Page 118 of Sparks Fly

Me: Aggressively.

Sawyer: I’m sorry, baby.

That one word settled me more than anything else had all evening.

* * *

The first night stayed easy. Music played through the house while drinks were poured and everyone gathered around the kitchen, excited and a little tipsy before dinner had even started.

I greeted the chef, showed him around, and answered a few last-minute questions.

“Dinner will be ready in about forty-five minutes,” he said.

“Perfect.”

Lilly looped her arm through mine the second she came into the kitchen. “I cannot believe you pulled this off.”

“Of course I did.” I pretended to be offended. “But really, you deserve it.”

“I’m so lucky you’re my co-maid of honor., I love you so much!”

“You can remind me of that when I’m hungover tomorrow.”

She laughed and kissed my cheek.

By the time dinner was served, the table glowed with candlelight. The chef explained each course while we passed around wine and tried not to interrupt him with our own conversations.

Lauren lifted her glass first. “To Lilly.”

“To Lilly,” Ashley echoed.

Lilly turned toward me with a grin. “And to Addie, for making all of this happen.”

I lifted my glass. “To Lilly. And to this weekend not being as unhinged as it could be.”

Laughter moved around the table.

After that, I let myself relax.

I drank the wine. I laughed at stories I had heard a hundred times and added details when someone remembered them wrong. I stole food from Lilly’s plate and nearly choked when Ashley brought up our disastrous spring break trip from college.

For once, I stopped checking the time.

I still noticed when a bottle needed replacing or when the chef needed room to clear the table, but I didn’t jump up to fix everything. Everyone was happy. Lilly was glowing.

That was enough.

When someone finally declared it pajama time, we all scattered to change.

I pulled on the soft pink set I had ordered weeks ago and looked at myself in the mirror. The collar sat slightly crooked, and my hair had fallen loose around my shoulders.

It was ridiculous.

It was also kind of cute.

I snapped a picture and sent it to Sawyer.

Me: Don’t laugh.