Chapter Thirteen

Izzy

“On your mark, get—”

Zel bursted out laughing, her hyena laugh coming out strong. That sound only came out when she was really laughing, like laughing so hard she couldn’t contain herself.

Fiona chuckled and looked pointedly at Zel who was supposed to be starting the race, but this was her second attempt at it and every time she got to this point, she couldn’t stop laughing.

“Maybe we should just skip this game,” Bo brought up for the third time.

The first time was when Zel announced the next game—Race You Down the Aisle.

The second was when we partnered off and I wrapped the garter around our ankles.

And the third, well, the third was now when we were about ready to start.

Zel was in charge of coming up with game ideas for Fiona and Louie’s joint bach party, so I didn’t know why she was finding this amusing. Maybe it was the fact that she was hosting the games. Maybe it was because Louie’s other groomsmen couldn’t make it so Zel couldn’t participate since there was no partner for her. Or maybe it was because there was a row of people standing in front of her coupled off all wearing garters around their ankles—think three-legged race style.

Either way, Fiona blew bubbles. “Can we get on with it already?”

Louie patted her back. “Come on, Zel. I want to show these losers that my fiancée and I are going to kick their butts at this game.”

Bo snickered. “Oh, yeah? Like you kicked our butts at the ring hunt?”

To bring you up to speed, he was referring to the game we played before this one. The objective was to find the most toy rings that were hidden around the house—Zel’s house, actually. Needless to say, Bo was slightly more competitive than I would’ve pegged him to be, at least when it came to silly bachelor/bachelorette games.

“You’re so going down,” Louie went on. “Right, Fiona?” He angled his head toward her. “They’re going to eat our dust.”

“My competitive fiancé, ladies and gentlemen,” Fiona exclaimed, chuckling. “Not everything’s a competition, babe.”

He gave her a crooked expression, like he was just seeing this lax side of her. “This is a game, sure, but what’s the point in playing if you’re not going to win?”

Bo nudged my arm. “Don’t worry, Izzy, we got this in the bag.”

“I’m not worried,” I assured him. Then I looked at the finish line ahead and grimaced. “I’ve got my eye on the prize.”

“There is no prize for the individual games,” Zel reminded, “only the one with the most cumulative points wins.”

I cracked my neck and then the knuckles on my fingers. “Let’s do this!” I shouted, which caused everyone to stare in my direction.

Bo flicked one of my antlers from the reindeer headband the bride’s squad was wearing. “Easy there, Rudo—”

“Don’t you dare call me by the wrong reindeer name again,” I mock-seethed, “I’m Dasher.”

“Right,” he said, then looked at Zel. “Can we finally start, please?”

“Sure,” she said, throwing her hands up. “We’ve wasted enough time. Go!”

What? Now?

Bo started without me and obviously that wasn’t going to do the trick because we both went down, falling flat on the floor. Didn’t he know this was about teamwork?

“Nice going,” he mumbled. “Now Louie has a lead on us!”

“What is it with you two?” I asked as he helped me up.

“Just let’s go!” He slipped an arm around my waist, as if prepared to drag me if he had to.

Starting again, we were in third place but just about to get out ahead of the couple in second place, leaving just Louie and Fi we had to beat. They were insanely good at this, though, like they’d been practicing or something. Maybe that was what Bo and I should’ve been doing.

“Hey, Fi,” I called out and she turned around, giving Louie no time to pause, too, and they both went down.

Bo eyed me and smiled, obviously pleased with my devious ways. What, I liked to win, too. And it worked because that little maneuver gave Bo and I enough lead time to cross the finish line and—

“We have a winner!” Zel called out. “Congrats, Bo and Izzy!”

Bo grabbed my hand and held it up high. “Heck yeah we won!”

He was thrilled, like so over the moon happy, I never would’ve thought I’d see the day. Turned out, winning really put him in a good mood. You’d think he was told he cured cancer or something by how happy he was. Utterly triumphant.

As everyone started taking off the garters, Bo whispered, “Sophomore year in college. Beer pong. It was a nasty, competitive game and he won. Only, I swore he didn’t. I still think he cheated. The other guys in the house watching swore he didn’t, but I called bull.”

