“No. Go ahead.” I groaned internally. Now what? I didn’t even have Carly around.
“I’ll be back soon.” He kissed me on the cheek and got up. The bridesmaid didn’t even glance at me.
I’d finished my meal before Colin’s mother noticed me sitting there alone.
“Oh. Hi, Maddy. Where did Colin run off to?”
I took a sip of my water. “One of the bridesmaids said they needed him for something.”
“Oh. Hopefully, he won’t leave you waiting for long. But this gives us some time to chat.” She turned in her chair so she could look at me better. “Colin mentioned you’re working at a restaurant?”
“Yes. I bartend.” Working at a restaurant? Was he that vague about it?
“But you graduated from college this spring?”
“Yes, UVA.”
“That’s right. What is your degree in?”
“Chemistry.” I studied my lap. I wasn’t interested in where the conversation was headed.
“Do you know what you want to do with it yet?”
“No. I’m still thinking.”
“Oh. I suppose you have some time. Nothing wrong with that.” Her expression and the tone of her voice were at complete odds with her words.
I decided to change the subject. “Carly’s great. I’m glad I got a chance to meet her.”
“I hope she isn’t bothering you. She can be clingy sometimes.”
Was this woman talking about her own daughter? “Not at all. We’ve had a nice time.”
“Great.”
Another middle-aged woman interrupted us, and I took it as my opportunity to leave. After a few attempts to get her attention, I left the table and started toward the doors.
“Hey, if it isn’t my favorite bartender.”
I looked up. Davis—that college guy who had hit on me the night I met Gabriel—grinned at me.
“Oh. Hi.”
“Are you friends with Gray?” He referred to the groom.
“Nope. I’m here as someone’s date.” I glanced back toward the doors, more ready than ever to leave.
“Someone who can handle you?” His eyes twinkled, and he seemed to be over the rejection.
I’m sure I turned bright red. “Listen, just forget you saw me.”
“No way.” He touched my arm. “You’re the first non-lame person I’ve seen tonight.”
“Are you here for the bride?”
“Yeah, Dara is an old high school friend.”
“Oh cool.” I stared longingly at the exit.
“Where’s your date?”
“I’m not sure. He’s in the wedding party, so he got called away.”
“So where are you headed?”
“To my room.”
“Are you in the main building?”
“Yeah.”
“I was going to hit up the hotel bar. I know this one’s free,” He gestured to the drink station, “but I need to get out of this room.”
“Cool. Have fun.”
“Want to join me? I mean, your date’s not around anyway.”
“Ah, I think I’m going to pass on that.” This guy didn’t give up.
“You sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Let me give you my number in case you change your mind.”
“Oh, I don’t think so.” I didn’t know much about etiquette, but taking a guy’s number when you were somewhere as the date to another guy didn’t sound too up-and-up.
“Can I get yours?”
Was he serious? He didn’t seem to be catching the drift. “Sorry, I don’t think so.”
“Oh, well, I guess I’ll see you at the wedding then.”
I walked out of the dining room and headed up to my room. I got to my door before making a distressing discovery. I didn’t have a key. I’d meant to grab mine, but I never did. “No.” I slunk down on the floor outside my room. Could the night get any worse?
That’s when I remembered Carly mumbling her room number to Mark. I’d see if she was still up. I took the stairs down a floor, and stopped outside her door. I heard talking. I hesitated a moment, not sure if I should interrupt, but I was out of ideas and not willing to spend hours sitting in the hallway.
I knocked.
“Maddy, hey!” Carly wrapped her arms around my neck when she opened the door.
I laughed. “Nice to see you, too.” I looked over her shoulder and noticed that Mark and another guy were sitting on her bed. They each had a flask, and I was pretty much positive Carly had been drinking more.
“Hey, Maddy.” I’d briefly met Mark before the rehearsal. He was an usher, and if I interpreted it right, also a childhood friend of Colin’s.
I didn’t remember meeting the other guy, and he smiled in greeting. “Hey, I’m Jamie.”
“Hi Jamie.” I smiled slightly before turning my attention back to Carly. “Sorry to, uh, crash this party, but I didn’t have a room key, and I don’t know where your brother is.”
“Brother?” Jamie asked. “Are you here with Colin?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh. I didn’t know he had a girlfriend.”
“Neither did I.” And even if he did, he might not after tonight. His fault or not, I was frustrated that he’d invited me to an event and then ditched me. He should have come alone.
“Colin didn’t say where he was going?” Mark asked.
“Nope. One of the bridesmaids called him away. I waited awhile, but then I decided to leave.”
“Aww, that’s awful. What a prick.” Carly grabbed Mark’s flask and downed some.
“I just wish I had a key…”
“You could probably get one from the desk,” Jamie suggested.
“I don’t know if I’m listed on the room. My invitation was pretty last minute.”
“Oh. That sucks.”
“Just stay here.” Carly sat down at the top of her bed and patted the space next to her. “We’re about to order a movie.”
“A movie? What kind?”
“Oh, you know, something p**n ographic,” Mark said with a straight face.
“Seriously? You guys are going to order a p**n o?”
“Yeah? Is that a problem?” Jamie let a smile slip.
“I’m not sure if you’re joking or not, but I think I’ll pass.”
Jamie smirked. “You’re not drunk enough.”