Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73762 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73762 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
But backgrounds aside, Kate and I both grew up into the same type of person. Strong, smart, and completely unwilling to buy into the idea that our lives would somehow be more complete with a man in it.
That said, I’m pretty damn sure Kate Henley’s hopelessly in love with Kennedy Dawson. Not that he knows it.
I’m not even sure she knows it.
“Sabrina, can you grab some champagne flutes?” Lara says, gesturing toward a cabinet. “I know we still have some white, but we’ll just have to double-fist for a while.”
“Don’t have to twist my arm,” Kate says, going into the living room and flopping onto the couch. “Man, I love this view.”
“Isn’t it about the same as your view from the office?” Lara asks, pulling the champagne from the fridge and joining Kate in the living room.
Kate snorts. “Yeah. Because my seven a.m. to seven p.m. nonstop schedule really allows for admiring the office view.”
“Well, you’re welcome here anytime,” Lara says.
“You hear that, Sabrina?” Kate says with a playful grin at me as I walk toward them. “We can come watch Lara and Ian be disgustingly in love anytime!”
“Hey!” Lara exclaims.
“Oh, come on, honey,” I say gently, setting the glasses on the table in front of us. “It is a little like every day is Valentine’s Day around here.”
“I know,” Lara says with a happy sigh. “Maybe after the wedding it’ll stop feeling like a fairy tale.”
“I doubt it,” Kate says. “I’ve seen the way Ian looks at you. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”
Hmm. Was that the tiniest trace of longing I heard in Kate’s voice?
Or worse . . . was it my own heart giving a quick squeeze at the thought of having someone care about me—for me—the way that Ian loves Lara?
“Okay, so what’s your news? I want that champagne already!” I say, beyond ready to be done with the sentimental part of our girls’ night.
“Well, we can’t open it yet,” Lara says, taking a breath. “See, I hope my news is good, but I won’t really know until I hear your responses.”
“Get to it already,” Kate demands.
Lara balances the Dom Pérignon bottle on her knees, rolling it slightly between her palms, and I realize she’s nervous.
“Okay, so you guys know Gabby,” she says on a rush.
“Padilla, Gabby. Your best friend, former roomie. Model. Lives in Paris with her boyfriend,” Kate recites automatically.
“Yes, thank you,” Lara says in an amused voice. “Anyway, Gabby’s agreed to be my maid of honor, and I’m thrilled. But I’m also a little bummed, because other than the bachelorette party, my bridal shower, and the actual wedding, I know it’ll be hard for her to make it back here for stuff. I know I haven’t known you two long, but . . .” Lara takes a deep breath. “You’re some of Ian’s closest friends, you’ve become my closest friends in the city, and I’d love it, really love it, if you’d be bridesmaids.”
There’s a long moment of silence as Kate and I sit there slightly stunned.
Kate recovers faster than I do. “Hell yes,” she says, her face breaking out into a huge grin. “I’d be honored. I’ll even wear an ugly bridesmaid dress, because that’s what friends do. Now open that champagne and let’s talk venue, because I’ve got a whole list of reception locations. Have you considered a boat? Because a chartered yacht could really—”
“Whoa, hold up,” Lara says with a laugh. “We’ve barely decided on the date!”
I notice she doesn’t look at me, and I appreciate it. Somehow, she knows that I need a minute, because . . .
Damn it. Damn it.
It takes me a second to even register what’s happening, because I’m so not a crier, but . . . yup. There are definitely tears stinging the corners of my eyes.
“Yes,” I blurt out. “Absolutely.”
Lara’s expression erupts into a happy smile, but Kate’s look is downright puzzled. “Sabrina, are you—”
“Shut up,” I say with a laugh, dabbing at my eyes. “And Lara, you’re lucky you’ve become one of my closest friends, too, otherwise I’d never forgive you for ruining my makeup.”
Lara’s response is the pop of the champagne cork. “Now we can enjoy this.”
“So where do we start with the planning?” I say, accepting the flute she hands me.
“Oh, who cares about that right now?” Lara says, lifting her glass in a toast. “I’m the bride-to-be; I get to decide what we talk about. And right now, I want to toast to the possibility that Matt and Sabrina are finally on the verge of coming to grips with their thing.”
My head snaps up in surprise. Whoa, hey. How the heck did this become about me?
“I’ll drink to that. The sexual tension between those two has been suffocating me for years,” Kate says, lifting her glass. “Sabrina? Ready to spill your guts?”