I wasn't falling for it this time. "Get what?"
"You were trying to make up with Nate."
No, I had been trying to make out with Nate, and, per my usual, we went too far.
"You're right. We took a walk and tried to … bang everything out."
"Did it work?"
I cleared my throat. "Well, we had a couple really good moments."
"Really?"
"Yeah … " No sense lying. "I lost count after five."
Lindsey's smile warmed her words. "That's great."
"But I don't think there's any changing Nate."
I tugged on my clothes and slipped from the dressing room. Lindsey took my dress and nodded.
"The important thing is that you're trying to be friends for me," she said.
The guilt coiled up nicely next to the baby. I should have been helping my sister more with her wedding, but Nate and the baby were the only problems on my mind.
And I had no idea what to do with him now that he'd rolled the entire bridal party in bed.
I expected it. I knew the type of man he was.
So why was he still chasing me? I couldn't trust his intentions, not with my heart and definitely not with a baby on the way.
Lindsey hurried to the other bridesmaids, just in time to cover her eyes as Mom finally squeezed into her outfit.
Mom marched to the mirror in a designer, form-fitting, completely inappropriate halter dress. The dress was too much bust, not nearly enough over the booty, and came in fire-engine red. Somehow her sweater puppies matured into sweater dogs, and if she didn't let them breathe, the entire boutique was gonna blow.
"Mom … " Lindsey's eyes widened. "You can't wear that."
"And why not?"
"Because your gazongas are gigunda. Who are you trying to impress at my wedding?"
Mom spun in front of the mirror. She plucked at the material and inched it higher up her leg.
Why my mother felt the need to wear thigh-high hose, I'd never understand, but at least it wasn't as bad as the fishnets when we met with the caterers.
"Your father is no longer buying my dress for the wedding." Mom ran her hand over her waist. Whatever corset she wore buckled but hadn't broken. "And I want to feel beautiful."
"Know what's beautiful?" Lindsey stomped her feet. "Layers!"
"What's wrong with this?"
I bit my lip. "Well, I can see the dimples on your cheeks."
"I don't have dimples."
"Not on your face, Mom."
Mom got flustered. "Mandy, if you had it your way, I'd be going to the wedding in a parka. You'll have to accept that your mother is a sexual being-"
The bridesmaids shuddered.
"-who wants to look good at her daughter's wedding. And if the world sees me as sexy, I'll give it a little show."
Lindsey sighed. "Please don't do a show, Mom."
"I've already been asked."
"By who?"
Mom smiled. "It was supposed to be a surprise. But I'm going to sing Natural Woman at your party with the band, and I need to look the part."
Lindsey stared at me like I agreed to play piano for her.
"Fix this," she growled. "Now."
I thought morning sickness made me uncomfortable. I was wrong.
This. This was uncomfortable.
"Mom, I think Lindsey wanted to hire a professional to sing," I said.
"One song, baby." Mom patted Lindsey's cheek. "You know what it's like to be desired-Bryce loves you. And I'm hot on the market." She glanced at me. "Maybe you'll understand one day, Mandy. Once your hair grows out. And you lose a little more weight. And maybe we can do something about your nose … "
And I was done.
If they only knew. I was desirable. Hell, Nate couldn't stop touching me.
It just so happened he'd already touched everyone else too.
I stormed out of the boutique, cell in hand. I had no idea if it was right to be flattered by Nate's constant chasing, or if it meant I didn't give in as easily as the other girls.
All the other girls.
And nothing was wrong with my nose!
This was getting overwhelming. I needed some sort of insight about Nate. I knew the person I had to call, but Rick wasn't going to like these questions.
I paced outside for a minute before building the courage to call him. Rick answered with a groggy profanity.
"Rise and shine," I said.
Another profanity. "Is anyone bleeding?"
"Nope."
"Heart attack?"
"Nope."
"It's my day off." Rick grumbled. "Call back never."
"I gotta talk to you."
