My heart calmed down as we quietly awaited our instructions. Joining arms to practice our walk was weird the first few seconds, but he was so indifferent about the whole thing that I got over my nerves pretty quickly. At least, if he planned on freaking out on me this weekend, he wasn’t gonna do it in front of an audience.
We had dinner in a private room at the hotel’s restaurant, and apparently, my buddy system with Robert was destined to continue. Not only were we asked to sit at the end of the table, but across from each other as well. Yeah, Sophie and Jhett were beside us, and managed to converse with us a little, but their attention kept getting drawn to the guests sitting at the opposite end. At least Robert had a smart phone that let him do ten million things when he was bored.
Was it possible to get a headache from doing nothing at all? I ate my meal incredibly slowly, but long after I was done, we were still waiting for our plates to be cleared for coffee and dessert. Apparently the wait staff knew not to rush our table, so the transitions seemed endless. My head rolled back and I sighed louder than I probably should have. When I came back down, I caught Robert watching me. He took a moment to mess with his phone, then slid it across the table to me.
“I’m going to the bathroom,” he said, tossing the napkin off his lap before leaving the room. Why the hell didn’t I think to go there? I picked up the phone and released a short chuckle when I saw the Angry Birds game. Grateful for the distraction, I began the game, which Robert had already set to silent. I don’t know how long I got to play, but the night went a hell of a lot quicker after that, ‘cause when Robert came back, he refused my attempt to give it back. When I did later, Sophie smiled at me, happy to see the two of us finally acknowledging each other.
At the end of dinner, Robert said goodnight to Jhett and his family, then completely bailed. My goodbyes to Sophie’s parents took a bit longer ‘cause of how close I was to Mom, but after about fifteen minutes, I too began to leave like some of the extended relatives were. When I rounded the corner to the elevators, I was completely shocked to see Robert waiting there, his hands buried in the pockets of his pants. “Hey,” I said. “Figured you’d be in bed by now.”
He shook his head. “I went to get a drink first.”
I nodded. I could have used one myself. The elevator opened and we were the only two to get on. I was about to ask him to hit my floor, but it turned out he already did. “You’re on ten, too?”
“I think we’re all somewhere on ten.”
“Oh,” I replied quietly. Awesome.
When we got to our floor, his arm motioned for me to go first, and he followed in the same direction down the hall. I got to my room first, and Robert softly said goodnight as he passed behind. I repeated the sentiment and entered my room. Part of me was curious where his room was, but I didn’t dare linger to find out.
Soaking away the day in the tub sounded marvelous, but I was so tired that all I did was bury myself under the fluffy bed cover. I stripped down and slid into a camisole and shorts and submerged myself in darkness. An annoying red light flashed repeatedly, and it took me a moment to realize it came from my phone. I dragged it over from the bedside table and found a text from Evan that made me smile. I replied I miss you, too, and buried myself in fluff and darkness once again.
20
I startled awake. The room was still dark but light squeezed in where the drapery ended. Fists banged on the door again, and I realized that must’ve been what woke me up in the first place. I clumsily made my way to the door, swearing in pain when my shoulder crunched as it hit the wall. I peeked through the peep hole.
Sophie. Of course.
Half asleep, I opened the door and stared at her. “What?” I said, a mixture of whiny and bitchy. I jerked when she threw something at my chest, and she used my backward momentum to push her way into my room. The fabric in my hands was flannel, a matching pair to what Sophie was wearing, a soft pink with ivory hibiscuses. “Pajamas?”
“Throw ‘em on, girlie. We’re going down for breakfast.”
“What? I’m not wearing PJ’s to breakfast!”
“Please. It’s ten A.M. on a Friday morning. Hardly anyone will be there. Come on, it’s my weekend and being my maid of honor means you agreed to do my bidding.”
I reluctantly, and slowly, traded out my clothing, not even bothering to dig a bra out of my bag. Screw it. I was too tired to care, and was a little surprised it was as late as it was. To hell with my hair too. I pulled the ponytail loose and shook it out as we left the room.
