Page 95 of Gin and Bear It

“I’ll tell you later,” I say, spotting my niece and nephew a few feet away. They’re nosy as hell and have no sense of what to keep quiet.

“Everyone! Please be seated in the ceremony hall!” one of the bridesmaids yells over the sound of the crowd. “They’re ready!”

“Finally!” Maryse says. Kendra shushes her and guides her and her brother inside.

We find our seats, and the ceremony starts a few minutes later. I can see the puffiness around Danika’s eyes, but she fixed her makeup. She walks down the aisle on her father’s arm, a smile pasted on her face.

Usually I cry at weddings, but today I just feel a pit deep in my stomach. Scott at least smiles. A drunken smile, but a smile. That’s enough for her.

They do their vows, which are short and to the point, and the officiant declares them husband and wife.

If everything had shaken out the way that Danika wanted it to—contesting the will, getting the hotel, and marrying her fiancé—I would be furious and a little jealous. I’d assume that despite appearances, their relationship was good enough to progress to a happy marriage.

But things worked out in my favor. Her marriage is just a reminder that what I have with Ash is the kind of marriage I’d want. One based on true love and respect.

We need to talk about what we are again, and what we want to be. But I don’t want to ruin it when we haven’t hit a year of marriage yet. How would we proceed if it fell apart ahead of schedule?

THIRTY

ASH

I feel sick to my stomach, and it’s not just because of the shitty food from Danika’s wedding last night.

Going to the wedding was a decent distraction from what I have to face today—Caro, Gordon, and our legal battle. I’m not sure why we have to meet face to face. We could have done it over a video call. But knowing Caro, she wants to maximize the drama.

Our lawyer said that our case is strong and he’s been making headway in the negotiations, especially since Dylan found some old recordings that prove it was just us writing a lot of the songs. But there has to be a reason behind this meeting.

“I’m sure it’ll be good news,” Jada says as our rideshare pulls up to the office building where I’m supposed to meet the rest of the band. “Didn’t your lawyer say that everything was progressing well?”

“Yeah.” I run a hand through my hair and sip my coffee. The caffeine is doing fuck all. Even sleeping snuggled up to Jada, which has helped my insomnia, didn’t help me rest last night. “But Caro and Gordon have to have a reason for this meeting.”

I get out and hold the door open while she slides out of the same side.

“Good luck,” she says, hugging me. I hang onto her for a few extra beats. “I’ll be at this café over here once you’re done.”

I pull her into a kiss because the hug wasn’t enough. The little hitch in her breath is enough to boost my mood and walk in with confidence.

“See you soon,” I say.

I walk in. Dylan is in the lobby, meandering and looking at the generic modern art on the walls. He’s usually incredibly relaxed, but the tension in his shoulders is unmistakable. We nod at each other in greeting.

“Ready for this?” he asks.

“I’d be more ready if Caro had told us what it’s about.” I tuck my hands into my pockets.

“But you have Jada,” he says. His words are laced with understanding. He must have seen us kiss.

“Yeah, I do.” And I’m leaning on her more than ever. But she’s more than willing to be there.

I don’t know how I’d do this without knowing she’s down the block.

Caro, Gordon, and their lawyer are running behind, but the secretary brings us to a conference room to wait.

“What’s this about?” I ask our lawyer Harrison. He looks young, but based on his time as a lawyer, he’s probably closer to fifty than thirty-five.

“The next steps. As far as I can tell, our negotiations have been persuasive.” He unbuttons the jacket of his expensive-looking suit and sits down. “But there’s no need to call a meeting to discuss it all. Just send a damn email.”

Dylan snorts and sits down, too. “Caro likes drama.”