Page 8 of Play Maker

I’d forgotten Archer had found the dress for me. He’d sometimes tagged along when Mom went searching for stock, though he’d sworn us to secrecy. Couldn’t have a big, bad hockey coach flipping through racks of second-hand dresses.

Rob’s lips thinned at the mention of Archer, but he nodded along. “You look beautiful tonight. It’s nice to see the natural color of your hair.”

My hand lifted to my updo—the one I’d done specifically because it hid my rainbow streaks—and I tried not to be offended. Rob had a very specific definition of appropriate beauty. Tonight might be the first time I’d hit his high standards, but I still felt like I’d failed.

Instead of responding to Rob’s backhanded insult, I took another swig of wine. Alcohol had never been a coping mechanism for me, but with nothing else in arm’s reach, I was relying heavily on the wineglass to keep my face busy.

Mom leaned forward. “I’m so glad you’ll have Shad around for the summer, because we have some big news for you.” She shared a secret smile with Rob, then lifted her left hand from under the table. “We’re getting married.”

My chest squeezed like the time I’d knocked the air out of myself falling from an inverted pose. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the enormous gleaming diamond on her finger. Distantly, I heard Rob order champagne and Shad offer his congratulations.

People at nearby tables clapped politely when the cork popped and Rob made a toast to his future bride. I finished off the wine I had in my hand—it got slightly better the more I drank of it—and took a flute of champagne to lift at the appropriate time.

My shock faded in time to hear Rob announce a fall wedding. Fall. As in only a few months away. Everyone else raised their glasses for a small sip, then applauded. I drained mine. The bubbles tickled my nose, but I needed the liquid courage to fortify my facial muscles.

Mom had tears glistening in her eyes as she leaned over to share a chaste kiss with Rob. Happy tears. My impulsive, creative, genius mother was marrying a Ken doll.

I wrenched my gaze away and accidentally clashed with Shad’s. He watched me with a speculative gleam I disliked intensely.

Mom cleared her throat and discreetly wiped her eyes. “I want you to be my maid of honor, Blue, and of course, Shad will be the best man.”

I nodded mutely. What else could I say? Mom could ask me to BASE jump off Reunion Tower and I’d strap on a parachute.

She reached out and clasped my hand, squeezing my fingers. “I’m going to be spending even more time here in Dallas to prep for the wedding, so I’m reducing my hours at the dress shop. You’ll have more responsibility, but I don’t want you overwhelmed trying to pick up my slack, especially in your final summer of college.”

A thread of panic tied knots in my intestines. It sounded like she was leaving the dress shop up to me. I didn’t like covering when Mom was there, no way did I want to run the thing all on my own. Behind the scenes? Yes. But we didn’t have any other employees, which meant if the shop was open, I was all people would get.

My head spun a little, and I swallowed hard. I knew better than to drink on an empty stomach, but those cheese cubes with Adam had been hours ago. If I was going to survive the night, I needed bread or something.

I snagged the waiter’s arm as he passed by picking up champagne glasses. “Can I get—”

“We need a few more minutes, please,” Rob interrupted.

The waiter didn’t give me a second glance as he pulled away and practically bowed at Rob. I frowned at his back, then pressed my lips together when I realized all three of my tablemates were staring at me.

“What?”

Mom fidgeted with her napkin and sent Rob a pleading glance. What the heck? He usually deferred to her when it came to me.

“The wedding will be an important social event for all of us, but especially for your mother. She’ll be launching her yoga studio around that time, and we’ll be inviting potential clientele from the upper echelons of Dallas society.”

My brows rose as I realized what that meant. “Mom, I thought you were waiting until next year to start the studio.”

She gave me a tentative smile, as if she were worried aboutmyreaction. “The perfect space came available, and two of the instructors I wanted agreed to come work for me. I’m going to be in Dallas anyway…Everything just fell into place, and Rob and I agreed there was no point in waiting.”

There was a point.Iwas the point. The life we’d built together in Addison was the point. I wanted her to be happy, but at the same time, I felt like she was abandoning me right before the finish line. “What about your classes at TU?”

Mom reached across the table toward me. “I’ll fulfill my contract with them for the next school year. Don’t worry, your tuition will still be covered. You can use the profits from the shop to cover your other expenses. Everything is going to be fine, I promise—”

Rob caught Mom’s hand, and she straightened as if he’d pulled a string. “Angela knows how to run the shop. There’s another matter we need to discuss. We’re concerned about the quality of your acquaintances for the wedding events.”

I frowned as I looked back and forth between them. “What do you mean?”

“We can’t have you showing up with a drug dealer or someone equally undesirable if you’re representing Hope as the maid of honor.”

I huffed out a breath. One time. I’d brought a guy around to a family dinnerone time, and he’d hit on Mom, suggested a threesome, then offered to sell her some of his product. Rob hadn’t even been in the picture then.

We’d kicked him out, and I’d blocked his number. It wasn’t like I’d chosen him specifically because of his horrible traits. None of that should have anything to do with my mom’s wedding. As usual, I couldn’t make the connection on my own.

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