Of course Jhett and Robert were already there, done eating and wearing normal clothes. Luckily, I was too tired to feel embarrassed. It was impossible to avoid sitting next to Robert, as he and Jhett sat across from each other. Sophie made her way to the buffet but I collapsed into a chair instead, still waiting to wake up before grabbing breakfast. I laid my phone on the table and hitched my cheek onto my hand, supported by my elbow. Jhett and Robert exchanged glances, smiling over a private joke, which I feared I was the butt of.
“What?” I muttered. “I’m not a morning person.”
“Clearly,” Jhett snarked.
Robert poured a cup of coffee, stirred in a creamer and half a sugar, then slid it my way. “Thank you,” I said, and began sipping at the caffeine.
Sophie reappeared with a plate filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, fruit and a croissant. Guess she wasn’t worried about packing on the pounds with just one day left to go. “Eat something, Jenna. I told you that you weren’t allowed to get any skinnier.”
“I haven’t!” I defended.
“I don’t know, Jenna,” Jhett said, looking over what part of my body he could see. “If you had a little more body weight you wouldn’t get cold so easily, and your headlights wouldn’t be shining right now.”
I knew he was just trying to embarrass me for the fun of it, but I turned the joke around on him. “Why are you always staring at my br**sts?”
His mouth fell and his eyes bugged out a bit, but it was Sophie that replied, “’Cause he’s a guy and can’t stop himself.” Robert glared and shook his head at him, and then Sophie turned on him. “Oh, please Robert. You’re no better. I’ve seen you check out my ass plenty of times.”
“What?” he cried, coffee sloshing and dribbling down his cup and onto the table linen. Oh, that definitely got my attention, and I raised my eyebrows at him when he turned to check for my reaction.
“Mirrors are a bitch,” Sophie added.
“Dude!” Jhett cried.
“Well, someone has to stand behind her when she bends over in those damn miniskirts! How can I not notice? And better she bare her ass to me than some middle-aged creep or horny frat boy,” he defended.
Now Sophie’s jaw dropped. I didn’t think she planned on him saying something like that!
“And what are you duding me about?” Robert challenged. “Jenna’s right. You always seem to notice when she’s cold, which means you’ve stared at her br**sts a hell of a lot more times than Sophie’s bent over.”
I broke out in a fit of giggles, but was quickly distracted by my vibrating phone. I flipped it open and read a text message from Evan wishing me a good morning. Aww… One day and I already missed having him beside me. Miss you more! I typed. He was quick to reply with a Not possible. I smiled and was in the process of dragging out our conversation when a chunk of bread hit my chest and dropped to my lap.
“Earth to Jenna!” Sophie sang. I looked up to see three completely different faces. Sophie had a suggestive smile, Jhett was suddenly bored and Robert was expressionless, with a hint of pain in his eyes.
“Sorry. What’d I miss?”
Robert exhaled loudly and put his coffee down. To Jhett, he asked, “You ready?”
“Yeah.” Together they stood, Jhett leaning over to quickly kiss Sophie on the lips. “See you in a bit.” He, at least, acknowledged me with his eyes before leaving. Robert just turned and left.
“Jeesh. Way to clear the room there, Jenna,” she said before biting into her croissant.
“What?”
“Girl, it’s great you’ve got a new boy toy and that you’re happy, but your old boy toy was sitting at the table having to watch the cutesy expressions as you sexted someone that wasn’t him.”
“I wasn’t sexting,” I said slowly, laying my phone on the table.
“Whatevs. But did you notice how we were all getting along like old times right there? How everyone was comfortable, even though we were admitting to checking each other out like it was nothing? Next time that happens, do us a favor. Ignore the phone and stick with the conversation, alright?”
“Sorry.” I excused myself to fill a plate before the buffet closed.
That afternoon, Mom, Dana and I all watched as Sophie tried on her wedding dress for one last check and decided the best way to wear her hair, and ours. (Mine in particular since that damn hickey was still obvious). When we were done, I went back to my room for a quick nap before I was forced to participate in the bachelorette party that night.
