Page 45 of Last Night Was Fun

She pretended to twist a key in front of her lips like he’d done earlier. “Captain Carl’s boat rules.”

“Thank you.”

They spent the rest of the cruise sharing a couch at the back of the boat, Gabe sipping ginger ale and Emmy promising everyone who came and asked her to dance she’d be right there, and then never getting off the couch because they forgot after a minute anyway. Gabe quietly laughed every time she lied, and it became a running game to see if anyone would remember she’d made them a promise. No one did, and by the time they returned to the dock, half the party was passed out and the other half declaring the night was young and making plans to continue in the Gaslamp instead of going home.

Thankfully, Piper was in the pass-out camp, and Emmy would not have to supervise any more debauchery because she, too, was ready to peel off her party outfit and climb into bed.

Captain Carl stood at the top of the gangplank as they deboarded and bid each of them good night. Gabe stood at the bottom back on the pier looking profoundly thankful to be on solid ground and held out a hand to help each of them off the boat.

By that point in the night, Piper walked barefoot with her shoes dangling from one hand and her veil tiara slipping from her messy hair. Emmy had her propped against her hip, nearly dragging her like a rag doll, until they hit the end of the gangplank and she saw Ben there waiting for her. Emmy had texted him a heads-up to come collect his bride to put her to bed.

At the sight of him there in his jeans and windbreaker and floppy hair blowing in the breeze, Piper gasped and took off running for him. “Baaaby!” she shouted, drawing out the word.

“Oof,” he grunted when she leapt into his arms. Piper wrapped herlong legs around his waist and smashed her lips to his. “Hi there,” he said between kisses.

“Oh my god, babe, we hadsomuch fun, but I missed you,” Piper slurred and kept kissing him like she’d been away at sea for years.

Ben struggled to hold her and simultaneously remain on his feet after her near tackle. “Yes, that’s great, Pipes. I missed you too. Honey, your dress is kind of short for this—? Okay.” He did his best to shield her butt with his hands as she clung to him and kept kissing him. Luckily, it was only Emmy left with a view from behind as she was the last one off the boat. Gabe stood behind her and politely averted his eyes.

“Piper, you’re flashing the pier,” Emmy said as she paused to scoop up her tiara that had fallen on the concrete.

Piper untangled her legs from her future husband and slid down his body to stand with a wobble. “Sorry,” she said with a coy bite of her lip.

Ben smoothed his rumpled clothes and kissed her head. “Sounds like it was a good party?”

“It was thebest,” Piper said, and swung around to grip his shoulders. She dangled from him once more. “And get this,” she said, turning around to sloppily point at Gabe. “This is Emmy’s co-worker. The guy from work who shehatesand who always takes stuff from her that she deserves because he’s a dude and she’s a girl.His cousin owns the boat, so he’s randomly here. But it wasn’t that bad? I don’t know. I kind of lost track. I’m sleepy. Can we go home now?” She said it all in a mortifying spray of drunken babble, and Emmy wanted to shove her off the dock.

She felt her face turn red and couldn’t bear the thought of turning to see the look on Gabe’s.

Ben, ever polite and easygoing, laughed it off and extended his hand. “Please excuse her; she’s had a lot to drink. I’m Ben. Nice to meet you.”

“Gabe,” he said, and shook Ben’s hand.

“Well, sounds like it was a great night. I better get her home.” He gave them another breezy, Prince Charming smile and then scooped Piper up into his arms.

She squealed in delight and kicked her bare feet. “Good night, sister! Thanks for the party! I love you!” she called down the dock as she left Emmy standing there in the wake of her damage.

Part of Emmy wanted to keep walking and pretend it had never happened. But a bigger part of her, one prickling with guilt and shame, forced her to turn around.

Night had completely fallen. The lights out on Coronado twinkled in the distance. Only a few boats bobbed on the water. The pier sat quiet other than the soft rush of nearby traffic and the sound of Emmy’s own heart beating in embarrassment.

Gabe watched her from close by, an unreadable look on his face.

“I’m sorry she said that,” she offered. “She’s really drunk, and I don’t... um. I don’t hate you.” The words were feeble and strained, and she surprised herself by saying them at all, but as soon as she heard them aloud, she knew they were true.

She didn’t hate Gabe Olson.

He, on the other hand, looked unconvinced. And that somehow made what her sister had said all the worse. He gave her a stiff nod. “Okay, Jameson. Have a good night.” Then Gabe turned and marched back up the gangplank to help clean up their party.

Chapter9

By Monday evening, after a day of awkward silences and side-eyes from Gabe all day at work, Emmy had changed her mind about meeting Axe Murderer. Her sister’s wedding was in five days, and she could not face her ex without a date. It may have been her guilt over putting that look of hurt on Gabe’s face on Saturday night, but she wanted redemption. Seeing as how he was avoiding her like the plague at the office so she couldn’t even apologize, her best bet for pulling her mood out of the gutter felt like setting up a meeting with someone who currently held her in high regard. Someone who, as she still thought of him, might have even considered her perfect.

All that perfection might come crashing down when they met, but at least it existed in some capacity.

But if she was going to do it—actually take the leap and agree to meet—she couldn’t do it alone. Not to mention, she’d complicated matters by waiting so long to invite him. With the wedding this weekend, her suddenly agreeing to meet might come across as a little too convenient, and she didn’t want that. No. She needed coaching. She needed help. So, Monday night after work, she invited over her resident dating app and digital communication expert for dinner and drinks.

Now, against the backdrop of Emmy’s living room windows, Beth paced with a glass of wine in her hand. They’d plotted a plan of action, and Beth was reiterating it like a general giving battle orders.Emmy sat cross-legged on her couch taking deep breaths and intently listening.