Page 11 of I Wish He Would

Shayna slides into the circular booth wearing the cutest floral-print top tucked into jean shorts and her signature pearl-studded headband. She meets my gaze with a smile. I must be doing a bad job of schooling my features, because her face falls when she sees me. “What’s wrong?”

I purse my lips. “Everyone’s going to want to hear this.”

We wait for the rest of our friends to place their orders. Once all my besties are in the booth, Shayna clears her throat. “Alyssa got a weird text while we were all ordering.” She turns back to me. “Spill, sister.”

I run my fingers through the ends of my hair. “Let’s just say I’m already certain both of my cousins are going to be my crappy this week.” Every Friday during our girls’ night, we share our happies and crappies to catch up on each other’s lives. Turns out, crap is just hitting the fan early for me this week. “I don’t know which one is worse, Patrice and her ineptitude at matchmaking or Bianca marrying my jerk of an ex-boyfriend.”

“Bianca,” they all say in unison. No hesitation.

They’re not wrong. I glance back at my phone and read the text messages to my friends.

“What?” Mallory shouts and smacks her hand on the table. Her messy bun bounces with the movement. Mallory is our blunt bestie. The girl who will stand up for any of us without a second thought.

My face heats as conversations at the surrounding tables come to a halt as people stare at us. A restaurant staff member approaches with a large tray holding our drinks.

“Sorry,” Mallory mouths up to her. The girl nods and leaves all our drinks on the table without a word.

“What?” Mallory repeats, her voice quieter this time but still insistent. “Who does she think she is?”

I lift my iced brown sugar shaken espresso into the air and extend my pinky finger. “The future Mrs. Bradley Vanderbilt,” I say in a haughty tone.

“I’d like to vander her bilt.” Mallory folds her arms across her chest.

Shayna slumps in the booth and leans closer to me. “What does that even mean?”

“I think it’s better not to ask,” I mumble.

“I still don’t get why you haven’t asked Austin to go with you.” Kelsey tucks her curled brown hair behind her ear and sips on her latte. I don’t know how she’s drinking a hot coffee while in a sweater in this summer heat, but to each their own. She works multiple jobs, so she’s gotten used to wearing layers of clothing whenever she leaves the house, especially since there are times in Louisville where it feels like you experience all four seasons in one day.

I groan. “When are y’all going to stop with this whole me-and-Austin thing? It’s like the word fetch; it’s n—”

“Never going to happen,” they all finish in unison.

Probably because I’ve said it to them a million times, even though they continue to bring it up like I have amnesia. But all my memories are fully intact, even though there are some moments from my past that I wish I could forget. Like Bianca getting together with my ex. And the night I met Austin. Maybe if I could forget that night altogether, it would be easier to just be friends with the man.

“I don’t want to bring him into this stupid drama.”

“Isn’t that the whole point of a friend?” Tess asks. “To be there for you through thick and thin?”

“Especially when life is hard and messy,” Kelsey adds. “You all were there for me last year when all that crap went down with my mom. And you kicked my booty—metaphorically speaking—when I was being a complete idiot about everything with Tyler.”

“We’ve known each other practically our whole lives.” I take a sip of my drink, needing the caffeine to stave off the headache I can feel forming. “It’s different when it comes to Austin.”

“Why?” Kelsey asks.

“Because he’s a boy?” Tess muses.

I rub my temples. “No.”

“Is this your way of admitting you’re in love with him?” Shayna smiles widely.

I shake my head, and it’s the truth. I do have feelings for Austin and love for him. But saying I’m in love with him right now feels like a stretch. “I’ve only known him for, what, three years? Our friendship is barely the age of a toddler. I don’t want to ask him to endure going to a family wedding that also happens to feature my ex.”

I don’t add in the fact that he’s also met Bradley before.

Briefly.

The night we met.