I lay in bed and called Evan, a warm feeling filling my insides as we chatted for an hour about everything and nothing at all. Of course he still tried to get invited, claiming he’d happily make the six hour drive, heavily emphasizing how we could be sharing a bed again this evening. Tempting. Very tempting. But to his dismay, I turned him down again.
My wake-up call, a.k.a. Sophie banging on the door, came in at exactly eight o’clock. Apparently, I needed her approval for hair and attire for the evening, which neither seemed up to her par. I was forced into something she brought for me: black heels, a powder blue sequin tank and a flirty black miniskirt with a thin stretchy material covered by three overlapping layers of tulle. It was cute, and similar to the one Sophie was wearing, but I groaned internally when I thought back on Robert’s comment about Sophie and her miniskirts, and vowed not to bend the whole night through.
I went back to my room, grabbed my purse and spritzed my sweet floral perfume onto my neck. I checked myself in the mirror and shook my head. It wasn’t that I looked slutty or easy, it just wasn’t me, and I felt a little exposed with this much air creeping around my bare thighs.
I paused in the hall, my back pushing against the door to keep it open. Sophie and Jhett stood in front of her door, having a hushed argument. Sophie’s arms flailed about, and Jhett shrugged his shoulders as high as they would go, throwing his arms up in a manner that screamed, oh, well. He pushed his way through the door across the hall from hers and disappeared.
Sophie was pissed. She noticed me and we stared for a moment, then she began stalking towards me, so I let the door close completely behind me. “Everything okay?” I asked.
“Yeah. Can I borrow your phone for a sec? Mine died on me a few minutes ago and I need to check on something.”
“Sure,” I agreed, greedily wishing I knew more. I passed her my phone and asked, “You and Jhett are still good for tomorrow though, right?”
“What?” she asked sharply, completely surprised by my question. “Why? Because of that? That had nothing to do with me and Jhett. We just don’t agree on something,” she explained vaguely. She looked over my shoulder, then excused herself for a second to make the call in her room. A body quietly passed me in the hall.
Robert. His lips didn’t part, but I distinctly heard his throat grumble the words, “Oh, God…” as his body continued on even though his eyes couldn’t fight the stare. I didn’t bother defending myself since I most likely agreed with whatever his monologue was saying right then. He gently knocked on Jhett’s door, leaning with his back to me until he was able to disappear inside. I waited in the hall by myself until Sophie peeked out a few minutes later, waving me into her room, suddenly all smiles.
“Better?” I asked as she returned my phone and I dropped it back into my purse.
“Much. Problem solved.” She clapped her hands together and wickedly sang, “Ready for a night of drinking and debauchery?”
“Yay on the drinking, nay on the whole debauchery thing.”
She walked about the room, stuffing items into her purse for the night. “Tonight…no boy toys, no future hubby, no guys period unless they’re stripping on stage or randomly grinding up against us on the dance floor.”
Yeah, definitely yay on the drinking then.
“Ready, be-yatch?”
“I am, but you’re not.” I reached into my purse and pulled out a veil attached to a hair comb. It went perfectly with the pink words, “I’m the Bride, Just Do What I Say” written across her tiny white t-shirt.
She laughed and cried, “Awesome,” as I secured it onto her head.
Dana met us downstairs in the hotel lobby with several other girls Sophie had met in Boston. There were only eight of us, but after three shots in the limo on our way to the first club, I had already forgotten the names of all the newbies. We each adorned a small pink veil that Dana gave to us so we’d be sure to draw even more attention to ourselves. Lovely. That’s when the fourth shot made its way down my throat.
It was all a little fuzzy, but I did recall dancing a lot…willingly, if you could believe. But the moment some random guy got a little too touchy-feely for my taste, I’d wiggle myself to the middle of our group until another managed to break his way through for a turn. At the third club, I glanced over and caught Sophie grinding with Jhett.
What the hell? This whole Ho’s-Over-Bro’s night was her idea, and I seriously doubted we all randomly entered the same club at the same time. I shook my head and headed for the bar, the guys on this particular dance floor were a little too frisky. Or maybe it was ‘cause it was later and more alcohol was passing through their systems now.