Page 20 of Pieces of Us
“If Jax comes up with plans for a bachelor party, let me know. Audrey said she’s waiting to see what he wants to do before we make any plans.”
Linc opens my car door and I get inside. “I’ll keep you updated.” He holds my door open and leans down. “And Mel, don’t go looking for a puppy just yet.”
He closes my door and walks to his car. I press the ignition and turn on the heat. As I drive home, I make a mental note to visit an animal shelter after all this wedding craziness is over.
Chapter Ten
Linc
Audrey and Jax both agreed that they didn’t want separate bachelor and bachelorette parties, so they thought it would be fun for all of us to go out for an evening together instead. It’s the weekend before the wedding, and it feels like they just got engaged yesterday. To be honest, I’m glad we’re almost at the finish line. Jax and Audrey have had Mel and me all over the place. After the tableware appointment, there was a meeting with the DJ, then with the florist, and lastly, we had to make the seating chart for the reception. Jax and Audrey are lucky we love them because if this is what being the best man entails, I don’t think I want to ever do it again.
Mel and I got through it all without arguing, which I see as a win. She listens to my opinions, we’ve learned to compromise,and there has been a lot less eye rolling. I like spending time with her, hearing about her day, and listening to her logic when working with coordinators. I hope she has started to reshape the image she has of me because making her smile or hearing her laugh has become a habit I don’t really want to give up after the wedding is over.
The men got ready at my place, since I live closest to downtown, and the women were getting ready at Jax and Audrey’s penthouse. I check my reflection one more time, making sure I don’t have toothpaste on my face. I blow out a breath and drop my shoulders.
“Linc, you ready? The girls are almost here,” Jax yells through the bathroom door.
I open the door. “Ready. Did they decide where we’re going yet?”
“Audrey said she wants to go to Melrose. Said she wants to dance.”
“Cool.” I nod my head.
Great, we’re going to the club where I met Melonie for the first time. Now I’ll be fighting images of her from that night the whole evening.
We gather wallets and keys, Marcus finishes his beer, and we head downstairs. The car pulls up and Jax opens the door to the SUV. I see Audrey’s eyes light up just at the sight of him.
“Hey, handsome.”
He kisses her as he sits in the seat next to her in the back row. “Hey, beautiful.”
Marcus climbs in, sitting next to Gigi, leaving me in the seat next to Melonie. She’s wearing a red dress that should be fucking illegal. It’s an off the shoulder sort of thing and it shows off her legs. My hands itch as I see the creamy skin of her thighs, and I’m fighting the urge to touch her. God bless America, I need to keep some sort of control tonight.
“You ready to dance tonight, pretty boy?” Gigi breaks my train of thought from the seat behind me.
I clear my throat. “You bet, Gigi.” I grin at Mel. “Hey, Mel, you look nice.”
“Thanks, Linc. You do, too.” She quickly looks out the window, but I could have sworn I saw a touch of pink on her cheeks before the interior lights of the car turned off.
I turn in my seat to face Gigi. “Is Lewis meeting up with us?”
Gigi has been dating the guy that she met the same night I met Mel. But he seems to always have an excuse not to hang out with our group,
“Um, no.” She glances at Marcus for a split second. “He didn’t want to intrude on wedding party stuff.”
“He’s always welcome to join us, Gigi. Text him and tell him to meet up with us,” Audrey suggests.
“Nah, he’s out with his friends. But thanks.”
Marcus looks at Gigi with concern on his face, and she looks a little annoyed before looking down at her phone.
We get to Melrose and head for the bar. Jax leans over the bar top to flag down a bartender.
I turn to Mel and lower my voice. “Prosecco tonight?”
She turns to look me in the eye. “Nobubblesfor me tonight, pretty boy.”
I don’t miss the double meaning in her words. Guess she doesn’t feel the bit of the nostalgia that I do being here, because damn, she just shot me down.
