Page 74 of How to Ruin Your Ex's Wedding
“And with our first shot of the night, congrats to Tabatha. May marriage bring you all the happiness you deserve.”
“Here! Here!” Crystal cries.
We lick, salt, shoot, and lime.
I shake my head and grimace. Sometimes I forget how potent tequila is. The warmth spreads down my center through my body. It feels good. I don’t want to talk about Hunter. I want to dance until I sweat. Dance until I forget all my problems and just feel.
Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” begins, I start to move my body with the beat, singing along, the girls right along with me. We do a few more shots and a lot more dancing. I’m feeling badass and invincible, and in the perfect mood to go a little crazy when “Like a Girl” by Lizzo blasts through the speakers.
“I am in love with the music at this club,” I yell to no one in particular.
Maisey and I sing to each other at the top of our lungs, jumping around in our little circle of women. Shaking our shoulders, wiggling our hips, laughing at everything without a care in the world.
I dance for another three songs or so before I motion to the girls that I’m going to sit down. I need a break. I grab a bottled water and drink most of it.
Crystal joins me a moment later. “Ohmigod, I forgot how much fun this is. How come we never do this anymore?”
“‘Cause we’re getting old and have to take breaks.” I motion to the two of us.
“Truth,” she says. “So, what’s going on with Hunter?”
Ugh.
“I don’t know. He’s just being weird lately, like about my taking this part, my clothes and hair tonight. It’s like he doesn’t know me at all.”
Angela and Maisey join us.
“We finally chick-chatting?” Maisey asks.
“Yes,” Crystal and I say at the same time. Angela orders another round of shots.
“To happiness and dancing,” Angela says. We repeat the sentiment and take our shots. I don’t shudder with this one at all. In fact, it goes down easy.
“Oh, that’s good, what was that?” I ask Angela.
“Buttery Nipple,” Angela says.
“Of course it was,” I say, laughing.
“What’s up, buttercup?” Maisey asks. “I’m sensing some weirdness tonight.”
“I’m just . . . I don’t know. You’re right, I’m feeling weird. Or I’m feeling like Hunter is being weird. And I don’t think it’s just wedding jitters. I think he really is being weird.”
“About what?” Angela asks.
“About Pax being the wedding photographer—”
“Who’s Pax?” Maisey asks.
“Oh, girl. We’ve got to catch you up,” Crystal says. We order drinks, and Crystal and Angela briefly fill in all the missing parts for Maisey. I sit back and listen. It sounds bad to hear someone else tell it. Not bad like evil, more like maybe Pax and I have unresolved feelings. Or bad, like maybe I’m not in love with Hunter. When of course I am.
Aren’t I?
I laugh at myself. I wouldn’t be marrying him if I wasn’t. I wouldn’t even be with him. I was fine being single. I mean, I figured I wasn’t ever going to get married again, so that I am to him means my feelings are strong. I was happy when he proposed. I was—
“Wow, it kinda sounds like Pax still has feelings for you,” Maisey says, interrupting my thoughts.
“Trust me,” I say. “He doesn’t. We were kids, barely knew what we wanted.”
