Page 48 of Dibs
“In here!” Tara calls. I glance around and spot her sitting with Cody and our friends in the adjoining game room, gathered around the pool table. Usually, Matt and Cecile like to keep it closed during parties, but nobody gives a shit today, so we make our way in, scanning the room as I step toward our friends. Deacon has my hand tightly clasped in his.
“He’s not in here. Take a breath,” Deacon whispers. “And you can stop squeezing my hand to death.”
I release my grip on his hand and embrace Tara, Cody, Wendy, Jett, and then Marissa.
“Hey, you’re all looking gorgeous! Who’s gonna get me something stronger than champagne?” I hold up my empty flute and pout.
“I got it,” Jett tells me, heading over to the bar in the corner to fix me a glass of whiskey and Coke. When I take it and throw a few sips back, I ask, “Has anyone seen Sean?”
“He and Quinn are arguing loudly in the car.” Marissa rolls her eyes as Bear walks into the room and apologizes for being late. “And you should know before they come in here, she’shuge. And also, nowhere near as pretty as you are, Aspyn. Cute at best. By the way, holy shit, girl, you look hot tonight! That dress fits you like a second skin.” Marissa whistles and catcalls me.
I take the compliment gracefully and finish my whiskey and hand the glass back to Jett for a refill. He snorts as if he knows exactly why I’m drinking so fast and returns promptly with another glass.
“Wowza,” Tara agrees as I do a little shimmy and grin.
“Thanks, Marissa, Tara. And we don’t have to shit-talk her. I’m happier now with Deacon than I ever was with Sean. She can have him. At least I don’t have to spend my life with that asshole. Sorry, Tara.”
“No sorry needed. I’m inclined to agree.” Tara sips her red wine. “Quinn is fairly nice, but you’re the only one I’ve ever wanted for a sister-in-law.”
“Well, unfortunately for Quinn, that’s a role she’ll likely be playing. But you’ll always be my friend.” I encircle my arm around her shoulders and squeeze. “I love you.”
Tara hugs me back and sighs. “I love you, too. Oh, there’s Quinn’s voice. It’s annoying.”
“I finalized the flowers for the wedding,” I tell the girls as the guys step to the side to talk about cars. “I’m going to stickmostly with wildflowers, and we’ll do flower halos for all the bridesmaids. I won’t be wearing a veil or be given away or anything like that.”
“The veil is when you feel bridal, not like a little kid dressing up in her mother’s wedding dress. I can’t explain it, but it’s a real phenomenon. Just think about it, okay?” Tara argues with me.
“I want to wear my hair in a half-updo with the flowers braided in. I found a great photo—” I reach for my phone to find the hairstyle website when Sean’s voice rings out.
“Ridiculous. You’ve managed to ensnare Deacon, but he will never marry you. He’ll realize before this sham of a wedding happens that you’re not right for him. You’re the girl men date, not the one they marry.”
I whip around and face Sean, an acrid taste in my mouth as he stands there with an expression of distaste on his face and his eyebrows raised high. Suddenly, Deacon materializes and shoves Sean, hard.
“Fuck you, Sean Wright, and don’t you ever, ever talk about my wife like that again!” Deacon shoves him one more time for good measure. Sean almost loses his balance as his eyes bug out and the creases in his forehead pop along with that blue vein in the center of it.
“Wife? You’re about five months too early. You still have time to get out of this!”
Deacon grabs my wedding band from his suit pocket and shoves it onto my hand, holding it up in the air right by Sean’s face.
“We got married, asshole, and this woman is the best thing that has ever happened to me. You may have used, abused, and cheated on her with your new baby mama, but she’s safe with me. I’ve got her forever.” Deacon’s red in the face by the time he finishes.
A hush falls over the room. That’s when I notice a tall, redheaded girl, visibly pregnant, standing outside the entrance to the room, her eyes wide with shock. She presses a hand to her open mouth, turns, and runs.
I don’t know why I do it, but I chase her in my heavy dress and finally catch up to her near Sean’s Range Rover as she leans against it, gasping.
“God, you’re fast,” I tell her as I hold up my hand and reassure her everything is okay. “I’m not here to make drama. I can see you’re upset, so I…ran after you.”
Maybe it’s because I was her, and I wouldn’t wish that fate on my worst enemy.
The short-haired girl begins to sob, and I find my heart unexpectedly aching for her over the man who had charmed her, and—for a long time—had both charmed and deceived me.
“I had no idea he was with you. How long were you together?” She looks horrified and red in the face. As she cries, she grows even redder and blotchier, sniffling loudly.
I try not to roll my eyes at how predictable this situation is. Sean is an excellent liar, and I can tell Quinn’s telling the truth based on her reaction.
“Almost a decade. I’m sure you didn’t know about me, mostly because Sean is a great liar. He had me thinking he was a decent guy for over nine years, all the while he gaslit me, making me think I was crazy, like I had to change everything about myself to win his approval. Does that sound familiar?”
Quinn wipes her face and nods. “So far, it’s just little things. He hates that I eat pork.”