I nearly choked. “Wait!” I threw a hand up, calling time out. “You were a frat boy?”

He shrugged and nonchalantly replied, “Yeah. It was no big deal.” But that felt like something to be anything but nonchalant about. I mean, had he seen himself? This man did not scream frat boy. I couldn’t have been more surprised.

Sharing this, I swatted his arm. “I never would’ve guessed.”

“What did you peg me for?”

I stared at him and smirked. “Honestly, I don’t know, but not that. I guess I don’t see you as a college kid at all, you’re just so. . .” I searched for the right word, but came up short. “So. . .”

“What?” He cocked his brow.

“I don’t know. . . mature?”

Laughing now, his smile couldn’t be helped and I loved it—the way he looked so happy. “Mature? I’ll take that.”

“Hmm. Maybe it’s the whole soon-to-be CEO thing.”

“Maybe.” He spun the garter around his finger in the air. “My turn, let me do you.”

I crossed my arms, fully prepared for whatever he was going to say—as long as it was kind. “Go for it.”

He narrowed his eyes, deep in thought, as he gave me a once-over. “Never late to class, if you could help it. Didn’t attend ragers, unless it wasn’t a school night. On all the committees that were about school spirit. Befriended everyone, even the nerdy kid who drank chocolate milk with his pizza. Had a massive crush on a jock who wouldn’t give you the time of day.”

I pursed my lips and nodded, biting back a laugh. “You’re almost right.”

“Tell me,” he commanded, his deep voice obviously curious now.

I caught the garter he was spinning in the air and stretched at the elastic. “I didn’t go to college.”

“So how was I almost right?”

“That was me in high school,” I explained. “Except the jock did give me the time of day, at least until we broke up after prom because he was going to school in California and I was staying here,” I said matter-of-factly, feeling mighty good about that one. So good, in fact, that I didn’t mind walking away from Bo, leaving him there with what had to be a slew of unanswered questions.

* * *

“Who made the first move?”

Zel was currently hosting the game Shoe on the Other Foot. Don’t ask me why it was called that because technically they did swap shoes, but they were holding them up, not placing them on their feet. Anyway, that aside, Fiona and Louie looked like they were having a good time. Well, as good a time as two people could have when they’d been sitting in chairs with their backs toward one another for the past five minutes.

We were all sitting on the sidelines placing bets on who knew each other more.

So far everyone thought Fiona knew Louie more.

But I happened to know Fiona, and she didn’t listen as well as you’d think she did.

In fact, for as little as men were known to listen, Fiona listened less than that. Especially when she had something on her mind and, because her job was so demanding, she almost always had something on her mind.

Not that she didn’t pay attention when you were talking, but oh you knew what I was saying.

Bo tilted his head downward and whispered in my ear. “They’re both too conceited to play this game.”

I chuckled, looking over at him. “You’re right. They’re both going to say it was themselves.”

“But really it was—”

“Fiona,” Bo cut me off, finishing my sentence.

Zel tossed the cards she was holding with the questions on the floor. “That’s it. You two are ridiculous. It’s like you’re not playing the game right on purpose.”

Did I mention Zel was slightly dramatic?

Fiona shot up and gasped when she saw Louie not holding her ballerina flat up. “This is ridiculous.” She grabbed the shoe and gave him his back. “You should’ve been waving this thing in the air.”

He guffawed. “Babe, it was me. I made the first move, don’t you remember?”

“No, I don’t remember and why would I? Because you’re making that up.”

Louie put his shoe on and blew bubbles. “I don’t believe this.”

As they tried to figure things out, everyone began walking around and going off to their own corners, talking, otherwise ignoring them—they did this, it’d blow over.

I looked for Zel, but she was nowhere to be found.

“So?” I rocked on the balls of my feet and smacked my lips together, turning to Bo. “This was definitely one of the more interesting bach parties I’ve been to.”

Bo nodded. “Me, too. Although, I liked it better than the usual go to a bar and get too drunk to remember the stripper’s name.”

I laughed. “Bo Grant letting loose?” I held a hand to my chest and shook my head, trying to contain more laughter. “It just seems wrong.”

