Page 74 of Champagne Fizz

“Get over yourself,” I deflect, picking up some unfolded napkins and distracting myself with them. “Go invent some new cocktail or dessert if you’re bored.”

It’s weird not being able to tell my best friend about this situation. Normally, I’d confide in Arie and get her advice. Granted Arie’s insight on easily-orgasming virgins would probably include some sort of fruit and chocolate pussy-eating game, and a whole lot ofget in and get ‘er donecomments. And the fact that the delicate flower in question is Kendall’s—well that makes telling Arie impossible.

“You’ve been acting kooky for the last two days,” Arie reveals. “What are you not telling me? What’s happening with the wedding that you’re keeping a secret?”

“Nothing!” I defend. “You have the reception designs and the menu requests. You’re allowed to make whatever you and Olivia think is best. No one’s keeping secrets from you.”

Except her dragon senses know that’s not true.

“I don’t like it,” she states, narrowing her eyes at me. “Something stinks.”

“Or maybe,” I turn to her with a defiant frown, “you like to stir up drama, when everything is fine.”

And everythingisfine.

Except, Kendall hasn’t done more than send me a few professional wedding-related texts since our car escapades, which seems like a big red flag that she’s regretting it.

“I don’t find drama when there isn’t any,” Arie corrects. “I’m a bloodhound sniffing out traitors in my midst.”

“Are we in a Shakespearean tragedy now? Am I going to be stabbing you in the back with a spatula sometime soon?”

“That’s a poor weapon choice,” Arie motions to the kitchen behind us, “especially when there are brûlée torches and carving knives only steps away.”

“Maybe that’s because I’m a lame adversary,” I point out, retreating from the dining room and heading to the kitchen like I might grab one of those weapons in question. “Obviously, the worst I’d ever do is stab you with rubber.”

“That sounds like you have a problem using condoms,” she retorts.

“No,” I shake my head, walking into the kitchen and brandishing a baking spatula from one of her bins. “It just means I’d never survive the Zombie apocalypse because I’d choose the wrong weapon.” I poke her with the flimsy tip. “Andyou’re inventing problems when there aren’t any.”

“I’m not going to trust a thing you say until this wedding is over,” Arie presses.

“Why? Because you’re not in charge of planning everything?” I ask. “When was planning something you like to do, much less are good at?”

“I want this wedding to be perfect,” Arie snips, and though that’s true, I don’t buy it. She’s desperate to meddle.

“And it will be,” I say, returning the spatula to its bin. “Just let everyone do their job and stay in your lane.”

“It doesn’t add up,” Arie replies, crossing her arms. “Youdon’t add up. You wouldn’t be acting nervous and distracted if everything was fine.”

That’s a good point. I need to keep my head in the game if I want Arie off the scent of me and Kendall.

“It’s normal expansion stuff,” I deflect. “I’ve been thinking a lot about a new location in Los Angeles. That’s all.”

“We still have to see how this wedding goes before we talk seriously about that,” she replies, crossing her arms and showing how little she really likes the idea, making me wonder if the wholeHollywood Brideidea was a ruse. Too bad, it’s a good idea and we’re doing it, even if it’s Arie’s excuse to influence what Kendall’s designing.

“Beforeyoutalk seriously about it,” I say, pointing out that she’s the one who’s always tabling this conversation.

“There’s only one Arie,” she justifies. “I may have a twin, but duplicating me at another location isn’t as easy as you think.”

“I never said it was,” I placate. “Though I have a whole business plan for how to train someone to—”

“Like I read,” Arie snips, rolling her eyes and shooing me away with her hand. “Go back to your spread sheets or whatever you were doing and spare me the torture.”

Daydreaming about yellow suits on my floor, that’s what I was doing. Of course, I don’t say that because it’s precisely the information Arie is fishing for. The best way for me to be dismissed is to bring up math and business plans.

Works like a charm.

I slink out of the kitchen and head down the hall. Now if I could just get my brain to stop imagining Kendall in all the dark hiding spaces of Flambé … then I might be able to keep Arie’s suspicions at bay.

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