Page 105 of Never Kiss and Tell

He chuckles, running that same thumb over his lips and flashing that fucking megawatt smile at me. The longer I’m around him, it’s easier to see why women have no problem falling into bed with him. He’s an enigma.

Holding his gaze, I lower my spoon into the mystery soup that I’m supposed to be eating, raise it to my mouth and suck it off as seductively as I can. It’s not easy because it’s not good.

Charlie’s eyes heat up, but when he sees my look of despairwhen I realize I don’t like the soup, he laughs.

“Bailey, will you come find the bathroom with me,” Andi asks, her voice tight. “I’m worried there will be ghosts.” She unfolds her napkin and tosses it on the table in front of her with a little too much sass. She mumbles something at Tom when she passes, but I can’t hear what she says.

In the hallway, she tugs my hand, leading me into a room off the main hallway and shutting the door. It looks to be an office of some sorts and for a moment, I worry she’s planning some kind of heist on her mother-in-law.

Unfortunately, it’s something much worse. She leans against the desk, sucking in shallow breaths as quickly as she can.

“Andi.” I step up to her, rubbing her arms to try to get her to calm down. Her chest rises and falls rapidly, her breath wheezing like she can’t breathe. “Talk to me. What’s wrong?”

She clutches her chest, her grey eyes wide.

“I don’t want this.”

“This party? I know. It’s boring.”

She shakes her head. “No. I don’t know if I want to marry Tom anymore.”

“Oh.” My hands fall, my heartbeat sputtering out.

“I know, it’s a horrible time to bring this up, I just don’t know anymore.”

Tears stream down her cheeks and she starts to cry.

“Come here.” I pull her to me, hugging her as tight as possible. “What’s got you thinking this way?”

“I don’t know,” she murmurs. “I’ve just had a sinking feeling since this all began.”

“Tom loves you,” I tell her, holding her shoulder so she’lllook at me. “He does. I can tell.”

“It’s not that.” She looks at the door, like she’s worried someone might be listening in. “I just . . . I just don’t know who I am anymore.”

She breaks down in tears, and I can’t stop from crying with her. I’ve been in her shoes. Knowing that something just doesn’t feel right with the person you’re engaged to, but not knowing if it’s you making things up in your head or if it’s really there and you just can’t see it.

“What do I do?” Andi asks, barely above a whisper. She clings to me like a lifeline, only I feel like I’m sinking with her. “Help me.”

I suck in a deep breath, but it does nothing to calm my nerves. I search for something, anything to give her, but I can’t. I couldn’t even get myself out of the same situation. How do I help her?

“Hey, it’s going to be okay. Whatever you decide to do. I’m with you every step of the way.”

I hand her a tissue and she dabs at the corners of her eyes.

“I love him, but am I ready for this?”

I smile softly, taking the tissue from her and cleaning up the smudged mascara on her cheek.

“If you’re worried about being a good wife, I think you’re crazy. If you’re worried about Tom being a good husband? Don’t. Your brother’s threatened to dump him in the swamps and I’m totally down to help. He knows better.”

She laughs, it’s not a real one, but the smile she gives me after is.

“And don’t worry about Sarah, either. I’m sure a good, strongwind will blow her away.”

This warrants me a real laugh.

“Bailey, I hate this house. I can’t live in a place like this.” I look around me at all the grim, albeit expensive, antiques. They would look beautiful on their own, but there’s just so much of them that it makes the house look more like an eighteen hundreds antique store.

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