Page 10 of It Could Happen
“Hmm … I don’t know. You’re parked pretty close to the line as well,” he says. “Or perhaps these parking spaces are extra small.”
Or your stupid truck is too big.
He looks back up at me, and the corner of his mouth curls up. “Oh well, I don’t think it’s that big of a crisis. There are much bigger problems in the world.”
I fold my arms and press them against my chest as I try to come up with a snarky reply. Unfortunately, nothing comes to my mind. This is probably one of those scenarios where I’ll think of the perfect reply while in the shower or when I’m lying in bed later tonight.
“I know there are bigger problems in the world,” I snap.
“Good, I’m glad we’re in agreement.” He flashes me a confident grin, and I can’t help but notice that he has a really nice smile. Full lips, nice teeth—too bad he’s so pompous and full of himself.
“On that note, we’re both parked safely and obviously have somewhere to be,” he adds.
I purse my lips, unable to think of anything clever to say. “Yes, I do. Have a pleasant evening.”
I slide past him toward the restaurant.
“You do the same,” he calls.
I take a few cleansing breaths as I walk to the entrance, shivering in the unusually cold air. I’m not going to let some random guy ruin my night. There will be plenty of guests at this party, so I’ll just make sure I stay clear of him, and I’m expecting he’ll do the same with me.
ChapterFour
As soon as I step inside, I’m mesmerized, and all thoughts of my parking lot run-in disappear from my mind. The South on 10th is gorgeous. I rarely come to this part of the city. The trendy shops and restaurants must be too much for my old soul. The interior is full of black velvet armchairs, and the tables are adorned with white and silver linens. I hear music playing faintly in the background, and I notice a room off to the left side separated by a massive glass wall. Through the glass I see people dressed in white mingling, and the room is abuzz with conversation and anticipation. I do a quick scan in search of Caroline, and as soon as I spot her, she sees me also. She screams loudly and takes off in a rush to greet me.
“Tori,” she yells, throwing her arms around me. I grunt as she squeezes me tightly.
“This is the best day,” she says after letting go of me. “I can’t believe it took an engagement to get us together. I’m the worst friend.”
Um, she’s hardly the worst friend considering she asked me to be present on the biggest day of her life.
She stands back and looks me up and down. “Damn, girl, you look amazing. What’s your secret?”
I open my mouth to speak, but she continues talking. She hasn’t changed a bit, and she looks even better than she did in college. I can see that her good family genes are present. From what I can remember, her mother was always stunning, and the years had been very good to her.
Caroline’s blonde hair is cascading down her back, which is bare. She’s wearing a flowing white halter dress that brushes the floor every time she moves. I’m guessing she didn’t expect it to be as cold as it is when she picked out a backless dress for this evening.
“You look amazing, darlin’,” I tease. “You’re practically glowin’.”
She giggles. “Aw, I’ve really missed you, Tori.”
Without another word, she links her arm in mine and drags me over to where three women are huddled in the corner. It doesn’t take me long to figure out that these are my fellow bridesmaids.
“Tori,” one of them squeals as soon as we approach them. “Finally.”
She pulls me into a hug that’s even tighter than Caroline’s.
“You must be Erica,” I say, my voice muffled from her super tight hug.
“Yes,” she says, her face lighting up.
Erica is tall and elegant. She totally gives off 90s supermodel vibes—like Cindy Crawford or one of the others whose names have escaped me.
“And this is Rachel and Leslie,” Caroline continues.
“It’s so nice to meet you,” Rachel says, her voice soft and soothing. She has a very calm energy, which is good considering both Caroline and Erica are more intense. Rachel is shorter than the other girls and super tiny. I wonder if she got her dress in the kid’s section. Good for her.
“Hello, Tori,” Leslie says politely but definitely not as warm as Erica or Rachel. Leslie is stunning with gorgeous deep red hair and a snowy white complexion. Her hair really stands out against her form-fitting white bodycon dress.