I permitted him a minute to complain, but Rick wouldn't hang up on me. Once the telltale sputtering of his coffee pot hissed over the line, I knew I had him.
"Lindsey driving you crazy?" He yawned.
I took a breath. Now or never. "Not Lindsey."
"Your mom?"
"Well, yeah. Pretty sure we'll need the Jaws of Life to get her out of the dress she chose, but … it's not her."
"Uh-oh. What happened?"
Why was it so hard to say? My throat closed. I'd make it easy. Just start with the basics.
"I, uh … it's Nate."
Rick groaned. "Please tell me you didn't sleep with him."
I quieted. He knew exactly what that meant.
"No! Mandy, why in God's name would you sleep with Nate?"
Good question. I had no idea how to explain it.
"It was … something that happened." And it happened more times than I could count thanks to the cabin and that night of mistaken pleasure. "I was lonely. And the wedding was getting nuts. And my parents were stressing me out. I needed something to take my mind off of it all."
"Jesus, Mandy. Take a walk. A cold shower. Anything but Nate."
"I know."
"Especially since he's slept with all the bridesmaids now. Christ, this wedding served him all the fresh meat he could want."
"As I learned." I sighed and stopped my pacing. At least the sun felt nice-warm … non-judgmental. "It's just … I thought there might have been … "
"What?"
A spark? "Something else there."
"Don't." Rick took on his older brother tone. "Don't look for anything more with Nate. I know the guy. It was a one-night stand."
"Except it wasn't."
"What?"
"It wasn't … a one-off fuck."
"Did you just use the word fuck?"
"Listen to me. It was more than once. And he's been … pursuing me. Calling me, texting me. He wants to talk. He even apologized for the other girls before me."
"Nate."
"Yes."
"Nate Kensington?"
"Yes, smart-ass." I plunked down on the bench outside the boutique. "You're his friend. What's he doing? What am I supposed to do?"
"I don't have the answers for you, but I know what I have to do."
I was afraid to ask. "What?"
"Kick his fucking ass."
"That's not why I called you-"
"He knows better than to confuse you like this. You're too damn inexperienced for him."
"That doesn't matter. Even if it wasn't my first time-"
"Holy shit! You were a virgin?"
Pretty sure the elderly couple passing on the sidewalk heard him through the phone.
Rick swore. Something crashed in his room.
Yeah. We definitely weren't telling him about the baby yet.
"Rick, listen to me," I said. "It's just confusing. Nate's been nice and supportive and … it's not like he's looking to score."
"That's all he's ever wanted from anyone."
"Then why would he come back for more?"
"Because he can take advantage of you."
"That's not it, and you know it." I heaved a breath. "This past weekend, when he was at the cabin with us, I thought … he seemed so … "
"Don't say it."
"I think I have feelings for him."
This was the moment Rick's head would explode, but, fortunately, I only heard the crash of his coffee cup in the sink. I flinched. He exhaled.
"Look, Mandy. I know he's a smooth talker. After Jada left me, he taught me a couple tricks so I could hook up with girls at the bar-"
"You did what?"
"Let's focus on your fuck-ups now, okay?"
My words caught in my throat. Rick apologized and softened his voice.
"My advice?" He hesitated. "Stay away from him. You're not his type, and he is definitely not yours. I want to see you taken care of. Loved. In a nice big house with a boatload of kids running around giving you a headache."
Mission-partially-accomplished. I swallowed.
"And I don't want you to get hurt," he said.
"I don't either. But everything is getting more and more complicated."
"If anyone can untangle things, it's you."
Sure, when the rope wasn't looped around my neck. I forced a smile into my voice. "I'll sort it out."
"Don't make me whoop your ass too."
Oh no. That was still to come. "Please … don't tell anyone? I'm trying to keep the wedding as drama-free as possible."
"Oh yeah." Rick gave a deep belly-laugh. "Lindsey's drama-free wedding. Right. Am I invited to that one too?"