Page 31 of Perfect Score

I can’t help that my attention broadens the rest of the room when I notice that neither Liam nor Shelby is anywhere to be seen.

Then, I spot them in a corner of the room. Shelby doesn’t look happy. Her arms are folded over her chest as Liam seems to be trying to discuss something with her. He seems a little worked up over the conversation.

Liam turns his head, finally noticing that we entered the room. His eyes lock on me as Brent leads me through the bar. I watch as he takes in my dress, his eyes hooding slightly. After a decade of dating, I know the look that Liam gets when he’s interested in something.

“Oh my God, that dress is stunning,” Sarah, my sister’s best friend and bridesmaid says, glancing over my dress, her blue eyes cascading down my figure.

She's dressed in a short mini black dress, her blonde hair up in a high pony tale.

Sarah was a grade older than my sister and Liam, so she wasn't around for any of the drama between me and Brent, or the breakup between me and Liam.

“Is that the dress?” Phoebe asks, leaning over the table a little to see it better.

She’s the one who found it online and told me that this would be the perfect revenge dress.

I ordered it a month ago but wasn’t completely committed to wearing it for the wedding weekend at the time. Then I decided that if I want one last attempt to make Liam realize what he gave up, this was my last chance.

It’s not as if we bump into each other regularly while living in different states.

So far, the dress seems to be getting the correct attention. Even Brent gave the dress a once-over when I first walked out of the bathroom. Though he didn’t actually comment on it, it took just as much time for him to lose interest and head straight to the bathroom to take a shower.

“Take a seat. We’re going through our most embarrassing high school stories,” David says.

It’s obvious that everyone is already several beers in at this point, and no amount of alcohol will convince me to tell my most embarrassing story while sitting next to the man who caused it.

Brent pulls out one of the chairs for me, and I take a seat.

“Thanks,” I tell him.

“What do you want to drink? I’ll put in an order at the bar," he asks me.

I think for a second. I need something good for this. “A whiskey sour please.”

If this is how the night is going, then I’d better prepare.

“Smart choice," he grins. "I’ll be right back.”

A few minutes later, Brent comes back with our drinks and takes the open chair next to me.

“Okay, Tomlin, let’s hear it. Most embarrassing high school story,” David says.

Brent smiles as he thinks of something funny. Brent has always been a great storyteller and back in high school he used to have some hilarious stories of the hockey team and the trouble they’d get in.

Brent opens his mouth to tell his story when one of David’s groomsmen, Ben, a guy that Brent and David used to play high school baseball with, pipes up.His chocolate brown hair styled, and his dress shirt and slacks give him a polished look. So different from how he was in high school.

He was a grade below us but a hell of a good ball player.

“Oh, I have a good one,” he starts up. “Hey, Liam,” he yells, breaking up Liam and Shelby’s conversation, which seems to have gotten worse based on the daggers Liam is shooting at Ben for interrupting them.

“What?” Liam asks, his eyes shifting to me for a second and then back to Ben.

“What was the nickname that the hockey team had for Brent again? Pippy long… something? Right?” Ben asks.

What the heck kind of nickname is that? I certainly had never heard it before and being at the hockey games, you pick up on team nicknames.

Liam's face almost turns white as if that nickname represents something that shouldn’t be discussed. His narrowed stare shifts to Brent.

Liam shakes his head. “I don’t remember,” he says and then he glances back at me for a moment.

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