Page 49 of I'd Never Date my Best Friend's Brother

They couldn’t be more perfect.

“Okay, everyone, circle up,” Jessica says bossily as she comes out of the dressing room. “Madelyn doesn’t have anyone coming in until twelve-thirty. We have plenty of time to hear about Evie and Jamie now.”

The smile she sends my way is filled with all kinds of mischief, and I feel my cheeks starting to heat as everyone stares at me expectantly.

I move my gaze from each of them and feel my heart start to pound. I swallow hard.

Wow, this is going to be awkward.

“It won’t be awkward at all, Evie.” Jessica smirks. “We all knew about you and Jamie already, remember?”

I run my hand over my face, shake my head, and let out a sigh of laughter.

“It’s true,” everyone chimes in.

“Why don’t you start with what happened when he left,” Madelyn says. My eyebrows lift, and I stare at her with my mouth agape. She chuckles at me and pushes my mouth closed with a finger. “Sweetie, Willow Falls doesn’t have any secrets, and I want this scoop firsthand.”

I look around at all the faces intently staring at me and blurt out the first thing that comes to my mind.

“Did you know that Jamie being away for six months was just training?” When every single one of their mouths drops open, I feel a tiny bit of satisfaction knowing that Jamie will be grilled just as much as I am right now. “Yup. He knew that when he was finished, he could decide to work wherever he wanted, if they decided to hire him permanently.”

“He definitely didn’t tell me that!” Lenny balks. “How could he make his mother suffer like that!?”

I nod my head vehemently at her words. “Right? He just told me that little tidbit this morning. When I thought about how awful I felt over the last six months, and he knew, knew, he could come back home, I almost kicked his shin under the table.”

“Evelyn O’Connell!” My mother berates me as everyone laughs.

“What?” I turn to her with an eyebrow raised and my mouth in a firm line. “Are you saying that he didn’t deserve that small ounce of pain?”

“No, dear,” she laughs and grabs my forearm. “He definitely did. I just know you would never do that.”

I sigh. “You’re right, I wouldn’t have. But it was fun to think about for a moment.”

All of them throw their heads back and laugh.

“I can’t wait to see Jamie squirm his way out of that when mom talks to him later,” Jessica says. Her eyes twinkle as she looks at Lenny. “But now let’s talk about the other stuff. That kiss last night makes me think you made up and are an official item. Am I right?”

“They need a nickname,” Penny says excitedly.

“Yes,” I say.

“Hmmm….now I have to come up with some ideas.” Penny tilts her head and starts thinking.

“Yes, we are official.” I look at Penny directly and add. “And no, we don’t need a nickname.”

I can’t help but laugh at the disappointment that comes over her face.

I start to tell them what happened from the moment that Jamie told me he was leaving to everything he told me this morning at Espresso Yourself.

Before we know it, the bell over the door chimes, and Madelyn’s next bride has arrived.

We grab Jessica’s gown along with the bridesmaids' gowns, thank Madelyn for all of her help, and head out.

The cold air hits my face as soon as I step outside, and I’m glad that I remembered a hat.

“Evie, you’re coming with us for lunch, right?” Jessica asks as she grabs my elbow and walks to the car. Her question wasn’t really a request but a demand. I don’t mind.

“Of course! What else would I be doing for the rest of the day?” I tease and nudge her with my hip.

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