Page 43 of Seven Year Itch
He sweeps her into his arms, pulling her close as we all huddle around to watch them. My eyes find Calder’s across the floor and look away when he looks at me. We haven’t spoken a word since that ugliness this morning, and it’s probably for the best. We don’t need our negative energy to ruin the beautiful evening ahead of us.
Stevie lets out a wail from her grandmother’s arms, breaking through the music, and Wyatt and Trista both turn with big smiles on their faces. How a crying baby makes them both happy is a bit puzzling, but Wyatt twirls his bride over to her daughter where Trista scoops Stevie up, holding her close as he takes both his girls out on the dance floor. Stevie settles instantly.
Okay, no gaslighting here... That’s cute as shit.
My eyes sting as I watch Wyatt press his lips to his daughter’s head and then to his wife’s temple. He’s the grumpiest of all the Fletcher brothers, but the grin on his face right now seems to be healing whatever scowl that man has had most of the years I’ve known him. Maybe these two will be the lucky ones.
Max and Cozy sure seem to be making it work, too.
They married around the same time as Randal and I. I thought the four of us would be best newlywed friends, but with Cozyhaving Ethan so soon after they were married, and Randal working evenings while Max had his corporate day job, we were all on very different schedules and life patterns.
Perhaps another sign I ignored.
I turn on my heel and make my way over to the bar, desperate for a drink. Going to a wedding before the ink was dry on my divorce papers probably wasn’t the brightest choice I ever made. Self-reflection is a painful bitch.
“Champagne, please,” I say to Carlos who’s manning the bar. That guy is everywhere.
“I’ll take a beer when you have a sec,” a deep voice says from behind me, and goose bumps erupt over my skin.
I turn to take in the sight of Calder standing far closer to me than is necessary. His scent of soap, cologne, and whatever natural musk he emits draws me in, and I have to force myself to look away because, dammit, he looks good in that cream suit. His white shirt is partly unbuttoned to show off his tan, and his eyes are sparkling with mischief that I cannot get sucked into.
“Evening, Ace,” he says, reaching around to grab both of our drinks from Carlos. He hands me my champagne flute and holds his bottle of beer in front of his lips as his eyes drift down my body. “You look very nice tonight.”
I fight the urge to tug at my deep blue off-the-shoulder midi dress. It’s formfitting, and the ruffles around my arms add a touch of drama to go with my long blond curls and wedge heels that bring me up to Calder’s chin. I evaluated myself in the mirror today and knew I lookedgood, which is good because I need all the confidence I can muster around this infuriating man.
“You look nice too.” I sip my drink and look out at Wyatt as the music shifts, and he begins dancing with his mother.
Calder mock-gasps. “Holy shit balls, was that a compliment?”
I narrow my heavily made-up eyes at him. I did a smoky brown shadow to make my blue irises pop—not that I want Calder of all people to notice.
His shock turns into a lascivious smirk as he matches my pose on the bar to watch Wyatt and his mom on the dance floor. “Is that compliment your pathetic excuse for an apology?”
My brows knit together. “What do I have to be apologizing for, exactly?”
“For waking up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.”
I take a deep breath, trying to keep my cool because we’re in public and Carlos is perched at the end of the bar listening to our entire conversation. “I woke up on the right side. It was you that woke up on my side that set me off.”
He grunts and takes a long drink of his beer. “So I suppose I’ve lost my coveted thirty-three percent of the bed and it’s back to the mattress of nails for me.”
“You can have the bed. I’ll take the sofa.”
A deep noise vibrates in his throat. “That’s not happening.”
“Yes, it is.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“Calder.”
“Satan.”
“Hi, guys!” Everly’s voice chimes in as her blond, bubbly energy interrupts our quiet squabbling. “It’s time for all of us to join them on the dance floor. Let’s go!”
“Oh... you two go ahead.” I wave Everly and Calder off as she begins dragging him out by the wrist. “I’ll hang back here with Carlos.” I turn around and frown when I see that Carlos has vanished.
“Just one dance,” Everly says as she uses her free hand to grab my arm, barely giving me a chance to set my drink down.
