I laugh despite myself. “Nice, Tori.”
“Hey, if you wanted nice, you probably should have picked someone else as your best friend.” She grabs a box of donuts off the counter and plops them in the middle of the kitchen table before settling into the chair opposite mine. “Just saying.”
“Yeah, well, it’s too late to worry about that now.”
“Damn straight.” She grabs a donut, then shoves the box toward me. “So what happened after I left yesterday? You need to give me the scoop before loverboy gets back.”
“We made up.”
“Obviously, you made up. Didn’t we just talk about all the reasons I couldn’t sleep last night?”
“Well then, what do you want me to say?”
“I want details. Did he grovel—I mean, with something besides that bracelet you’re wearing. Because even I have to admit that is some serious groveling in and of itself.”
I glance down at the heavy bracelet Ethan had delivered to me yesterday. The one he fastened around my wrist when I told him that I loved him. That I’d marry him. It’s as much a sign of his possession as the belly chain I wear around my waist—another gift from him.
“Don’t tell me how much it costs. I don’t want to know.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it, darling,” she drawls in her best Sophia Loren voice. “I still remember your freak-out over the belly chain.”
When I don’t say anything else, she finishes off her donut in silence, all the while watching me with dark eyes.
“You look happy,” she finally says.
“I am happy.”
“That’s all that matters, then.” She drains her coffee, then pushes back from the table. “I’m going to take a shower, then head to the beach. Want to join me?”
“I can’t.”
She rolls her eyes. “Let me guess. Loverboy talked you into going back to work at Frost Industries?”
“I haven’t decided on that yet.”
“Then what’s going on? Is he coming back to sweep you off to some romantic getaway?”
“We’re going to Vegas.”
“Vegas? Really? I had him pegged for a private-island-off-the-coast-of-Greece kind of guy. I have to admit, I’m a little—”
“We’re getting married.” I say it fast, hoping it will have less of an impact that way.
No such luck. Tori stops in her tracks, eyes wide and mouth gaping like a fish as she tries to wrap her brain around what I just said.
“What?” she finally squeals before launching herself at me. “He asked you to marry him? When? Where?”
“Today. And I already told you. Las Vegas.”
She’s back to staring at me like I have three heads. “I meant when did he ask you. But what you’re telling me is that you’re flying to Las Vegas today? To get married today?”
“That is what I’m telling you.” I start gingerly trying to untangle myself from her embrace. It isn’t as easy as it sounds, especially when she’s hanging on for dear life and doing her best impression of an octopus with its prey.
“Oh my God. Oh. My. God. Ohmygod! You’re getting married. Today! To Ethan fucking Frost!”
I’m not sure which of those things she’s more incredulous about. Then again, I’m not sure which of them I’m more incredulous about, either. Based on the pain and confusion of the last few weeks, both seem equally far-fetched, no matter how much I love Ethan.
“When were you going to tell me?” she demands.