Page 83 of Forever

Nigel was lying in the middle of the kitchen island. At least he had all his clothes on this time.

“Why is he full spread on your kitchen counter?” Penny asked.

Bee laughed. “I feel like full spread would imply that he was nude with his legs spread.”

Penny wrinkled her nose. “That is not what I meant. Nigel would obviously never do that.”

Actually…he had kind of done that. At least he’d covered his junk with a pan. I had no idea what him being on the counter had to do with the best man competition. It seemed like Matt was freeballing it. I shook my head. That was a weird thing to think when I’d just been thinking about Nigel full spread on the kitchen counter.

I cleared my throat. “Anyway. What I was getting at was that Matt and I were hoping to have an even amount of bridesmaids and groomsmen. I know that I don’t know all of you very well. But at the same time it feels like I’veknown you forever. Penny, Bee, and Daphne, will you be my bridesmaids?”

“I was hoping you’d ask,” Penny said with a smile. “Of course!”

“Absolutely,” Bee said. “You’re going to be my new sister. I honestly would have been sad if you didn’t ask.”

“I can’t wait,” Daphne added. “This is going to be so much fun.”

I breathed a sigh of relief. This really was the best group of friends I could ask for.

I turned to Kennedy.

And she looked so…sad.

But she quickly hid the expression from her face and smiled. “It’s going to be a beautiful wedding, Brooklyn.” She reached out and squeezed my hand. “And you probably already have a photographer, but there’s no way I’m not sneaking in a few of all you guys together. More memories for your mantel.”

What was she talking about?

“I think the game is probably on now.” She grabbed the remote and turned on the TV.

I stared up at the mantel. There was one person noticeably missing from the pictures. My best friend. For so long I’d tried to forget about my past. I regretted shutting her out. Just thinking about all our time apart made my chest hurt. Did she seriously not think I was going to ask her to be part of my wedding party? After everything we’d been through? She was my best friend. She always had been. “Kennedy?”

She forced another smile to her face. “I really am so happy for you. There is no one else in the world that deserves all of this happiness more than you. And I can’t wait to meet your new baby.”

Even though she was hurting, I knew she meant every word. She took a big sip of her champagne.

I just stared at her. “Kennedy,” I said again. “I was hoping you’d be my maid of honor.”

She almost spit out her champagne. “What?” she coughed.

“Did you seriously think I wasn’t going to ask you to be one of my bridesmaids?”

“I…I don’t know. You just asked everyone else but me, what was I supposed to think?” She laughed.

“That I wanted you to be my maid of honor.” I leaned forward and hugged her. “Just like how I asked you before. Nothing has changed.” In 16 years, not much had changed at all. I still loved Matt. And Kennedy was still my best friend.

She squeezed me tight. “I would love to be your maid of honor.” She pulled back. “Puta mierda, Brooklyn. I was really sad for a minute there, but that was going to turn to anger real quick. I was getting ready to give a whole speech about my maid of honor credentials like those idiots in the other room.”

I laughed and turned to see what they were up to. And Rob, Tanner, and Nigel were all sprinting into the room.

I screamed as Rob lifted me up into his arms. “I win!”

“What are you doing?” I slapped his arm.

“Capture the Princess.”

“What the heck is Capture the Princess? Put me down.” The best man competition was out of control.

“I honestly have no idea. It’s something Tanner suggested.” Rob set me back down on the couch. “But I won. Even though it was his stupid idea.”

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