He scratched his chin, looking like he was clearly feeling—arrogant. “Get your laughs in all you want, but need I remind you I was in a fraternity?”

I scoffed. “What does that mean?”

He gave me a look that said you know what that means. “Frat boys are known to be extremely fun.”

“And dumb,” I pointed out, actually pointing a finger at him.

He brushed me off. “Whatever.”

“So what happened to that guy? When I first met you, I would’ve never guessed you even knew the definition of a good time.”

“I know how to have fun and let loose, but I also know that it’s all just a fantasy. When you get back to reality, it’s harsh and there’s no time or room for fun.”

“Because you make it that way.”

“No, Izzy, because life is that way.”

“I don’t believe you think that. I think that deep down you want someone to prove you wrong. And I think that this town is doing that and it scares you.”

“I’m not scared,” he countered, crossing his arms stiffly.

“Oh, no, I would never say that. Mr. Grumpy himself scared?” I shook my head. “Couldn’t be.”

“You think I’m grumpy?”

“I think you act like you’re a grump, but that’s not who you are. I think it’s a defense mechanism.”

“So what if it is?” he asked me seriously. “You can’t change me, Izzy. Not anymore than I can stop you from being all sunshine and rainbows.”

I sighed. “I told you, you bring that out in me to overcompensate. That’s not who I really am, no more than being like that is who you are. Besides, I don’t want to change you. What if I said I like you just the way you are, Bo?”

“Even if I’m grumpy?”

I raised an eyebrow and decided to push him a little. “In spite of that.”

“Hey!” he cried, nudging me with his elbow, that smile I enjoyed so much back on his lips.

* * *

Now that the party had pretty much died down, Fiona, Zel, Stassia, Belle and I all took to one of the bedrooms where we piled on the bed, or in Fiona and Belle’s case on the love seat near the window.

“All right, I don’t know about you guys, but I am beat.” Zel tucked her feet under her and sighed. “Who knew celebrating you and Louie would tucker me out so much?” she directed her question toward Fiona.

Fiona closed her eyes and smiled. “It all came together really nice and I couldn’t have done any of that without you or Izzy.”

I waved a hand in the air, clutching the pillow against me when I brought my hand back down. “Don’t even mention it.”

“Seriously, don’t,” Zel warned. “The last thing I want is people asking me to help plan theirs.” She shuddered, slightly dramatic about the whole thing. “I couldn’t even fathom doing this again.”

“What about when it’s yours or one of ours?” Stassia asked, a brow hitched in the air. When no one responded, just looked around, Stassia pushed, “Oh, come on! Like you’ve never considered it before? It could happen, you know. Especially for you.”

Belle exhaled and saved Zel from answering because she said, “I, for one, don’t plan on settling down anytime soon.” Then she added, “We’re young. We’re beautiful. It would be a sin to take ourselves off the market just yet.”

I giggled. “She’s right, you know. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t thought about it.”

“It being settling down?” Fiona checked.

I nodded. “Yeah, and it seems pretty nice, actually. I want what you and Louie have.”

Stassia was lying on her stomach now, kicking her feet in the air on the bottom of the bed. “I want it,” she said earnestly. “Bad,” she drew out the word. “It’s been my dream since I was a little girl, actually, to be swept off my feet by a handsome prince.”

“Seems like just that,” Zel interjected, “a dream.”

I nudged her side. “Hey, where’s this coming from?” I chuckled. “You have men lined up to go on dates with you. Or at least you would if you didn’t turn most of them down.”

Zel played with the bottom of her long blonde hair. “None of them are the one for me.”

I scoffed. “Please, you don’t even give them a chance. You make them all casual.”

“Wrong move,” Belle replied. “Then they get the wrong idea.”

“Maybe that’s the idea I want them to get,” Zel challenged.

Fiona gasped and nearly jumped out of her seat, pointing at Zel now. “Oh my goodness, I don’t know how we didn’t see it before.”

“See what?” Zel asked, her eyebrows furrowing as she looked just as confused as I felt.

What was Fiona talking about?

“You did love someone once and you thought they were the one for you, so now you don’t give anyone else a chance,” Fiona explained, leaning back and nodding. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

Belle swatted her arm. “No one likes a know-it-all.”

