Page 89 of The Lovers
You can be a pro and feel your fucking feelings all at once.
I whirl her around by the sticky, champagne-slick shoulder. Her mascara is running, but I can’t tell if it’s from crying or champagne or both.
“Kit hasn’t even come out to her parents, and she definitely isn’t out online.” My voice is high-pitched, ripping through the sound of the music. “And you just posted a video of us kissing. Yououtedher.” I show her Zoe’s phone. She doesn’t even look at it, refuses to make eye contact with her shameful act. “You did this!”
“I didn’t do anyth—”
“Stop lying,” I plead-scream. “Stop pretending to have changed, to care about anything or anyone but yourself.” She balks at my words, putting on a disgusted, defensive scowl as a mask.
“I don’t have to tolerate this treatment from the staff.”
“Oh, so now I’m nothing but staff?” I shove her shoulders with both hands, but she tightens her core, holding her footing firmly in place. “Half an hour ago you were trying to win me back.”
“Get over yourself.” She swipes her hair over her shoulder, eyes rolling.
“I can’t believe I ever cared about you,” I say, shoving her again. This time she loses her balance enough to stumble back a couple of steps.
“You did more than care about me, Julia. Youlovedme. You told me all the goddamn time,” she says, sneering down her perfect ski slope nose at me. “It was so pathetic.”
Love isn’t an everyday thing.
“Not being able to say the word. Not being able to show it—that’s what’s pathetic.”
“Bet it feels pretty good getting to reject me,” she replies wryly. “Even if your tarot hottie is a casualty of our little war.”
I ball my hand into a fist. Someone grabs my wrist, stopping me before I can swing.
“Don’t,” Zoe says, pulling me back. Her dark, kind eyes search my face. “You do this, she wins.” Zoe’s appearance drags me back to reality and puts my body back in time and space. I’m working this wedding—this important wedding.
“Why don’t we take this”—it’s Millie’s soft but commanding voice—“out of the view of the guests.” I flick my attention over to see she’s standing near Piper but looking out past the string lights that form the perimeter of the reception space.
Beside her, the rest of the bachelorette party crew begin to gather.
Jenni definitely has her phone up, poised to film, and I can tell by the glint of anger in her eyes she’s hoping to catch Piper doing something malicious. Natalie’s grin isn’t subtle. Heather looks ready to throw her own punch, and Maddie and Lisa are on their phones typing like mad.
It’s no surprise to me that the rest of Millie’s friends hate Piper.
Just not as much as I do.
My eyes find hers. “No, there’s no need to take it anywhere else. I’m done.” I straighten and Zoe releases my wrist. “I’m done with you. I’m done with everything you made me and everything I never wanted to be because of you. I hope your bitterness rots you from the inside out. It’s just too bad I won’t be around to watch it.”
I have to find Kit. I have to tell her that I’m all in, no matter what.
I have to tell her she’s not alone in figuring this mess out.
I drag my eyes away from Piper’s cold stare, softening myexpression when it lands on Millie. “I’m sorry to have made a scene and I hope you won’t hold it against me, but I really have to go.”
My hopes of a stellar performance are dashed. I wouldn’t blame Millie if she bad-mouths me all over town after this.
“Take care of her,” Millie says, cutting Piper a withering stare as she steps around to face her. Piper flinches beneath it. “Lisa, Maddie?”
“We’re trying,” Lisa says.
“They never want to take anything down anymore,” Maddie adds. Millie turns her attention back to Piper.
“I can’t believe you begged to be a bridesmaid. For what? Because the wedding planner was your ex and you had some scheme to get her back? And then you outed Kit because you lost—it’s just so petty and small.” Millie shakes her head. “I really despise both of those things, Piper, and you know that.”
Coco runs up, panting. “I followed Kit to her Airstream trailer trying to talk her into taking a beat before bailing, but she’s frantic. I think you’re about to lose your chance to stop her.” She directs this last comment specifically to me.
