Page 133 of More For Me

Everly

This party isbananas.

I’m no stranger to a good bash. My family’s charitable foundation throws a huge gala every year. My dad has brought me to various award shows and afterparties. Since landing the reality show, I’ve been invited to plenty of lavish industry appearances. But Juniper Cain’s engagement party might just be the swankiest event I’ve ever attended.

The hotel ballroom has been completely transformed into something straight out of the Great Gatsby. The décor is so over the top people keep stopping in the middle of the room to stare up at the ceiling or the walls. There are nearly as many waiters as there are guests, offering canapés and refills before I can even think to ask. I’m pretty sure I haven’t been without a full glass of champagne in my hand since we got here. The celebrity spotting—one of my favorite pastimes—is second-to-none. It’s kind of hilarious to watch Fox pretend to be cool and unaffected as his new agent carts him around the room, introducing him to important industry people.

But my favorite part of the event so far is the chance to spend time with Alex. I can’t remember the last time it was just the two of us, without one of my cousins or either of our guys.

Our guys.I get a warm, giddy feeling in my chest when I think of that. Few things have made me happier than watching my bestie fall in love with the perfect man for her. Finding my own perfect man seems too good to be true.

I sigh, looking around the room. As gorgeous and elegant as it all is, and as much fun as I’m having with Alex, I can’t help the part of me that wishes Bodhi was able to come. He would love this—the celebrities, the swankiness, the amazing food, the chance to strut around in a tuxedo.

But the best part would be after. Going home with him at the end of the night. Maybe stopping on our way to grab some In and Out, because let’s face it, as beautiful as gourmet food is, it doesn’t exactly fill you up. Changing into our sweats and cuddling up together on the couch, getting in an episode or two ofThe Bachelorbefore—

“Oh my God,” Alex says, laughing. “You have it so bad.”

I grin at her, completely unabashed. “I really, really do.”

She studies my face for a minute. “You know, I kind of thought it might take you longer to get to this stage.”

“What stage?”

“The madly in love stage.”

Immediately, my cheeks flush. “I didn’t say I was madly in love.”

“But you obviously are.” She pauses, watching me. “Aren’t you?”

I suddenly find the clasp of my clutch very interesting. “I don’t…um…I don’t really know. I mean…” I shake my head. “Maybe?”

She laughs. “Deep breaths, Lele. Don’t have a heart attack, okay?” She brushes her fingers over the beaded cap sleeve of my gown. “If you fall over you might wrinkle your couture.”

I smack her hand away. “I’m not going to have a heart attack.” Then I bite my lip, thinking about what she said. “Why did you think it would take me a while to get to the madly in love stage?”

She laughs again. “Seriously? Did you not just the see the way you reacted to me even saying the word love?”

“If you’re going to tease me, I can go find a cool celebrity to hang out with, you know.”

She rolls her eyes. “I’m not teasing you.” She takes a long sip of her champagne, watching me over the rim of the delicate glass. “I just know how difficult it is for you when things change. I thought you might want to take your time before getting serious with Bodhi, that’s all.”

“I did,” I admit. “At first. I was really resistant to dating him at all. But then…” I feel heat come to my cheeks, but it’s not from embarrassment this time. “Then it just happened and I realized I wasn’t afraid at all.”

She grins. “That’s so sweet I think I might throw up.”

“You suck.”

Predictably, she ignores me. “You guys have been friends for ages. I guess it makes sense things happened fast once you got going. It’s not like you needed to get to know him.”

I consider that, swirling the pale gold liquid in my glass. “I don’t know. It did feel like I needed to get to know him, actually. Like, there’s this whole other side of him that I never saw before.”

“The naked side?” she asks, waggling her eyebrows, making us both giggle like the immature idiots we are.

“No. I mean, well, yes, kind of.” We both crack up again. “But more like, the romantic side of him.”

She gives me a skeptical look. “You weren’t expecting his romantic side? Bodhi Lakra?”

“I know he likes romance. But to see him actually, like, being romantic—that felt different. I never experienced Bodhi as, you know, a man who dates and is confident with women and kisses like nobody’s business.”