled in my stomach. I wouldn’t ask—I had more dignity than that—but I could admit to myself that I was, at least a little, tiny, itty-bitty bit curious about Ben’s situation. About Paris’s mother. But Asia was loyal to a fault. I’d benefited from it for the past two years, but it wasn’t working in my favor tonight.
“Until you two can sort your shit, I’m not talking about anything related to one with the other. I’m not here to be in the middle of it. I’m just here to love you both.”
She was answered by a chorus of boos, but she just laughed as she popped into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine.
Gabriela raised her hand like the good little teacher she was. “Um, isn’t it a good thing that he has a daughter? Especiallysince Sophie and Paris are inseparable. I put them in different groups for an in-class project last week and they cried. I don’t mean that figuratively. They literally cried. They were apart for an hour.”
“It’s not that he has a daughter. I think it’s weird he’s hidden her at work, though.”
“No,” Asia said from her spot leaning against the doorframe to the kitchen. “He hasn’t hidden her at work.”
“I thought you weren’t getting in the middle of it.” I lifted an eyebrow.
“Yeah, but babe, come on, there’s a picture of her on his desk!”
Everyone laughed at that. I tried to picture his desk, but all I saw was everything getting knocked over as he set me on top of it. My entire face flushed, and I headed for the kitchen to hide it from my friends.
“Nuh-uh, friend.” Dani grabbed my arm before I could escape, dragging me back to the group. “Nice try. Why did you turn into a tomato? Did you let him screw you on his desk?”
“There was no screwing involved.” All three women watched me, fingers clasped in their laps, clearly intent on waiting me out. “Fine. There was a kiss. And minor fondling. And the slightest bit of dry-humping.”
The room erupted in cheers and whoops. I shushed them, worried they would wake up the kids. This conversation was the last thing I wanted them to hear.
“Was he a good kisser? I imagine he has the softest lips.” Gabriela’s eyes glazed over.
“Again, engaged,” I reminded my friend.
“I’m engaged, not dead. What happens in my imagination is between me and my conscience.”
“Yes, he was a good kisser, but it won’t happen again. Even if he wasn’t hiding Paris, I still can’t get over the fact he’s a parent but still talked shit about me because of my kids.” I put a handup to Asia before she could jump in. “Yes, I know it was two years ago, but it says something about how he views family. And it could have hurt my career at KMG if he had said it to the wrong person.”
“Fine. I can respect that.” Asia’s face was somber as she put her arm around me. “But if you feel what I think you feel for him, please consider talking to him before writing him off.”
“I don’t feel anything for him,” I whispered. All three women looked at me sadly. Gabriela was the one to break the moment of quiet.
“You are so full of shit,” she hollered, and all three burst out laughing again.
Chapter 13
Every muscle inmy body tensed when Victoria plopped down in the chair next to me with a devious smile. “I have excellent news for you.”
Gabriela’s wedding was finally here, and the past few hours had been a rush of booming laughter and juggled schedules. She had the largest bridal party I had ever seen, with twenty bridesmaids, and the mass of people getting ready filled the suite to the max. Garment bags, hair spray, and piles of makeup turned the big, airy room into a claustrophobic nightmare.
It was a novel experience compared with my wedding, which consisted of me, my mom, my sister, and two other friends getting ready together at my house before the wedding. I flitted between overwhelmed and exhilarated by the energy they all brought.
My exhilaration lessened when Victoria joined the party, squeezing through the crowd and jumping between conversations with the energy of a woman half her age. I had hoped Gabriela’s grandmother had forgotten about her interest in me over the few weeks since her shower, but my hopes were too optimistic. I should have crawled under the bed when I had the chance.
“What news, Victoria?”
She settled back into the seat with a clap of her hands. “Ifound you the perfect match. And call me Lola. I may be yourlolasoon enough.”
I suppressed a groan. Pissing off the bride’s grandma is not on the list of responsibilities of a bridesmaid.
