Page 98 of Fire Away

Mesa follows behind her toward our room to try on their dresses. She’s wearing frayed denim overalls cut off above the knee and an olive green cardigan hanging off of one shoulder.Her hair is tied up into two buns on either side of her head, a few red strands framing her face.

I turn to look behind me when I hear a low whistle.

Tripp’s gaze follows Mesa as she walks down the hallway. His lips part and he pulls at the collar of his suit coat. Just as he pulls a stick of gum out of his pocket and unwraps it, I step in front of him to cut off his line of sight.

I love the guy, but I know his game. Hit it and quit it.

In the last few months since Mesa has moved back into her house just outside of Westridge, she and Savannah have become good friends. It means the world to Savannah and I don’t want any rifts happening between them because one of my buddies had a one night stand with Mesa and then ghosted her.

“Don’t even think about it.”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” Tripp says with a grin while popping the gum into his mouth.

A few minutes later, Mesa and Savannah walk back into the hallway, wearing matching dresses.

I pull my lower lip into my mouth as I study Savannah, and I hope to god she doesn’t end up wearing that dress to the wedding because it will be shreds on the floor before the reception if I have to stare at her in it during the entire ceremony.

It’s made of smooth rose-pink-colored silk with thin straps, hugging every single mouth-watering curve on her body.

I watch her twirl around in her dress and bare feet while taking a slow drink of my beer. Forcing more air into my lungs does nothing to even out my blood pressure from the sight of her.

“You and you,” the lady in charge directs, “stand next to each other.”

“Me?” Mesa asks, pointing to herself. But Tripp has already stepped toward her and held out his hand.

“Careful. Blythe might ask you to be in the wedding if we look too good next to each other,” he teases her.

I swallow hard and pretty much give up whatever plan I had to keep him from hitting on her when she laughs and reaches her hand out.

“That wouldn’t be so bad. I’m Mesa.”

Tripp takes her hand and doesn’t drop it even after a subtle shake. “I know who you are.”

“Okay, turn this way,” the lady says to them while waving her pen in her hand. “And walk forward a few steps.”

Tripp lifts his elbow and Mesa loops her hand through, resting it on his bicep.

Not the fucking bicep. I know he’s flexing right now, and I shoot him a look. Barely lifting his free hand, he flips me off and leads Mesa forward. Next to me, Savannah smooths a hand over my back and reaches for my drink to steal a sip.

“Absolutely stunning,” the lady exclaims with a gasp. She lifts her tablet and taps on it several times. “All good here. The only thing left is the final fitting for the best man and then we’ll go over final reception details next week.”

“Thank you so much,” Blythe says as she pulls her in for a quick hug and then turns toward Savannah. “The dresses are exactly what I envisioned. I could not be happier!”

“Are you sure?” Savannah bites her lip. “I love them too, but I’m not sure about how it fits around my hips.”

“That’s why we had you try it on so that we can tailor it to fit you!”

Savannah huffs out a laugh. “Tailor it to fit me, I like that. I was worried I’d have to change my diet or something.”

“Never! I wouldn’t change a single thing about you,” Blythe says as she pulls Savannah in for a hug.

I thought brides were supposed to be angry and demanding. Maybe cry a lot, too. All Blythe wants to do is hug everyone.

“I would,” I say as I take another drink.

Each girl’s heads snap in my direction and Blythe glares. “Warren. Don’t be silly. What could you possibly want to change?”

“Her last name.”

THE END