Page 20 of Thoroughly Pucked

“What is it?” I ask, worried.

“Are you okay?” Dev seconds.

Her brow is furrowed, her lips twisted.

“Tomorrow,” she gasps like she’s short on air. “I’m supposed to leave for my honeymoontomorrow. We have non-refundable tickets.”

9

THE JILTED BRIDE REFUND

Aubrey

The lights of a plane high above us wink on and off against the night sky. “So, yeah. That was the plan for our honeymoon,” I say as I lie on the hood of the car, staring at the jets taking off at the nearby airport. I don’t want to move. Partly because I just can’t even with this day. Partly because Dev’s lying on one side of me, Ledger on the other, and it’s comfy with them. Cozy in its own way. They’re just listening, like they’ve done all day. “I wanted more of an adventure. Spend the day outside exploring, go to a ghost town, and see new things I never expected to see. But he wanted to do touristy things and wine tastings. I mean, I like wine, but I’m more of a stomp-on-the-grapes girl than aswirl-a-glass-and-talk-about-the-oak-and-berry-and-bacon-leather-taste one.”

“Bacon leather?” Dev asks.

Ledger shifts his gaze toward me. “What kind of wine have you been drinking, Aubrey?”

“It all kind of tastes like that, though,” I say. “Don’t you think?”

“Red wine, sure. Now that you say it,” Dev says.

“And our flight leaves tomorrow afternoon,” I say with another heavy sigh. “I saved up for months for the week-long trip. Well, we both did. But I was making more, so I paid more.” And now I’m annoyed that I’m stuck with two tickets, and a room at the inn Aiden wanted to stay at because McDoodle Island has two pie shops, including one that had become an Instagram sensation. Yeah, that was a fun reason to pick a honeymoon destination. To scout its work potential. “Maybe I can call the airline and see if they have a jilted bride refund?”

Both men are quiet for several seconds. No jokes. No teasing. Dev sits up and shoots Ledger a stare I can’t read.

Ledger pushes up too, his blue eyes directing question marks to his friend.

Ugh. I hate silence. It reminds me too much of nights at the dinner table when I was younger. When Claire and Garrett were busy with their friends, and I was the only kid there, tasked with single-handedly keeping the conversation alive during the years when my parents barely spoke to each other. “Airlines really should have one if you think about it,” I say, all cheery.

When in doubt, make a joke at your own expense.

“Excuse me for a sec, Aubs,” Dev says, not taking the bait at all as he swings his legs off the hood of thecar, jerking his gaze to Ledger then the parking lot in awalk with megesture.

I sit up.

Worries swim inside me as Ledger hops off the hood and strides into the warm summer night with Dev, the sound of their footsteps fading. Maybe I should just shut up and stop telling them every detail of my failed wedding. They are my brother’s besties, after all, but I’ve been treating them like mine. I have my own besties to share my innermost thoughts with.

But before I can stew in my head much longer, the duet of Crocs and wingtips on pavement grows louder as my escorts return. They stop in front of me, twin gazes a little devilish.

“What if instead of a jilted bride refund,” Dev begins, his lips curving into a satisfied grin.

“We take the trip with you,” Ledger finishes.

I freeze.

Did they really say that? Tilting my head, I study Dev’s green eyes, playful, but hopeful too. Then Ledger’s blue ones. Serious. Direct.

They mean this. “A honeymoon for three?” I ask.

Dev gives a casual shrug. “I’m pretty fucking fun.”

“Stern Brunch Daddy knows how to have a good time too,” Ledger adds. As if he has to sell himself as well when I’m beyond sold. I want to shoutyes, yes, yesright now. But there’s that little matter of my brother. “What about Garrett?”

I’ve barely mentioned him all day. There’s been no need. But I don’t want to upset him by monopolizingtime with his clients who are also his friends. “Will he mind?”

Dev scratches his bearded jaw, seeming to consider it for a beat. “He did send us to take care of you today. I’ve been keeping him in the loop over text. He asked us to look out for you.”

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