Page 104 of Dr. Intern

The chill of the evening is kept at bay by the rented gas heaters, creating a cozy atmosphere for everyone to savor the night air. The guests, dressed to the nines in their formal outfits, all look like they’re enjoying themselves as they mingle and drink. I give myself a pat on the back—I totally killed this party.

Once the food is ready, I make my way through the crowd to find my sister and her friends from school. Despite Caroline favoring Parker, she’ll always be my baby sister, and I love her immensely. It makes my heart soar to hear her laugh again. We’ve had a tough year, and I know Mom would be proud of how we’ve banded together as siblings. And I can’t explain it, but something tells me that this next year will be our best one yet.

As I’m chatting with Caroline, Morgan comes bounding up to me, definitely tipsy as she complains that the outdoor bar is out of champagne. According to her, it’s too much effort for her to go inside and get more bubbles.

“You good, Morg?” I ask, taking in her disheveled state.The dark wisps that frame her face are clinging to her forehead, and the thin strap of her silver dress hangs off her shoulder, the sequins in a complete state of disarray.

“Just hot,” she replies, fanning herself with her hand dramatically.“Alcohol blanket, you know?”

“Are you good?“ she asks with a sly smirk as her eyes flick to Beau and back.

“Yep,” I answer, avoiding her insinuation. “Gonna go get the bottles. Be back in a sec.”

Rushing away from her, I make my way to the kitchen to restock and regroup. I haven’t had a proper conversation with Morgan since she pieced together the situation with Beau and me. While I would love to have a more in-depth chat, something tells me that drunk Morg is not the most subtle individual.

As I’m pulling bottles of bubbly from the fridge, Cassidy exits the guest bathroom. Her eyes narrow on me in an expression I can’t quite decipher.

“You are stunning,” I squeal, choosing to ignore her look as I place the champagne on the counter and pull her into a hug. “God, do I have the best taste, or what?”

Her dress, a shimmering white mini, hugs her curves like it was tailor-made for her body, and the flowing, feather-trimmed sheer sleeves add an almost ethereal touch. I had it sent to her house yesterday, instructing my brother to keep it hidden until the party. Thank god I did, because I’m officially obsessed with the dress and might steal it from her.

A slight blush creeps onto Cassidy’s cheeks, though her lips remain pressed into a hard line. “Thanks for everything tonight. You didn’t have to do all of this.”

I frown as I begin to open a bottle of champagne for us. “Of course I did. As your maid of honor and bestie, it’s part of the contractual duties.”

Her hazel eyes roll as she fights a smile. “The maid of honor is also in charge of the bachelorette party, you know.”

A shrill shriek escapes my throat as her words sink in, drawing concerned glances from a few people on the balcony. I wave my hand apologetically before turning back to Cassidy.

“Wait, are you serious right now? Does this mean I’m the one? You’re honoring me as your maid?”

“If you still want to do it,” she replies.

My hands fly to my mouth as I bend forward in my formal gown like a pageant queen. “Oh my god, yes. Cass! Wait—I have so many ideas. Let’s get a glass of champagne and start planning. How do you feel about Cabo? Or we could do Las Vegas? They have those male strippers, and I’ve always wanted to go because they look so fun—”

“Claire,” she cuts in, halting my audible train of consciousness. “We can definitely go through everything soon. But right now we need to chat.”

Her expression shifts back to the serious, unreadable look from earlier, and a sense of unease settles in my stomach.

“Hang on,” I say, managing to keep a smile on my face. “This feels like a conversation that requires champagne.”

Cassidy gives a small, almost agonized nod as I pour two glasses of bubbly.

“Okay,” I say, sucking in a deep breath to brace myself for whatever she’s about to reveal. “What’s up?”

She looks around the kitchen, ensuring we’re alone. “How was Houston?”

I blink rapidly, trying to determine if I heard her correctly. “Uh, it was fine? Really hot for December, but it was a nice change of scenery.”

The truth is, the trip was amazing. Staying at Beau’s brother’s house, lounging by the pool with his family, not having to keep our relationship a secret—all of it was perfect, and made me fall even deeper for him.

But obviously, I can’t share any of that, so I simply smile and add, “We had fun.”

Cassidy’s eyes are like lasers boring into me as she loudly whispers, “Are you out of your mind?”

My face falls, not understanding her. “Um . . .”

“You guys are hooking up,” she states bluntly.

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