Page 7 of Until You

“I think it means it’s better to have him in your corner than not,” said Willa lightly. She turned her attention to Sebastian. “So, do you have your speech ready to go?”

Sebastian nodded. “Yeah. I’m still tweaking it, but I’m ready.” He turned to Max. “Sorry I couldn’t make it to the bachelor party. Thanks for taking over best man duties in Vegas.”

Max just nodded, no judgment or recrimination in his eyes. “Happy to. You know, we would’ve planned something else. I get that you didn’t want to come to Vegas, but we missed you.”

“But Vegas was what Lucian wanted, and I didn’t want to take that away from him. Truly, I appreciate the offer, but it’s all good, man.”

“I assume the cousins are coming, too, right?” asked Lauren, twirling a lock of her red hair around her finger.

Max nodded. “Yeah, and they’re actually bringing dates. Well, not Hudson, I don’t think, but Levi—you met his girlfriend Madison last time you guys were in town—and Noah’s got a girlfriend now, too.”

Theo’s mouth fell open. “What? I thought he was too busy saving lives to date.”

Willa grinned. “Her name’s Felicity and she’s a high school teacher. We had dinner with them not long ago, and I gotta say, she’s perfect for him.”

“Oh yeah. That guy’s so in love,” agreed Max.

“Aw, that’s really sweet,” said Kayla, sipping her drink. She’d always thought Noah was the nicest guy, and she was glad he had someone in his life. “Do you think it bothers Hudson that he’s the only single one?”

Theo shook his head. “Nah. He swore off relationships after what’s her name…”

“Jessica,” supplied Max, his lip curling slightly as he said the name.

“Right. Jessica.”

“Oh, I remember her!” said Lauren. Given that she and Theo had been friends since college, she knew the ins and outs of the Prescott family well. “It was so shitty the way she waited for the night before the wedding to break up with him.”

“Whoa, thatisshitty,” said Kayla.

“True, the timing was bad, but better to not go through with the wedding than get married when you know it’s wrong,” said Sebastian, and Kayla couldn’t stop herself from glancing over at him. Did he think marrying Kayla was the wrong thing? Was that why he hadn’t proposed yet? And what if she was pregnant?

She took a sip of her water, trying to get her churning stomach to calm the hell down. She wished this whole thing weren’t stressing her out so much. She just wanted to enjoy being with everyone, enjoy the wedding and the rehearsal dinner tonight.

Willa glanced at her delicate watch and set her drink down. “I have a treat for us,” she said, indicating Lauren and Kayla with her eyes.

“Ooh, what did you do?” asked Lauren.

“I have a makeup artist, a manicurist, and a hairstylist coming to get us ready for the rehearsal dinner, and then again tomorrow before the wedding. In fact, they should be here in about half an hour, so if you want to grab a shower before they get here, now’s a good time.”

Lauren stood and grabbed Kayla’s hand, pulling her to her feet, chattering excitedly as the three of them headed back inside the penthouse.

Well. So much for sneaking off to the drugstore.

3

Sebastian hadthe feeling he’d made a horrible mistake.

For the past two days, Kayla had been in a weird mood. She’d been quiet, reserved, and distant. She hadn’t been her usual talkative, outgoing self, especially not with him. It was as though something had shifted between them, something almost intangible but important. And he had a sinking feeling he knew what it was.

The wedding. Being surrounded by other married people. Theo and Lauren had been married for a year now and were trying to have a baby. Max and Willa had been married for a year and a half. Aerin and Javi had been married for nearly three years now and had twin two-year-old daughters. Lucian and Olivia were getting married and already had ten-month-old Cora. And if he knew Kayla at all—and he’d like to think he did after all this time, not to mention all the time they’d worked together before getting together—she was probably wondering where the hell her engagement ring was.

Well. It was in his suitcase. And it had been living in the very back of his sock and underwear drawer for months now.

He glanced over his shoulder at the bedroom door, which was slightly ajar. Kayla was currently getting done up with Willa and Lauren, and he didn’t think she’d be back anytime soon. He opened his suitcase and rummaged around, pulling out the navy blue Harry Winston jewel box he’d bought last November.

God, he was such a fucking chicken shit. He’d originally planned to propose to her at Thanksgiving. And then Christmas. And then New Year’s. And then Valentines. And then their anniversary in April.

But he hadn’t.

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