Matthew stands with us. “I agree.” She hands him the microphone. “I agree entirely. The fact that you all are here for our big day means so much. We’re so excited to share a landmark with you all tomorrow and hope you thoroughly enjoy tonight. It’s all for you as a thank you.”
“So please, enjoy the food, the open bar, and stay tuned for plenty of games to play. For couples and singles!” Bella finishes.
“Games?” Sophie snorts. “Eew.”
“Oh come on.” I rub the inside of her knee and slowly up her thigh. “You’re a team player.”
Roman grins, his arm still around her shoulder. “Yes, you are, Bambina. Excellent as part of a team.”
“Or group.” Gunner continues.
She giggles. “But you forget Bella’s rule.”
“Fuck Bella’s rule,” I say evenly.
That earns me the table’s attention. Roman slowly unwraps Sophie from his arm and kisses her cheek. “Can you please get Holden and I a couple drinks? Holden?”
“Whatever beer you want.” He shrugs.
Sophie’s brow furrows, but she gets up, looking between us with confusion. She shrugs and walks over to the bar. Roman clears his throat and leans towards me. “What?”
“Bella is up to something. I don’t know what, but this rule is about more than pissing Gunner off and trying to make us jealous of you.” I insist.
Gunner rolls his eyes. “He thinks because I talked to Bella a little at the falls and because she was rubbing my shoulder, something’s going on. I swear, it’s not.”
“Of course not.” Holden looks at me. “She’s just being Bella, trying to manipulate the situation.”
“It doesn’t do her any good to have Sophie pissed. What is that going to get her?” Gunner insists.
“I don’t think it’s about Sophie!” I hiss. “It’s about Bella having cold feet.”
“No way.” Gunner finishes his drink. “No fucking way. Even if she did, she wouldn’t come back to us. She left us. She left us. Not the other way around.”
“And maybe she misses it. Or thinks she does. Maybe she’s terrified because she’s realized that she only has Matthew now. That she can’t look or fantasize. Matthew wouldn’t tolerate swinging. Not now. We all know that.”
“You’re talking crazy.” Roman insists. “There’s no way that she’d fish for any of us.”
“Obviously not you,” I grumble. “That’s why she chained you to Sophie. That was for her. I mean, she barely had the balls to tell you she was ending things, and you know what I thought back then.”
“That she was keeping Roman as a failsafe.” Holden nods.
Roman blinks a few times. “What?!”
“Yeah. That’s how it seemed. She cut the three of us and Miles really quickly, but you … you and Matthew stayed.” I push. “Commitment and Bella are like oil and water.”
“No way.” Gunner insists. “She’s been adamant about Matthew for more than a year. She’s eager for the wedding. She’s so pumped for this.”
“Maybe.”
“Or maybe you’re upset that Sophie is getting jealous because of me and not you.”
“I’m not the one getting attention.” I point out.
“Well, we should test this theory before we start throwing Bella under the bus. So go get some attention. See how Sophie reacts, and let’s go from there. You too, Hold.”
“Don’t need to. I can’t handle more than one woman at a time.” He shrugs.
I narrow my eyes at Gunner but get up to see Miles. He’s at a table with his wife and some women our age. Two of them immediately fawn over me, recognizing me from magazine covers.
My eyes flick to Sophie, and I see her chewing the inside of her cheek. She looks pissed beyond belief. She arches an eyebrow at me, but before she can say anything, Bella’s up and making an announcement.
“Please enjoy your meal. Right after, we’re going to have a hula hooping contest for all the ladies! The prize is definitely worth winning, so be sure to keep that in mind, lovely women!”
I make up an excuse to leave and head back to our table, but Sophie doesn’t even look at me. Her leg bounces, and her fingers are tight at her hips. She’s mad. But I’ll take her anger. I’ll explain it to her later … and a part of me kind of likes that she’s frustrated. It makes me feel valuable and loved all at once.
And I promise myself to make her feel the same as soon as we get out of this hellish dinner.