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Autumn moved on to her next gift when Gennessey felt a nudge against her arm. The interruption pulled her from plotting how she could return to the buffet for more food without anyone noticing. She plastered a fake smile on her face when she turned toward the bridesmaid at her side.
“What’s the story with you and your plus-one?”
Gennessey blinked. She didn’t expect questions about BB to come from anyone but her family. The bridesmaid – what was her name – batted her long, fake lashes as if she was Gennessey’s best friend waiting to hear the latest gossip.
“What do you mean?” Gennessey blurted, oblivious to the next round of oohs and ahhs Autumn received over her gift.
“Well, you kept introducing him at the rehearsal as your friend, but is he a friend with benefits or is it more of an open relationship?” She sipped her mimosa, and Gennessey wondered just how drunk she was. The bachelorette girls’ night out kicked off later, but some of the bridal party decided it wasn’t too early to start indulging.
She opened her mouth but stopped herself before the truth fell out of it. She and BB were playing a role, which meant the gossipy bridesmaid could actually aid her cause.
“Oh, there are definitely benefits.” She sipped her mimosa to combat the urge to laugh.
“Really?” The bridesmaid’s eyes widened, almost like a cartoon character. “Too bad because he looks like he could rattle a headboard better than most.”
“Let me put it this way. I’m surprised we haven’t been thrown out of the hotel already.”
“I’m soooooo jealous. It’s been a while since I got laid so good I rattled a headboard.”
Gennessey couldn’t stop her wince at the woman’s confession. Why did she have to sit beside a woman who had no qualms about sharing too much information?
“I don’t guess he’s into threesomes, is he?”
Gennessey stiffened, glaring at the woman for the audacity of her question. “Hell, no. I’m more than enough for him. Not to mention, I can be very jealous. And I carry a gun.”
She stood and moved to the kitchen under the guise of getting a refill. For Autumn to be as nice as she is, she needed better taste in friends. Setting her flute on the counter by the sink, she moved to sit on one of the bar stools pulled up to the kitchen island. Her fingers interlocked as her hands rested on the marble top. She could hear the laughter from the living, but the kitchen was quiet enough for her to retreat into her thoughts.
“Gennessey? Is everything all right? Can I get you anything?”
She started but managed to smile at Autumn’s mother, hoping to ease the concern furrowing her delicate eyebrows.
“No, I’m fine, Mrs. Davis.” The lie fell easily from her lips. “I just needed to check in at work, and I haven’t gotten up to return to the party yet. Is there something I can help you with?”
“You can start by calling me Bonnie. And you can also accept my apology.”
“I don’t understand,” she responded.
“For Ari. The bridesmaid you were sitting beside. I couldn’t help but overhear a little of your conversation.”
Gennessey felt her cheeks heat up as she remembered her explicit description. “Oh. Why would you need to apologize?”
“You are both our guests, but Ari has been Autumn’s friend since they were sorority sisters in college. She’s not usually this forward. I think she may be fighting some jealousy with Autumn getting married first. She can be very nice.”
Gennessey smiled. “I promise I take no offense. BB tends to draw that kind of attention wherever he goes.” She hoped her words didn’t sound as dry to Bonnie Davis as they did to her own ears.
Bonnie’s kindness was evident in the slight upturn of her lips. “I understand. It was the same way with Autumn’s father, Rex. I was ready to call things off after our first date because of it.”
Gennessey tried to recall Rex Davis from when she met him at the rehearsal, but her mind was drawing a blank. Instead, she flashed a smile of her own, asking her next question because she sensed the other woman expected her to.
“What changed your mind?”
“He did. Rex can be very persuasive. He changed my thinking about a lot of things.”
“How so?” This time her question came more from her curiosity.
“I never considered myself worthy of anyone’s love. I was resigned to living my life alone because I never thought I could have a family of my own. When Rex told me he’d fallen in love with me, I believed he could do better. He could find someone who could give him children, which I couldn’t, and I knew he wanted them. He refused to let me go. He swore we would be happy whether we had children or not. He wore me down, and we’ve been happy together. Then when Autumn came along, it was like Rex made all my dreams come true.”
“I’ve heard of that before. The couple who thought children weren’t possible were able to conceive once the pressure was off. It’s a sweet story.”
