Page 82 of I Stop Somewhere Waiting For You

JONSIE

“Daph!” I gasp, taking in the sight of her.

She exits the dressing room, a vision in her ivory gown, covered in delicate lace.

“Yeah?” She smiles, doing a little twirl for me. “It’s not too old fashioned looking?”

“Daph, there is nothing old fashioned about that dress. You look beautiful.”

A light blush stains her face as she turns toward the large mirror. She stands there staring at herself, repeatedly smoothing the fabric at her lower half. I continue to admire her when suddenly, I notice her eyes well with tears.

“Daph, hey.” I pop up, rushing to her side. “What is it?”

She shakes her head, swiping the stray tears from her cheeks. “Does it make me a bad person that I wish it was him?”

She doesn’t say his name, but I know she’s referring to my brother.

“No, babe.”I pull her into me, stroking the back of her head. “But Daph, you don’t have to do this. Regardless of where you and Nicky stand, you don’t have to marry Luc. You don’t have to marry anybody.”

“It’s too late.” She sniffles. “Everything’s paid for. Our parents have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars. We have people flying in from all over the country. The wedding’s in a month.”

I grip her shoulders, giving them a slight shake. “Fuck that, Daph. Stop worrying about what everyone else wants. Be selfish. Put yourself first. Forget your parents and the Devoreauxs and even my ass of a brother… do you want to marry Lucian?”

Daphne stares at me, her mouth slightly opening in response, only to be silenced by the clicking of heels on the tile floor. The curtain to our private room is pulled back as I’m brought face to face with possibly the only living person on the planet whom I genuinely despise.

Amber Walsh.

Daphne goes rigid in my grasp, instantly steeling her emotions as her judgmental gaze zeros in on Amber.

Living life on Mav’s dime obviously agrees with her because, as much as I hate to admit it, she looks good. Her overprocessed bleach blonde color has been replaced with a much more natural golden hue, one that looks like she spends her days basking in the sun. She’s still a fucking giant, but that doesn’t stop her from rocking a pair of Louboutins that cost more than some people take home in their entire paycheck. I can tell by the way she carries herself she truly thinks her shit don’t stink.

What the fuck does he see in her? However, judging by our little rendezvous in the bathroom the other day, he can’t be satisfied.

“Can we help you?” Daphne’s eyes narrow as she cocks her head to the side.

Amber’s lip curls up as she eyes Daphne with a look of disgust. Her gaze shifts, coming to rest upon me as her expression morphs into a wicked smirk. “Sorry, I must have got turned around.”

“During what? Your search for your dignity? I’d probably start with club bathrooms and street corners. You’d have better luck than bridal shops.” Daphne plasters on a fake smile, and I’m reminded once again why she’s my best friend.

“Daphne, is that anyway to speak to one of your wedding guests?” Her smug-ass grin widens, and I briefly contemplate smacking it the fuck off of her.

“You will not be in attendance at my wedding,” Daphne bites back, clearly annunciating each word.

“Maverick got a plus one.”

“Which he did not utilize in his response. Although, if he had, it still would not extend to you. Let me be perfectly clear.” Daphne steps down from the platform, closing the distance between her and Amber. “If you show up at my wedding, you will be thrown out immediately. And I will make sure it is carried out in the most embarrassing manner imaginable. Do I make myself clear?”

“Fine.” Amber makes a show of rolling her eyes. “I guess I’ll remember that when our invitations go out.”

I freeze, my entire body locking up as my gaze snaps to her left hand. She twirls the massive rock around her finger before thrusting it in Daph’s face with a wiggle.

“You’re full of shit,” Daphne scoffs.

“Am I?” Amber’s smug grin returns, her eyes casting downward as she dramatically admires her own hand. “Well, it’s quite the diamond for someone supposedly full of shit. Now, if you’ll excuse me—” she looks to me “—I have to go book my first dress appointment. Have a great day, girls.” She saunters out of the room, flipping us off as she disappears through the curtain.

I release a shaky exhale as she exits, dropping down into the plush sofa behind me. My head dips down into my hands as I fight to keep my shit together. I will not fucking cry over Maverick Bishop again. I refuse to.

“J,” Daph says as she steps toward me, “she’s fucking lying. There’s no way he proposed to her. Nicky let it slip once that they don’t even live together.”

---