Fiona just grinned, though, clearly pleased with herself.

“Is that true?” I looked at Zel who was biting her lower lip. If I learned anything from spending time with Bo, it was how the past did have a way of impacting the future, so this could very well be accurate, but only Zel could confirm that.

Zel got off the bed and leaned against the wall as she looked at all of us. “Geez, there are way too many eyes on me right now.” Sighing, she started, “So what if it is true? But I don’t even know if it was love or what it was.” She slid down the wall and sat on the floor, taking her reindeer headband off and placing it beside her. “I was sixteen. I barely knew who I was, let alone what love felt like.” But she sighed happily as she looked downward and seemed to begin reliving those days in her head. “He was my older brother’s best friend and way out of my league. He’d always been there. Honestly, he was more like a friend, I guess you could say.”

“That sounds sweet,” Stassia interjected. “What’s his name?”

Zel snapped out of the past, though, and came back to the present real soon with that question. “It doesn’t matter because we haven’t spoken in years.”

“Is he still friends with your brother?” Belle asked.

Zel shrugged. “I think so, but I asked him never to tell me about he-who-shall-not-be-named.”

“What happened with you two that he can’t be named?” Stassia quickly swallowed hard, looking like she wanted to take the words back. She shook her head. “Never mind. Tell us whenever you’re ready.”

“Yeah,” I agreed, knowing my friend and how she’d need that kind of space. “We’re here whenever you want to talk.”

Zel got up now, came back over, and bounced back on the bed, causing the spring to make noises before she settled on it again, her feet under her in her usual way. “So when are you going to be ready to dish?” She looked pointedly at me and then widened her eyes and let her mouth hang open. “Please, girl, don’t even try and pretend that I’m being presumptuous.” She pointed a finger in my face. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Fi cleared her throat from where she was sitting and coughed, “Bo,” before chuckling.

I rolled my eyes and chucked the pillow at her. “There’s nothing to tell.”

“You’re lying,” Stassia said, pointing to my forehead and leaning in to touch it. “You’re getting this wrinkle on your forehead.”

I swatted her hand away. “Am not.” I licked my lips, debating on what to say. “There’s not much to say, that’s all.”

“Not much to say or not much you want to say?” Zel pushed.

And wasn’t I the one who just said she didn’t have to tell us everything now that we’d be here when she was ready?

Well, I wasn’t. Ready, that was.

I needed time to figure my feelings out on my own before involving my amazingly nosey friends. I loved them, I really did, but the invasion was a lot sometimes.

“I’m not saying anything more than this: I think I’d be open to see what’s between us, if Bo wanted to give it a shot.”

After a round of ooo-la-las, I decided to add, “I’ve been getting to know him more and more and I like him.”

“What the elf! I knew you’d like him!” Fiona clutched her chest, looking triumphant.

Of course, she did. That explained so many of the ways she tried to push us together over her wedding planning. And apparently, it worked.

Belle laughed. “I feel like we’re in middle school again. Are you two sitting in a tree?”

We all laughed and I rolled my eyes at her. “Real mature.”

“Are you two going to the tree lighting together?” Zel asked, her eyes growing wide. “That could be the perfect place to have your first kiss.” Then she backed up. “You haven’t kissed yet, right? I want to know what its like with his beard,” she said, biting on her thumbnail.

“With the beard, we might’ve just elevated things to high school, maybe college,” Belle said, obviously still amused.

Skipping over my sassy friend’s remark, I answered Zel’s question. “No! Of course not.”

Stassia leaned forward, a blush on her cheeks. “I don’t know why not. I would’ve welcomed a little beard burn from that hunk of a man.”

I took a pillow from behind me and swatted her with it. “Find your own man who can give you beard burn.”

Stassia gasped. “Are you saying he’s yours?”

Belle chuckled. “Oh, no. I think you’ve got it worse than you think, Izzy.”

“Excuse me, but I just think it’s weird for Stassia to be talking about beard burn like it’s sexy.”

“Izzy,” Zel said, leaning in and practically whispering, “any mark from a man who claims you is sexy.”

I smacked my tongue on the roof of my mouth. Leave it to Zel to think that.