10
Four days until the wedding
“How many people did Beck invite?”Tyler asks as I shift out of the car.
“Knowing Beck, probably everyone.” The music emanating from our friend’s house has blood pumping through our veins as Tyler shuts the car door behind me, his smile mysterious as he threads his fingers through mine.
My heels match my silver cocktail dress, a vintage number with mesh lace detailing along the curved neck and hem that hits halfway down my thighs. Tyler looks breathtakingly handsome in a button-down open at the collar and rolled up at the sleeves over dark pants.
There’s no point knocking. It’s clearly a party from the buzz and the music. But before I can head inside, Tyler holds me back.
His gaze skims over my outfit, lingering on my legs in a way that makes my entire body tingle before coming back to my face. “What I wouldn’t give to have you to myself right now.”
“A house full of tour merch?”
He grins. “You’re funny.”
“I try.”
When I glance down at our linked hands, my skin is pale against the dark swirls of ink that cover his forearm and every inch of his hand. A little rush runs through me, the same one I feel every time.
“Hey. Where’s your rose necklace?” he asks.
I press a hand to my throat. “It didn’t really go with this dress.”
It’s a lie by omission as I think about the broken pieces. But I don’t want to say it’s broken, as if admitting means there’s something broken with us.
I’m trying not to think about agreeing to invite three Wicked artists to our wedding weekend, two of whom I realized I’d met before and one whom Tyler could vouch for. They probably won’t even come, but if they do, my fiancé promised it won’t take more than a few hours of meetings and will be concluded long before the rehearsal.
All I want to think about is the wedding, but even when Tyler and I fall into bed at night, every second he’s not worshipping me, it feels as if part of him is somewhere else.
It’s probably in my head, nerves about the wedding, and I’m trying to find justifications for them. I resolve to focus on tonight.
On the other side of the door is a wonderland. It’s a beautiful house filled with beautiful people. Beck’s friends with everyone, and the man of the hour is holding a captive audience in the cavernous kitchen.
He looks over their heads, flashing the easy grin that’s brought men and women to their knees. “You guys are here!”
Beck cuts through the crowd, and every head turns to follow him. He gives us each a one-armed hug, steering us toward the kitchen, where a bartender is hard at work.
“Don’t tell me what you want to drink. I had this made for you.” Beck gestures to a bottle of champagne, and Tyler and I exchange a look. “It was a joke! Fuck, you guys. I know you hate bubbles.” He nods to the bartender. “But top me up.”
Tyler gets a soda while I ask for white wine.
I recognize Elle in a black dress, her blond hair in waves that end right below her jawline. Her face is split into a wry grin at something another partier said as I rush to embrace her.
Dad and Haley are on the other side of the doors open to the patio walled in by high trees for privacy.
Beck takes us outside to low lounge couches surrounding a coffee table with a fire in the middle. My arms prickle from the contrast between the cool evening air and the heat.
“You know everyone, right?” Beck asks casually, pointing out person after person he works with.
“Oh, one more introduction. Incoming.”
I look up from my phone in time to see a furry shape bounding toward me. At the last minute, it heads for Tyler instead, humping his pant leg.
My jaw drops. “You got a dog?!”
“Fostering,” Beck corrects. “And my new roommate here has issues with my former roommate.” Beck cackles. “Down, Ernie,” he says, mock sternly.