Page 69 of Resisting You
The front door to Elsa’s swung open and Reid came rushing inside. “This town is crazy,” he said. “I could barely find parking in the tiny lot outside. I’m a little worried we might get towed.”
“It’s not usually like this,” Hazel said, standing to give Reid a quick kiss before she slid over in the booth to make room for him. “It’s not every day that Maple Grove’s Prince has a wedding.”
“Wait… is that why you’re both here?” I asked.
Hazel held up her phone where an email announcement was pulled up, courtesy of Rosa’s parents.
I groaned. This was spiraling out of control. “How did they even get your information?”
Rosa’s eyes slanted and she dropped her cheek to her shoulder. “Rosa is literally my best friend,” she said. “I’ve known Francesca and Victor for years. I was never their favorite friend until I got my first recent starring role Off-Broadway that all the critics are saying are going to be moving onto Broadway soon. Suddenly, Francesca can’t get enough of me.”
Oh. Right. I might have been friends with Hazel first with the fact that both of us were raised in Maple Grove before moving to New York, but Rosa was her ride or die.
“It’s not my fault my coworkers are here,” I said, getting back to the matter at hand. “I didn’t invite them. Her parents did. If she wants to be mad at someone, she should be mad at them.”
Hazel rolled her eyes again as Reid snickered, glancing at his new wife. “Was I this clueless when we were first dating?”
“Nope.” The corners of Hazel’s mouth curve upwards. “You were worse.”
Reid cupped her jaw and pulled her in for a kiss.
“Hello?!” I waved my arms in front of them where they were liplocked. “Guy who’s about to lose his wife here!”
Reid held up a finger as he deepened the kiss with Hazel just to spite me, I think.
“Ugh. You guys are sickening,” I muttered and took another bite of pie while they finished their annoying display of affection.
Finally Reid and Hazel unlatched. “Okay. So here’s what you do,” Reid said. “You need a grand gesture. So tonight at what’s supposed to be your bachelor party, instead of hanging with the female dancers upstairs, you’re going to come downstairs to perform for Rosa as one of her Chippendale’s.”
My jaw dropped. “You’re joking, right?” I looked at Hazel, hoping to see confirmation that this was all a prank, but she simply nodded.
“Reid’s right. You’re going to choose Rosa tonight over your friends and your last hurrah or whatever bullshit people claim a bachelor party is for. Then, you’re going to apologize and tell her that if anyone in your life treats her poorly again, you will immediately stand up for her and you don’t need to be told to do so.”
“Oh, is that all?” I joked. “Need me to find a horse drawn carriage while I’m at it?”
"Rookie,” Reid snorts. “We haven’t even gotten to the hard part, yet. You have to actuallydothat. You have to be attentive. And notice all the small things without her pointing them out to you. She doesn’t need for you to always rush in and save her, but she needs to know you’re on her side.”
I sighed and swiped a hand down my weary face. “Fine. I’ll do it.” I glanced at Hazel. “You’re gonna have to choreograph me a routine though.”
Hazel’s eyes widened at me. “You’re serious?”
I blinked, surprise edging at my features. “You weren’t?” That was a really cruel joke if they weren’t serious about this plan.
“No, no, I was serious. I just didn’t think you’d go for it. Not for a drunken Atlantic City marriage. Wait…” Hazel leaned in, plunking her elbows down on the table. “This is real, isn’t it? You actually love her and want to be married—staymarried—to Rosa?”
I cringed, but nodded. “Yeah. I do. I’ll do anything to win her back. Including wearing some banana hammock and getting down on my knees to beg in front of all her friends.”
Hazel and Reid exchanged a quick look that I couldn’t quite decipher before Hazel tossed her fork aside. “Well then… pay the check. Because you and I have a lot of work to do before tonight.”
Chapter 26
Rosa
This was quite easily the weirdest week of my life.
Even though I’d been technically married for several days, I was sitting at a glossy table in one of the only strip clubs in New England at my own bachelorette party… a bachelorette party that my own mother planned for me. Surrounded only by acquaintances since my mother hadn’t invited any of my closest friends.
Not even Hazel.
