“Perhaps you should believe in your ability to conquer your addiction. We all have our vices, Liv. Yours are just stronger and more destructive than most.” He follows me to the front door and opens it for me. “Perhaps you should use this weekend as a blessing in disguise, time to fight against your addiction. It will make you stronger.”
“I’m strong, March. I’m strong enough to recognize and accept this for what it is, but that doesn’t mean I’m strong enough to fight it.” I walk through the door and look at him. “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning recovery won’t happen in a day either. You should know that.” With that, I walk to my car and get in, leaving him staring after me.
My phone buzzes in my hand and I pull up the message with shaky fingers.
Go by the truffle store and pick up my order. I’m stuck with the caterer and a last-minute menu adjustment.
I smile at Day’s text despite my disappointment.
I hope you’re wearing a hat to hide your horns, Bridezilla. See you later.
“Last-minute menu adjustment my ass!” Day fumes. “Just under a month to go and they’re all, “We can’t get this from our supplier. We’ll have it take it off the menu.”
“What meal was it?” Tessa asks, crossing her legs in front of her.
“The vegetarian one!”
“So you don’t have a veggie option?” I stare at her as she puts three wine glasses in front of us.
Day laughs loudly. “Oh, no, I have a vegetarian option. I told them I didn’t give a shit what their usual supplier stocked. If they wanted their payment in full, they’d find me a supplier that did stock it.”
“And?”
“They’ve found a supplier that will stock it. After I pointed them in the direction of several.” She scoffs, pouring the wine. “Bastards fucking up an already shit day.”
I share a glance with Tessa.
“What’s happened?” she asks softly.
Day sighs and sits down. “I just wish it were the wedding already, you know? I know, I know. I was freaking out like a week ago”—she glances to me—“but the agency signed a new model two days ago.”
“Who was it?”
“Naomi’s protégé.”
“No fucking way!” I snap. “How?”
Day shrugs. “There was no basis not to. Besides, it’s not breaching the rules Aaron set out. It just really bugged me. I know they’re the best agency and the girl is promising, but with all the shit with flowers and caterers dropping out and now this, it feels like we’ll just never be able to get married and just be fucking happy.”
“Marriage is overrated,” Tessa puts in. “Seriously, love, he’s all picking up his socks and putting his dirty bowl in the sink now, but the second that ring is on his finger, you bet your arse you’ll be finding those bowls under the sofa and socks stuffed behind the toilet.”
I snort. “Your brother is never changing then.”
Day laughs quietly. “Keeping a man is like house-training a puppy. You find their shit everywhere.”
“Well, now that you put it that way, Angus’s hatred of Tyler makes total sense. I’m introducing him to a dog.”
Tessa giggles. “You don’t have to worry until you start finding blond hairs on the back of the sofa and a used condom behind the bin because he’s a rubbish shot.”
Day and I both wince. “Ouch,” she said. “So you knew before?”
“I thought he was, but I couldn’t go to my lawyer without definitive proof. After all, the maid was blond.” She shrugs. “I’m not so bothered anymore. Like I said, he’s a rubbish shot. He couldn’t find the G-spot if you gave him neon signs inside your vagina.”
I choke on my mouthful of wine at her words. It goes up my nose and burns like hell, but I pinch my nose and breathe until the sensation leaves.
“Talk of the devil,” she sighs, grabbing her ringing phone from the table.
“Wait. Doesn’t he know you’re here?” I ask.
She grins and lifts the phone to her ear. “Hello, darling. Has Blondie left your sorry, lost arse already?”
I purse my lips and look away to fight my laughter. Tessa winks and walks to the window. Day and I catch each other’s eyes and grab a pillow each to laugh into.
“Don’t be unreasonable? I’m actually being very reasonable. You’re the one who was playing with toys that weren’t yours to play with… It was just once? Pull the other one. I’m not a doormat… Oh, good. You got the letter from my lawyer… You don’t agree? Now that is unreasonable. You signed the prenup. You knew what would happen if you went elsewhere…” She sighs and puts a hand on her hip.
Day nudges me and whispers, “How you doing?”
“I’m fine.” I frown.
“Without Ty.”
“Shit,” I answer honestly. “I miss him. He hasn’t called yet and I’m sitting here like a girl after a first fucking date.”
She squeezes my hand. “He’ll call soon, I’m sure.”
“I don’t need my family to fight anything for me. You forget I run the UK business and very successfully. I deal with my lawyer, not my father, so don’t bring my family into your fuck-up…” Tessa laughs silently into her hand. “Okay… Oh, darling, I’d love to meet you for lunch, but I’m afraid I’m not in London… I’m in Seattle.”
A loud noise comes through the phone before she drops it and laughs loudly.
“Oh boy, that was fun. Surprise, knobhead!” She giggles again and sits on the sofa. “Well, I imagine he won’t be calling again for a while.”
“Sounded…interesting.” Day smirks.
“’It was only once…’ ‘I promise it’ll never happen again…’ ‘Oh, Tessa, baby, come on. We can make this work.’” Tessa imitates a man’s voice. “Once my arse. Never happen again my arse. We can make this work my bloody vagina!”
“I am never getting married.” I grin, hiding behind my wine glass. “There’s more drama in it than anyone needs.”
“Word,” Dayton mutters. “Did you get my truffles?”
“Uh, did you miss the huge box on the kitchen table?” I point to it.
She looks over the back of the sofa and groans. “I should have hired someone to do them for me.”