Page 92 of Run
Ari punches me in the shoulder. “Asshole.”
***
“I fucking hate dressing up,” Knox says from beside me.
“Same, dude.”
“I told Lizzie I was not wearing a tux tonight. I’d rather die.”
The way Knox and Lizzie have transformed their backyard is incredible. Big outdoor lamps line the property, flames licking up inside them as the heat billows out. There are decorative carpets spread out across the grass, creating a space in the center where people are mingling and where, I assume, there will be dancing later. A mix of tall and regular tables line the outer edges, and a bar is set up in the corner.
It’s just getting dark, but the space is illuminated by strings of outdoor tea lights that crisscross over the entire back yard. Chill guitar music comes from surround sound speakers that a DJ in the other corner is controlling.
“Ari, EJ, you made it!” Lizzie comes bounding up to us.
“Oh, my God, Lizzie,” Ari gushes. “You look amazing. So does the backyard! This is so beautiful.”
Lizzie chuckles. “You know what’s funny? This is a bigger affair than we had when we actually got married forever ago.” She looks at Knox, who nods.
“Lizzie!” someone calls from across the way. She spins and waves, then turns back to us. “Sorry, we have to make the rounds.”
“Go.” Ari gives her hand a squeeze, also waving Knox off.
Back to just the two of us, I face Ari, brushing hair over her shoulder as I see Dee waving at us from a table to the side. She’s accompanied by Monty and his wife, and the rest of the work gang. I nod in that direction. “Care to join my colleagues?”
ARI
“Pretty snazzy, huh?” Ethan says to Dee, who nods her head animatedly and takes a gulp of her mixed drink.
“Yeah. They deserve it.”
“Definitely.” Ethan’s arm is draped over the back of my seat as he absentmindedly runs his fingers through my hair.
“Alright,” Monty rubs his hands together as he stands. “Who needs a drink?”
“I do!” Dee downs the remainder of her cocktail and rattles the glass of ice to make her point. “Good God, woman. It’s open bar. You can take your time.”
“Yeah but if you’re going up there anyway …”
Monty looks to Ethan, who shakes his head. “We’re good.”
A spectacular dinner is served, and as the waitstaff clears the dishes off the table, the music changes over to something more rockin’ and upbeat that gets a few people dancing. I see Ethan’s eyes focus over my shoulder, and he smiles and waves. I crane my head and see Knox’s friends from the other night, Tommy and Gino.
“Hey.” I place my hand on Ethan’s thigh as I turn to look at him. “I want to go talk to Gino. Be right back.” I start to pushmyself into a standing position, and Ethan rises alongside me. My hand on his chest stops him. “I got it. I can walk over there on my own.”
Ethan looks to where Gino is, then back to me. “You sure?”
“Yeah.”
I take a few slow steps in that direction, then place a hand on a high table to steady myself and walk alongside it until I get to another and do the same thing. When I approach Gino’s table, he takes strides to meet me, puts an arm out, and I accept it.
“Ari, you look stunning.” He brings me closer to his table, where Tommy is standing with a beautiful dark-haired woman with big lips and even bigger boobs. We nod in hello, but they are engrossed in conversation, so I don’t interrupt. Instead, I turn to Gino.
“So, I was just wondering if you’ve talked to Sophie?” I hike my shoulders up in guilt as I pry, not even bothering with small talk.
He runs a hand through his silky brown hair. “Actually, she won’t return my calls.”
My face falls. “What?”
