Page 17 of The Better Bride

“Okay? I cheated on the man of my dreams. The man I really, really love. How could I betray him like that?” she says, working through her shitty thoughts.

I can’t blame her. I feel the same way…I think.

Except I don’t? Shit.

I don’t even know what to think or feel right now. It’s honestly easier to step out of my own shoes and worry about Becky.

Knock! Knock!

“Becky! Mysti! Let me in!” Brendon shouts again from outside.

I feel so bad that he’s in the open, but honestly, right now, Becky needs me with my attention undivided. I tune him out.

“Liam is a wonderful, understanding, compassionate man. He’s seen what can happen when we all get a little too crazy. You know that. You just need to be honest and upfront with him. I honestly think it’ll be okay as long as you don’t try to hide it.”

She thinks for a moment. She doesn’t know what else to do, so I think she’s receptive to what I’m trying to propose.

“I mean, okay. I think I can handle talking to him. Shit, Ineedto talk to him. I need to see him again, and then my heart will be okay again,” she says.

I think she’s in the right headspace now.

“But there’s one problem,” she says.

“Oh, shit. What now?” I ask, now slightly on edge about the whole thing.

“The guy. He’s still in my bed. Mysti...” She looks both ways suspiciously and lowers her voice to the world’s loudest whisper. “I cheated on Liam...withElvis.”

“Shit. Okay,” I answer quickly. “Uh, I guess we have to get him out.”

“Right,” she responds, taking my word as gospel at this point.

I can’t tell if it’s good or bad that she’s so open right now.

“Grab that rolling pin,” I command. She gives me a confused look. “Look, it’s all we have, okay?”

I snatch the broom, and the two of us tiptoe over to her room.

I look back at her and press my finger against my lips, signaling for her to be silent. I rest my hand on the doorknob and twist it as slowly and as quietly as possible before letting it swing open slowly.

The two of us raise our makeshift weaponry, ready to attack if we need to. I sneak around to the right side of the bed, taking a good look at this guy’s face, and I immediately drop the broom on a pile of clothes below, and a wide smile stretches across my face.

“Becky, come here.”

“What? Why are you smiling?” she asks.

“Just come here. You’ll see.”

She walks over to see that her one-night stand—who is, in fact, an Elvis impersonator decked out in a white bejeweled jumpsuit, a red scarf, and a ridiculous black wig.

But best of all, those cute cheekbones and strong jawline are features that could only belong to one person: her goddamn fucking husband.

“It’s fucking Liam, Becky. You cheated on your husband...with your husband.”

“Oh my fucking god!” she whispers, exclaiming under her breath. “I’m so relieved.”

She falls against me, hugging me tightly. “Thank you so much for helping me, even if it was nothing the whole time.”

“I would do it in a heartbeat, Becky. You’ve gotta know that by now, babe,” I assure her.

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