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“And the last thing I want as yourbestest best friendis for you to duck out on fate.” She’s standing with her arms akimbo, watching me. “Or to miss out on good dick.”
That gets a rude laugh out of me. “That’s just a coincidence and nothing else. I’m not chasing strange tail on this trip, Nadia. Guys aren’t on my mind.”
“Because of Phil?”
My back tightens up at the second mention of Phil.
“No, but … Maybe it should be. God, I wish I never dated that guy.”
For so many reasons...
“Emily,” she says. “I’m not asking you to find the love of your life here. Just parachute into a bed with a hot stranger, have some fun, and break a few hearts of your own. Anything’s better than moping over that loser.”
“I guess. But wouldn’t it be great to go back in time and change things?”
“I know you don’t want to talk about what caused the break up.” Nadia searches my face. Shutting her eyes, she releases a long exhale. “But you can’t fix a past that refuses to be changed. You’ve gone out of your way to take care of other people—whether it’s me, your parents, your sister, or that asshole Phil.” I start to argue but she holds up a pointed nail to stop me. “Be selfish, for once in your life.”
“I just … Sometimes I feel like there are things that happened in my life that I could have changed if I was smarter … or kinder … or a lot of things I’m not.”
And might never be.
Coming closer, she lifts my hands in hers, holding on like I’m about to drop off a cliff. My heart is racing like I’m about to.
“You are the smartest, kindest, most considerate person I know in my life,” she says. “Forget the past. Just focus on doing something about your future,” she says solemnly.
Yeah … About that.
I can’t tell her.
If I do, she’ll just want to give me an even bigger pep talk when this weekend should be about her, and not me. So, despite my own heavy heart, I reach out and squeeze her hands tight. My smile is the only thing holding back tears—but whether they’re tears of appreciation or something else, I don’t know.
“Thanks, Nadia.”
“You’re welcome.” She returns my smile, wrapping me in a hug. Her voice is a singsong in my ear. “Which is why I’m making you a promise.”
I tense up with a nervous laugh. “Oh no.”
“You have my blessing—no, fuck that—myorderto abandon any and all maid of honor duties if you have a chance to hook up with a hot guy.” She smirks and jerks her head toward the door. “Especiallythathot guy. I mean, he’s already got a preview. It’ll be adamnshame if he doesn’t get a taste of the main course. Know what I’m saying? What was his name, by the way?”
I open my mouth … Then I stop.
My heart gives a tiny thud as it drops into the pit of my stomach.
“He never told me.”
4
EMILY
Nightfall doesn’t doa thing to alleviate the humidity, and I’m thankful that the inside of the Zebra Club is at least air conditioned. Or as air conditioned as it can be with the number of bodies packed in its tight space.
The six of us in matching lavender dresses—me, Nadia, Meghan, Clara, Jennifer, and Heather—make our way to the dance floor. Red lights shift to blue, and the undertones of our outfits change to match it. Slowly, everyone in the room becomes the same saturated color.
I don’t recognize the song playing, but it doesn’t matter; it’s got a good beat and that’s all I need. Nadia catches my eye, her teeth glowing in the lights as she dances. We’ve worked up a sweat when a woman flags us down. She’s wearing a pair of black shorts and a white crop top bearing the club’s name across the front.
“Your table is ready!” she yells.
“What?” Nadia yells back.
