Page 23 of It Happened in Vegas

“You two didn’t come back here just to tan-shame us, right?” Rex teased Brooks.

He shook hands with all the men as a summer breeze picked up around us.

Brooks sniffed the air and scrunched his nose. In the heat of the afternoon, it stunk. “What is that smell?”

“It’s coming from my new stable of miniature Scottish cows, who produce more muck daily than I’d expected, but I love them,” Richard explained, practically beating his chest over his new hobby-rancher’s heart.

“Look at you, you’re glowing,” Chelsea observed her sister’s sun-kissed skin as they all gathered around the table.

“Well, other than all the sunshine we soaked up on the island, there’s a second good reason for that,” Maisy said, cheeks pinking. “We came home to share some news.”

Everyone went quiet.

Brooks beamed by her side. “We’re having a baby, and I asked Maisy to marry me.”

“I said yes!” she erupted, flashing a ring on her finger.

Cue the squeals, hugs, and clapping from all the women. Flora wiped her eyes. Maisy cried, apparently blissfully happy.

I offered Brooks a frosty mug of the yet to be named brew to celebrate the homecoming, along with a heartfelt congratulation.

I’d had occasion to talk with him when he and his brother, Archer, visited Richard and Rex, and always thought of him as one of the good guys. He’d found something real with Maisy. It showed by the way he smiled and kept a hand on her, preening like he was proud as hell.

As the women split off planning weddings and baby showers, talk fell among the guys about marriage and kids. I peered around the group, uncomfortable as fuck, with nothing to add as the outlier.

“Anyone need a refill?” I pointed to Rex and Richard’s empty glasses, falling into the comfort of my bartender role. They handed them over and I meandered to the keg. I read a text while there, half tempted to ignore it. Everyone I cared about was right here, so why bother? But I quickly peeked. It was Cassandra from the show.

Cassandra: I’m looking forward to seeing you again in Vegas.

Keaton: You could have seen more of me, but you chose Anthony over me.

Ah, Cassandra, the buxom blonde that I’d wished I’d ended up with instead of Starla on the show. I regretted nothing of my time on the show, but now and then I wondered if Cassandra and I should have ended up together.

Some time ago, we reconnected and texted flirty exchanges for weeks—until she went to Denver and hooked up with my buddy Anthony like I never existed.

Some friend. Some woman.

Cassandra: Only because it made sense. He lives in Denver. You’re far away.

Keaton: I could have moved if there was hope for us.

Cassandra: There still could be. I can’t wait to see you at the wedding in Vegas.

I quickly scanned her Instagram to find photos of her and Anthony, even one from this morning where they were kissing and holding each other, both profiles claiming they were in a relationship.

I wanted to text back,‘what about Anthony?’For that matter, I should text Anthony and tell him what his girlfriend was up to, but screw them. Considering he knew I was into Cassandra, but put the moves on her in Denver anyway, showed me the type of friend he was.

Tired of the games, I ended the texts there and turned off my phone. I would not fall for it. Not when Sophie was across the way, catching my eyes. Real and right here. But for how long?

Leave it to Vivian to notice, suddenly at my elbow, checking on the meat at the grill. “You’ve got it bad.”

“No, I don’t.” Deny and deny again helped me cope with the rising levels of lust in my bloodstream.

“You’re gazing at Sophie exactly like you did at Naomi in the band during high school. Dare me to break out the yearbook to prove it?”

As a scrawny, pimple-faced guy with braces and glasses, my photos back then were the last thing I wanted Sophie to see.

“What’s not to like? She’s funny, easy to talk to, and she’s great for my business. Doesn’t mean I want to fuck her,” I admitted.

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