“Maybe too soft.” She sighed against his skin. “I’m a wimp. Audrey is the strong one. It’s just . . . Daph’s my little sister. My family. I feel like she should be invited. I mean, it’s Christmas and my wedding to boot. I feel terrible she’s not included.”
“So include her.”
Gretchen chuckled. “Audrey might kill me.”
“It’s not Audrey’s wedding.”
“We’ll see. I probably shouldn’t jump the gun anyhow in case Daph is still a train wreck but just better at hiding it.”
“Whatever you decide, I support it.” His hand smoothed down the line of her back. She fit against him perfectly like this, all soft curves. He knew she’d been trying to lose weight for the wedding, but he couldn’t tell a difference and suspected the diet had gone the direction that all the caterers had—out the window the moment it disagreed with Gretchen’s vision. He was glad, too. He loved her just the way she was, and he liked that she was soft in his arms. Nothing else mattered. He thought again of the upcoming wedding, and the “surprise” honeymoon he was going to take her on, on their new private island. “So . . . have you thought about what you want for Christmas?”
“A wedding ring?” she yawned. “Are we seriously doing Christmas? We’re getting married on Christmas Eve. Unless you want me to shave a snowflake somewhere special, I don’t exactly have time to shop.”
“Just throwing it out there.”
She patted his shoulder. “Let’s just do something small, all right?”
Small. Well, the island was small as far as islands went. “We can do small.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead, then slid his hands down to her ass and cupped it.
“Are you trying to seduce me, Hunter?” She leaned back a little and arched an eyebrow at him.
He kissed that sardonic eyebrow. “Is that such a bad thing?”
“Well, I was thinking maybe we could wait until we got married.”
Hunter stilled. “What?” Wait?
Gretchen giggled and pushed him onto his back. “I’m just fucking with ya, babe.” She loomed over him and began to kiss down his bare chest. “Just wanted to see that look on your face.”
“Very funny.”
She sobered and gave him a serious look. “Is there anything you want to tell me, Hunter?”
“Tell you?” Tell her how much he desperately loved her and that he was the luckiest man alive? How she was utter perfection in human form and he adored every moment with her? But he told her that every day. “There’s nothing about me that you don’t already know, Gretchen.”
The smile that ghosted her mouth was soft and sweet. Then she gave him a wicked wiggle of her brows and bent low to kiss his navel . . . and lower.
***
Gretchen: Hey guys!! Question for my bridesmaid posse.
Gretchen: Guys? Hellooooo.
Chelsea: Dear god, do you ever text at a normal hour?
Gretchen: What? It’s 7:30 on a Friday morning. You know what today is? Bachelorette party, bitches!!
Greer: Everything is scheduled if that is what you’re asking. We have tables reserved at Hunk-O-Rama.
Taylor: Oh my.
Gretchen: And . . . I wanted to know if anyone objects to me asking Daphne to come with us. That includes you, Audrey.
Edie: Wait, Daphne Petty? Like your sister the famous rock star? Why would we possibly object?
Taylor: Omg I’m a big fan. Bring her!!
Chelsea: Yeah, I’m totally cool with it.
Brontë: You know I am, of course. It’s your wedding. :)
Greer: I can call and add one more to the reservations, not a problem.
Gretchen: Audrey?
Audrey: What do you want me to say, Gretch? You know how I feel about her—I love her and hate her both. I wish I could trust her but I don’t. But it’s your wedding, like Bron said, and if you want her there, then she should be there.
Gretchen: You guys won’t hate me?
Audrey: Never! Don’t be silly.
Greer: Should I add one to the reservation?
Gretchen: Let’s do it! I’ll call her.
***
Daphne pressed her fingers to her mouth, smiling.
“Phone down,” Wesley called from the other side of the private gym. “Water break’s over. Let’s get back to squats.” He lifted his chin at her, grinning. “And don’t pretend that that’s business, either. I know you, Daph.”
“It’s not business,” she protested as she put her phone back in her cubby and then slung her sweat towel over her shoulder. “My sister texted me! She wants me to come to her bachelorette party tonight and hang out.” She felt light on her feet with excitement and even skipped her way across the gym back to Wesley. “I’m so excited!”
The teasing smile disappeared from Wesley’s face. He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Daph. I don’t think you should go.”
It was like a punch in the gut. All the excitement and pleasure she felt—at such a simple thing, an invite to hang out with her sisters—evaporated. She felt deflated. “But . . . my schedule’s open. We’re not recording today. Everyone’s gone home for the holidays. I don’t have anything to do except stay at home.”
He picked up a jump rope. “I know. I’m not trying to be a hard-ass, Daph. I just don’t think it’s a good idea. You could stay in and work on your journaling.”
Work on her journaling? Was he crazy? She stared at him. He wasn’t even offering to keep her company. Work on her fucking journaling? “It’s a bachelorette party, not an orgy. I’m just going to go and have a good time reconnecting with my sisters.”