sucked dry your savings and nearly cost you the house. I’m just not sure why you’d think to go in that direction again, but I’m not saying a word.”
“You, Lee Townsend, are judging me?” She raises her coffee in a mock salute.
A wry smile pinches over my lips. I knew she’d go there eventually just not so razor thin close to the wedding.
“That’s right.” I hold up my hands a moment. “Guilty as charged,” I whisper, glancing at Stella over at the other end of the table. “I’m marrying, Max Shepherd. A direction I never thought I’d go in, but, then again, Mitch isn’t here to protest the idea.” I slump in my seat. “Truth is, I’ve always had a special place in my heart for Max. And if it weren’t for Mitch, it would have been Max.”
“You ever share this with him?” Kat leans in with her eyes as dark as a summer storm, her smile dipped in grief all for me.
I shake my head. “You know, it’s funny. Mitch and I never discussed Max. It was as if he was gone from the planet, as if their friendship never existed. And with Max, he’s sort of the opposite. He’s fine with me mentioning Mitch, and he usually matches me story for story. I don’t think Max felt the same level of hatred that Mitch did.”
“That’s because Mitch is dead.” Her expression flattens.
“Thank you for your blunt analysis.”
“No, it’s true. It’s easier to like dead people. It’s a well-known fact. Besides, Mitch probably had the threat of competition. He probably didn’t want Max hanging around trying to steal you. And, well, Max doesn’t have to worry about that.”
A dry laugh huffs from me. “Could be. But I don’t think Mitch was ever threatened. He just couldn’t get past what his father did. And with his dad six feet under he needed someone to blame.”
Kat taps her hands over the table. “Water under the bridge.”
“You’re right. And I think you and Steve are going to do great with the printing business.” I try to muster all the enthusiasm I can for Kat and Steve’s financial disaster in the making. “Call me if you have any problems. I’m getting pretty good at putting out fires. I’ve learned more about the administration end of business than I thought possible thanks to Max. He’s an excellent teacher. It’s what made me fall in love with him—his strong attention to detail, especially when it comes to Stella and me.”
“We won’t have a problem.” She knocks on the table. “So what’s with this exclusionary bachelorette party? Colton taking you to Vegas? Getting you smashed and bagging you himself?”
“Please. It’s an unofficial bachelorette party. Besides, it’s kind of nice he’s the one and only guest. We’re watching movies.”
“I know the kind of movies he likes to watch.” She rolls her eyes. Kat went through a Colt phase herself, only he wasn’t biting so it was mostly one-sided.
“The only reason I agreed to it is because Max is out of town. And, I think Colt needs help with the psychological transition. Me seeing Max was one thing, but becoming his wife is like twisting a blade in Colt’s back.”
Most likely his brother’s too but neither of us say it.
On Friday night, a full week and a day before the wedding, I gird my loins for an evening of shenanigans and madness with my once upon a brother-in-law. I’m sure there’s hard liquor and porn in the lineup—in other words, a normal night at Colt’s. I’m hoping tonight will be less blow up dolls and penis straws and more watching a chick flick with what amounts to my ex-boyfriend.
Colton lives in Janice’s guesthouse behind the castle-like Townsend estate. His den of debauchery sits a good half-mile away so he doesn’t feel like his “mommy” is watching over him.
“Look at you!” I say, stepping inside with an armload of take-out. Colt’s house is spotless, the magazines all fanned out over the coffee table as if this were a dentist’s office, and the windows
“You, Lee Townsend, are judging me?” She raises her coffee in a mock salute.
A wry smile pinches over my lips. I knew she’d go there eventually just not so razor thin close to the wedding.
“That’s right.” I hold up my hands a moment. “Guilty as charged,” I whisper, glancing at Stella over at the other end of the table. “I’m marrying, Max Shepherd. A direction I never thought I’d go in, but, then again, Mitch isn’t here to protest the idea.” I slump in my seat. “Truth is, I’ve always had a special place in my heart for Max. And if it weren’t for Mitch, it would have been Max.”
“You ever share this with him?” Kat leans in with her eyes as dark as a summer storm, her smile dipped in grief all for me.
I shake my head. “You know, it’s funny. Mitch and I never discussed Max. It was as if he was gone from the planet, as if their friendship never existed. And with Max, he’s sort of the opposite. He’s fine with me mentioning Mitch, and he usually matches me story for story. I don’t think Max felt the same level of hatred that Mitch did.”
“That’s because Mitch is dead.” Her expression flattens.
“Thank you for your blunt analysis.”
“No, it’s true. It’s easier to like dead people. It’s a well-known fact. Besides, Mitch probably had the threat of competition. He probably didn’t want Max hanging around trying to steal you. And, well, Max doesn’t have to worry about that.”
A dry laugh huffs from me. “Could be. But I don’t think Mitch was ever threatened. He just couldn’t get past what his father did. And with his dad six feet under he needed someone to blame.”
Kat taps her hands over the table. “Water under the bridge.”
“You’re right. And I think you and Steve are going to do great with the printing business.” I try to muster all the enthusiasm I can for Kat and Steve’s financial disaster in the making. “Call me if you have any problems. I’m getting pretty good at putting out fires. I’ve learned more about the administration end of business than I thought possible thanks to Max. He’s an excellent teacher. It’s what made me fall in love with him—his strong attention to detail, especially when it comes to Stella and me.”
“We won’t have a problem.” She knocks on the table. “So what’s with this exclusionary bachelorette party? Colton taking you to Vegas? Getting you smashed and bagging you himself?”
“Please. It’s an unofficial bachelorette party. Besides, it’s kind of nice he’s the one and only guest. We’re watching movies.”
“I know the kind of movies he likes to watch.” She rolls her eyes. Kat went through a Colt phase herself, only he wasn’t biting so it was mostly one-sided.
“The only reason I agreed to it is because Max is out of town. And, I think Colt needs help with the psychological transition. Me seeing Max was one thing, but becoming his wife is like twisting a blade in Colt’s back.”
Most likely his brother’s too but neither of us say it.
On Friday night, a full week and a day before the wedding, I gird my loins for an evening of shenanigans and madness with my once upon a brother-in-law. I’m sure there’s hard liquor and porn in the lineup—in other words, a normal night at Colt’s. I’m hoping tonight will be less blow up dolls and penis straws and more watching a chick flick with what amounts to my ex-boyfriend.
Colton lives in Janice’s guesthouse behind the castle-like Townsend estate. His den of debauchery sits a good half-mile away so he doesn’t feel like his “mommy” is watching over him.
“Look at you!” I say, stepping inside with an armload of take-out. Colt’s house is spotless, the magazines all fanned out over the coffee table as if this were a dentist’s office, and the windows
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