Page 95 of Angel

“Would…” I gulp and steel myself. I’m pretty sure I know what his answer will be. But that doesn’t make me feel any less like a high-school kid asking someone to homecoming. “Would you like to be my date for the wedding?” I spit it out as quickly as I can and then hold my breath.

Rhys blinks and his lips curl into a slow smile. “You’re asking me to be your date? In front of everyone in the neighborhood?”

“Yes. And you can wear whatever you want. Like, a big ball gown or something. Don’t feel like you have to wear a suit or a tux or anything. I don’t care what any of them think. I want you to be exactly who?—”

Rhys cuts me off with a hard kiss that quickly softens into something tender and sweet. “Yes, teddy bear. I’ll be your date to the wedding. And I’m going to wear something spectacular.”

CHAPTER

THIRTY-THREE

RHYS

“Grr, this curl!” I shout at the bathroom mirror, attacking an errant strand of honey-blond hair with the can of hairspray.

“If you use any more of that stuff, you’re going to pass out from the fumes.” Hayden leans against the doorframe, waving his hand in front of his face.

“Shut. Up. Everything has to be perfect!”

Hayden shoots me a sympathetic look through the mirror. “You positive you don’t want me at the wedding? I have a suit I can wear. I’ll just, you know, hang around the edges in case you need backup.”

I sigh and drop the hairspray onto the counter with a defeated clatter. The hair will just have to do. Ugh.

“No, it’s okay. I wouldn’t wish the old neighborhood on my worst enemy, never mind my best friend.”

Hayden winces. “If it’s that bad, are you sure you want to go?”

I turn to Hayden, letting my insecurities show. “I don’t know. I mean, yes, I’m definitely going because Angel asked me to and I’m not about to let him down. But honestly?”

“You wouldn’t wish it on your worst enemy,” Hayden repeats back to me. “Yeah, I get it.”

I take a deep breath, just like I do to calm my nerves before getting up on stage. “It’s fine. Everything is fine. It’s just for a few hours. I’ve been through worse.”

“Well, one thing’s for certain, you’ll be the best-dressed person. Hell, you’ll probably upstage the bride,” Hayden says with a grin.

I glance down quickly at my ’fit. Angel said I could wear a ball gown. My dress isn’t quite a ball gown, but it’s close.

The floor-length blue and gold dress is made out of a shimmery satin material with long, tight sleeves that go all the way to my wrists. The front is modest, cutting across my collarbones in a wide boatneck collar. The back of the dress is another story, plunging all the way down to my lower back. The slit up the side is subtly cut, but if I stick my leg out just right, the fabric parts at the top of my thigh. The dress is stunning, but I don’t think I’ll upstage the bride. The colors are just muted enough to avoid being too loud.

Frankly? I look fucking amazing. I can’t wait to see Angel’s face when he comes to pick me up.

I told him it wasn’t a problem for me to call for a rideshare. But he was insistent about driving to Brooklyn, even though it means we have to turn around and go right back to Staten Island for the wedding.

But he enjoys doing chivalrous things like that. Running around to open car doors. Escorting me with his hand on my lower back. Pulling out my chair for me. I could argue that the gestures are old-fashioned and maybe even a little chauvinistic, but it makes him so happy, I can’t bring myself to stop him.

And if I’m honest, I kind of like being treated like a princess.

“I do look good, don’t I?” I let myself preen a little bit, shoring up my defenses for whatever Angel and I will encounter when we get to the wedding.

The intercom buzzes and I frown at the little box on the wall. “Is that Angel? I told him he didn’t need to come up.”

Hayden gives me a skeptical look. “Did you really think he would just wait in the car? After driving all the way here?” He hits the button on the intercom. “Hello?”

“Hey, hi, uh, it’s me. Uh, Angel.”

I put a hand over my heart as it tumbles over itself at how adorable Angel is. He’s been here at least a dozen times now, and every time he buzzes up, he stammers like he doesn’t know what to say.

Hayden chuckles. “Come on up.” He goes to unlock the door to our apartment, and when he gets back to the living room, he holds out his hand. “Your phone?”

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