Page 2 of The Rules

“I feel like this day couldn’t have been more perfect.”

Sonya beamed. “Aww. Young love.”

Cat caught Josh’s eye across the courtyard and blew him a kiss, one satin peep-toe heel kicked back behind her and a cheesy grin on her face.

She looked like a vintage movie star in that dress, the way it hugged her curves like she’d been dipped in Spanish lace. The back plunged dramatically, right down to her waist, and her dark hair fell in big, bombshell curls over both shoulders. She’d worn an old-fashioned mantilla veil for the ceremony but she’d paired it with a red lip and a subtle cat-eye liner because she would never completely submit to any tradition.

Classy, fierce Catia.

Lovesick, googly-eyed Catia.

The thought came to Dani unbidden and her neck heated, embarrassed at the whiny, unsupportive little voice inside her head. It was just that she’d known Cat most of her life and she’d never known there was another version of her that some cute guy she met in a bar would unlock—one who walked around with hearts in her eyes and blew kisses. But when Cat met Josh, Prince fucking Charming, her best friend becamethat girl.

The one who’d suddenly gone misty-eyed. Again.For God’s sake.

“Kit Cat!”

Cat sniffed and dabbed at the corner of her eye. “I know. God, I feel like Emma. I’m so emotional.”

As if she’d been summoned by the wedding gods, Emma pushed into their circle, holding four plates of cake in a move only someone who’d waitressed through college could pull off. She passed them out while belting out the lyrics to Jagged Edge’s “Let’s Get Married.”

Emma was in her glory. While Sonya bossed everyone around, and Dani kept them all plied with champagne, Emma soaked in the ceremony of it all.

Emma’s had been the last big wedding—a vintage bed and breakfast with a harp and a Cinderella-style dress, her college sweetheart for a groom. She’d cried pretty much the entire day. But they’d known this about Emma from the start. Cat was a surprise.

Dani filled her mouth with cake to keep from saying anything snarky about Cat’s waterworks. “I’m glad Josh didn’t smoosh this in your face,” she said, though she wasn’t really. That was one of her favorite wedding traditions.

Cat laughed, her tears magically abated by sugar. “He made me promise not to do it to him.”

“No way! And you agreed?”

“I left him guessing until the last minute.”

Sonya shook her head. “You two are something else.”

Dani smoothed her tea-length, navy blue dress, watching her feet wobble on her heels from the tequila. Was she missing something here? How was it that all of her friends had found these perfect guys and she was still bobbing from sinking ship to sinking ship? Her last three boyfriends had worn out their welcome in a matter of weeks.

Truthfully, she hadn’t given much thought to the idea of settling down like this—looking at the same face day in and day out, listening to the same person’s jokes, sex with the same person. Forever. She hadn’t even had the same hairstyle for more than a few months.

And yet here was Cat, practically glowing at the idea of forever.

Dani scooped up more cake with her fork. “Don’t you ever worry that, I don’t know, you’ll get bored?”

Emma made a noise like she was genuinely offended on behalf of love.

“Is that what you think? Josh is boring?” Cat gave her an evil grin. “I know you guys think he’s some sort of Prince Charming, but he’s not always.” She lowered her voice and leaned in. “He has the dirtiest mouth.”

“Oh my God. TMI,” Sonya said.

Dani rushed to swallow her bite of cake, her finger in the air. “Hold up. I’m going to need you to expand on that statement.”

Cat giggled, her cheeks glowing red. “I’m just saying, people have so many layers. You could live with someone for fifty years and probably never discover them all. You’ll only get bored if you decide you’ve seen enough and stop peeling them back.” She scooped some frosting off of her plate with her finger and licked it off. “Besides, if bored is the worst thing that happens between us, I’ll join a book club. I’ve had enough turmoil in my love life. So has Josh. It feels good to have someone who I know will always be there.”

“You had us, though,” Dani said.

“Okay, someone who is always there and who also looks mad fine in his underwear.”

Dani snorted. “Oh my God. Who knew getting married would turn you into a little horndog?”

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