KING: Las Vegas Bad Boys(64)
“Well, that’s a bloody waste. It’s not going to do any good now, not if the company is getting consolidated.”
“Fuck,” Geoffrey snorts. “Shit. You’re right. Sorry.”
“I just wish there was a way to save it all,” I say.
“Me too.” Geoffrey kicks a pebble. When he looks up, he points behind me. “Look,” he says. “Your posse.”
All bundled up, Emmy and Ace, Fiona, Tess, and Claire walk toward us.
“Your parents kicked us out,” Ace says, jumping on my back like a child. “They said there was a pub a quarter of a mile away. Let’s go get wasted. We’ve had enough bullshit for one day.”
I push him off my back, laughing. My eyes meet Geoffrey’s, and he nods in agreement.
We’ve called a truce. Made silent amends.
And now we can go get properly sloshed.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Claire
The pub smells like grease and beer, and I smile, sliding onto a worn wooden bench in this hundred-year-old bar. I’ve wanted to hang out in a place like this my whole life. I’m going to insist Landon take me to another iconic English locale tomorrow.
“I can’t believe we’re hanging out in a bar in England. This is so not real life,” Tess says, pulling down her V-neck top. “But there aren’t any hotties besides the guys you brought.”
“And they’re all taken,” Emmy says, sticking out her bottom lip before turning to me. “So why are you and Landon fighting?”
The guys have gone to the bar to get us drinks, and it’s just us ladies—but Fiona is here, and I don’t know how much I want her to know. Not that she’ll learn about the fake engagement, considering even my friends don’t know about that.
“He and I just don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things ... and I wonder how that will play out in a marriage.”
“Like what?” Tess asks. “I mean, I figured it was all roses and sunsets, considering it all happened so fast.”
“Well it is roses and sunsets,” I say, defensive. “It’s just … complicated. I don’t even know how to explain it.”
I can’t just say Landon loves me and I don’t know if I love him back ... because that would mean admitting this is a farce. And I can’t explain why I am scared of going all in with someone, and admit the other thing that is holding me back.
The thing I haven’t even mentioned to Landon.
Holy crap, I need a drink.
“Relationships are crazy complicated,” Emmy says, shaking her head just as the boys bring over pints of frothy beer.
“Whose relationship is crazy complicated?” Ace asks, after stealing a kiss from his wife.
“All relationships,” Emmy says. “I mean, gosh, it’s hard to sacrifice and share and play nice. Life is hard, that’s all.”
“I wouldn’t know. You know, because I don’t have a fiancé or a husband.” Tess pouts.
“Awww, poor Tess,” Ace teases. “Seriously, though, your man will come. Be patient. I mean, did anyone think Landon would be getting hitched in a week?”
“A week?” Tess shrieks. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Oops. Hadn’t mentioned that to my friends. I haven’t had a chance since before the family meeting.
Landon shrugs as I meet his eyes. “I told Ace at the bar. Sorry.”
“It’s not a secret; it’s epic,” Fiona says as she takes her beer from Geoffrey. “It’s going to be a double wedding, and you should have been Helen and Arthur’s faces when we decided earlier today. It was priceless.”
“Wow,” Emmy says, nodding slowly. “Looks like you have, like, a whole life we don’t know about. A secret relationship, a secret child. When were you going to tell us about the secret wedding? After the secret honeymoon?”
“Listen, it wasn’t, like, a secret. It was just decided this afternoon,” I explain, looking to Landon for help.
“Yeah, I just don’t get it,” Ace says slowly. “It seems like a lot. Why the rush?”
“You’re asking us about rushing things?” Landon asks. “You only knew Emmy for weeks. And now you’re trying to have a baby. I don’t think we’re the ones who need to slow down.”
“But it was different with us,” Emmy says, being oversensitive.
“No, it wasn’t,” I say. “You didn’t even know he was your boss the first time you slept together.”
“Okay, I think we should stop this discussion,” Tess says, raising her pint. “Let’s toast. To double weddings!” She pulls on a tight, fake smile.