Page 10 of The Best Men
“Sure?” I rub the back of my neck, trying to picture how this would all work, since I’m not, well, a wedding planner. “I’m not that familiar with Miami, though.”
“You won’t have to be,” Flip says. “Asher will be there to help you.”
Wait. Did he just say what I think he said? “Asher and me?” I choke out, hoping I got it wrong.
But Flip nods. “Yup.”
“JustAsher and me?” I ask, in case Flip arranged for a wedding planner to join us in Florida. Preferably a little old lady who carries a small white dog everywhere she goes?they’d be the perfect cock-blocking pair.
“Asher doesn’t have a shoot that week, so it’s no problem for him to fly down and help out,” Flip continues. “He’s the one who found us this sweet venue. A client of his owns a mansion on the beach. You two can be around to tell the equipment rental people where to set up. The tent. Chairs. Stuff like that.”
“O-kay,” I say slowly. My mind whirls while I try to think of a good reason I can’t do this, because I can’t be alone with a guy I’m stupidly attracted to. “If I don’t have Rosie that week. Let me do some checking.”
Hannah holds up her phone. “I already texted Bridget to invite her to the wedding. Maybe she’ll bring Rosie down with her, so you can go early and help me.”
“Who knows if Bridget is free, though? I bet she’s busy. Probably has a wine show.”
God, I hope she has a wine show. A wine anything.
But who am I kidding? My ex loves Hannah. She loves Florida, and used to complain in the early days when we couldn’t afford vacations.
She’ll take to this trip like a calico to catnip. I’m so screwed.
* * *
When I open the door to my apartment on West Sixteenth Street, my phone pings. I click on the notification.
It’s the dreaded group chat.
And Hannah has dropped in pics.
Nope. I’m not going to look.
I stick to that mantra the whole time I get ready for bed. I don’t so much as glance at those photos as I give Blackbeard a couple scratches on the chin, or while my one-eyed rescue cat watches me brush my teeth from his favorite staring spot on the bathroom counter.Weirdo.
I let the tap run lightly for a few seconds so the orange beast can drink straight from it, then I turn it off. And I still don’t look.
My willpower holds out until I flop onto my mattress, just before I take off my glasses. I leave them on, though, for one moment too long.
That’s all it takes to peek at the last photo.
And, damn. That easy smile. That casual pose. That fucking arm around me.
Yup. He’s annoyingly perfect, and I’m double screwed.
4
THE DA VINCI OF UNDERWEAR
MONDAY, A MONTH LATER
ASHER
Igaze at my forty-two-inch monitor, putting the finishing touches on a photo campaign I shot for UnderKlad.
Translation: I’m staring at photos I’ve taken of the ripped bodies of professional athletes who model underwear on the side.
I love my job. So much.
