Page 12 of I’d Be Honored

“You’ll break her heart.”

For a moment, they locked eyes over their drinks, the words hanging between them.

When Gemma spoke again, her voice was smooth and breezy once more. “Plus, if you scare her off, all our wedding photos will be lopsided. Caitlin would be pissed.”

Hayley was about to reassure Gemma that she was not interested in Maddie when she spotted a flash of turquoise eyes, weaving through the tables toward them.

Speak of the devil, and she shall appear.

And for God’s sake, what was she wearing? Her black denim shorts were cut so short that Hayley could see most of the front pocket linings hanging below the hem. She’d paired them with a cropped sandstone muscle tank that dipped low on the sides, calling far too much attention to the fact that she wasn’t wearing a bra.

Hayley was staring at the stretch of smooth, exposed skin, wondering if Maddie even owned a bra before realizing she’d missed whatever was just said.

“What was that?”

“I said, buy me a drink first,” Maddie repeated with a wink.

Dammit.

Looking away, Hayley sipped her second scotch and returned to strategizing her exit. With her head tilted back, the liquid sliding into her mouth, she caught Maddie’s gaze following the curve of her neckline before snapping back to her face.

“Gem,” Hayley redirected with a satisfied grin, “when are we going shopping for you?”

“Is there a day you can go this week?” Gemma didn’t loosen her grip around her fiancée as she turned her attention toward Hayley.

At least this task would just be the two of them. Hayley felt like she could handle that, dipping her toe into the icy waters of wedding planning.

“I can move some things around to make Wednesday afternoon work,” Hayley casually offered.

Gemma let out a low whistle. “New York City’s hottest agent taking a half day for me,” she teased. “Mads, if you didn’t know, Hayley’s brokerage has been number one in sales in the state for the last four years.” Her pride for Hayley was clear.

Hayley found it tacky to broadcast her own achievements. Her success spoke for itself. But to hear it from her best friend, and then watch as the praise landed on Maddie’s face, felt infinitely sweeter.

“Well, if I ever find myself in the market for an apartment on the opposite side of the country, I’ll know exactly who to call.” Maddie flashed a smile, wide and entirely too knowing. The sight of it made Hayley’s blood boil.

“You know,” Caitlin hesitantly filled the silence. “We should also get a day on the calendar to go shopping together, all four of us. For your maid-of-honor outfits.”

“Excuse me.” Maddie caught the attention of a nearby server. “May I please get a dirty martini? Extra dirty,” she added, brushing her fingers against the waitress’s arm.

Hayley’s jaw tightened. “I’ll have another too, please.”

Maddie smirked and turned back toward Gemma and Caitlin. “I’m free any day that works for you both.”

Hayley snorted.

“Oh, is something funny?” Maddie questioned. “Ms. Big Boss too good to shop for herself? Maybe we can just call a stylist. I’m sure you have Rachel Zoe on speed dial.”

“God, you are so far up Caitlin’s ass,” Hayley snapped, taking a swig from her third drink. She knew she was just being mean now, but she couldn’t stop herself. “Anything for you,” she mocked.

“At least I show up for my best friend,” Maddie shot back. “Every time they mention the wedding, you look like you want to crawl into a hole.”

That was enough. Hayley threw back the remainder of her scotch, slammed a hundred-dollar bill on the table, and stormed out of the restaurant.

She was only a few steps down the dark sidewalk when her phone vibrated inside her bag. Hayley ignored it, knowing without looking that it would be Gemma trying to smooth things over—or yell at her. Either way, she focused instead on the horns honking and sirens wailing in the distance, using the familiar roar of the city to calm her inner chaos.

The last time she had gotten that riled up was her senior year of high school, during her final track meet. She worked her ass off all season, preparing for that fateful matchup against the only girl in the state who could keep up with her. The judge claimed her opponent had crossed the line a step ahead, and Hayley walked away that day with a silver medal in the four-hundred-meter dash. It was a bullshit call. She knew she leaned in, throwing herself across the finish line first, but the decision stood. In that split second, she might have lost her temper with the official. Badly. And she didn’t stop there. In the weeks that followed, she fought to have instant replay equipment implemented in high school sports.

Blinking the memory away, Hayley paused and closed her eyes, taking a deep, steadying breath.