Reardon’s words had been playing over and over in my head all week. I couldn’t stop thinking about them, and what they could mean.
Had Zoey been right all those months ago when she thought Reardon might be interested in me?
How do I feel about it?
Well, I knew how I felt, because I’d been thinking about him as more than a friend lately too…
But, is that wise?
Is there even a possibility for it to go anywhere, or will the two of us starting something make our already odd family situation even odder?
I was starting to drive myself crazy thinking about it, and having him walking around the bar in his jeans and his silly I’m the Best Man T-shirt wasn’t making it any easier for me to stop wondering.
I was watching him with Gabe, both of them standing by the dart boards, waiting their turn while Dillon took his shots. Reardon was leaning casually against the wall, a perma-grin on his lips and a cold glass of draft beer in his hands. The party had been in full swing for an hour and a half,
with all of the food having been devoured about an hour ago.
Everyone seemed to be having a great time, and since the tournament had started, and everything was handled, I was currently enjoying my first Lemontini of the night.
“Call me crazy, but I swear you haven’t been able to take your eyes off Rear’s rear all night,” Zoey said from behind me, causing me to whirl guiltily.
“What? No, that’s not…” I stuttered, not convincing either of us of my innocence.
“Sure,” Zoey said with a shake of her head. “I don’t know why you’re being so stubborn about this. He likes you, you like him … Just go for it.”
“But what if I do and it doesn’t work out?” I ask, voicing the fear that had been plaguing me since the sight of Reardon had begun to make my skin tingle. “It’s not like we could break up and never see each other again. We’re tied together too tightly; we’d be in each other’s faces all the time. Plus, we have a really good friendship growing, and I’d hate to lose that. I like him.”
“I get what you’re saying,” my little sister said, then her face turned contemplative, and I knew she was cooking something up in that brain of hers.
“You look super cute by the way,” I said, realizing I hadn’t really had the time to talk to her until now.
She was wearing a floor-length maternity dress, with soft material that seemed to float around her as she moved. The rich burgundy color looked gorgeous on her.
“Thanks,” Zoey replied absently with a wave of her hand, then her eyes focused and she narrowed her gaze on me. “I just had a great idea.”
I braced myself and said, “Okay, what’s that?”
“You, Chris, and Rear should come with us on our honeymoon.”
“What? That’s a terrible idea.”
“No, it’s perfect,” Zoey argued, her face getting that stubborn look that I knew so well. “It’s not a real honeymoon anyway, you know that. It’s work. The real honeymoon will come later, once the baby is old enough to be left with you or Gabe’s parents, and we can plan a quick getaway.”
“Still,” I protested, “it’s your honeymoon. The trip you and Gabe are going on the week after you get married. You don’t invite people along…”
“It’s Comic Con, Chlo, not Jamaica; it’s a totally different vibe.”
Zoey’s last business engagement before having the baby was Comic Con, where she’d be on a panel speaking about Zombie Girl, as well as signing her other books. Gabe had encouraged her to do it, even though it was taking the place of their honeymoon, but only after she promised to let him plan a real honeymoon after the baby was born. Knowing she needed to garner hype for her upcoming book, and she’d be out of commission for a while, Zoey had agreed.
“I still don’t think…”
“C’mon,” Zoey said, widening her eyes and pouting those lips at me. “Chris and Reardon would have the time of their lives, and you guys could keep Gabe company while I’m working.” She put her hands on my arms and squeezed as she used the big guns, “Plus, I’ll let you dress me the entire trip, and let you tell Reardon that he gets to go to Comic Con.”
I bit my lip.
Damn, she knows just how to get to me. Zoey was a beautiful woman who couldn’t care less about her appearance, and she knew how important I thought it was that she looked professional when she did these work events. And, it would be awesome to see the look on Reardon’s face when he heard we were going to Comic Con.
He’d totally geek out.