Page 30 of Bumping into You

“Hi, Tammy,” I say, plastering the most fake-but-trying-not-to-seem-like-I-am-losing-my-shit-internally smile I can muster. “How awesome that you were able to join us.”

“I know, right? I was just telling Bradley that I had a feeling we’d get here before you all. I have a sixth sense for these types of things. Don’t I, Bradley Boo?”

Rolling my eyes, I hold my plastered smile on my face. Bradley Boo doesn’t seem as happy at seeing us all together as Tammy did, and from the look on his face as he looks over my shoulder to Niall, he doesn’t like how close Niall is holding on to me.

Not that he should care. He’s the one who dumped me.

“You don’t say,” Niall replies to Tammy, sensing I am not in the mood to deal with her Barbie-esque personality.

“Tammy!” exclaims Vivian, rushing over to give Tammy a hug after extracting herself from the domino pile. “I was hoping you’d be able to join us this afternoon.”

“Oh my gosh, Vivi, yay,” says Tammy. “I’m so excited we wereable to get in the same time with you!”

Motioning to the rest of the group, Vivian says, “Tammy, this is the rest of the group. Everyone, this is Tammy, my friend and coworker, and my plus one to the wedding.”

“Hi, ya’ll,” says Tammy sweetly.

“Hi,” they chorus back to her.

“And this,” says Tammy, pulling Bradley to her side, “is my fiancé, Bradley.”

Margot’s eyes go wide. Trent’s mouth falls open, Greg looks like he could rip something in half, and Bradley looks like he wants to be anywhere but here.

I echo Bradley’s sentiment, wishing I could melt into the floor and disappear rather than go through this moment. Niall’s touch at my back is the only thing keeping me from sprinting away. We made a deal, and if he’s going to stick to it, so can I.

“Bradley?” says Holly.

“Hi, Holly,” Bradley says.

She looks from Niall to me, then back to Bradley and Tammy, and I can see the tirade of questions forming in her mind. But I know Holly. She won’t cause a scene here. Though I’ll definitely hear about it later.

But the same cannot be said for Greg.

“What are you doing here?” asks Greg.

“Do you guys know each other?” asks Vivian.

“We sure do,” says Trent.

The rest of the group stares at us with a mixture of confusion and horror.

“Congratulations to you both on your engagement,” says Bradley, nodding toward Holly and Greg.

“Thank you,” says Holly sweetly.

But Greg holds a heated gaze. “Seriously,” he says, “why are you here?”

“I thought you guys knew I would be here?” Bradley says,placing his hand around Tammy’s waist. “Vivian, didn’t they say it was okay if Tammy brought me?”

“I did,” says Vivian.

“What are you guys talking about?” asks Greg, only getting angrier. “Why would we ever be okay with Gwen’s ex being on our wedding cruise?”

“Gwen’s ex?” says Miles incredulously. Gillian swats him on the arm, then leans in and whispers something to him. I know exactly what she is saying because his eyes glance at me then to Bradley.

“Oh,” says Vivian, “I had no idea. Is this going to be a problem?”

“No—” start Holly and I.

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