Mess With Me Page 8

  She stepped inside and gasped. “Oh, Claire!”

  The normally sedate lounge, done in muted grays with white sofas and chairs, had been transformed into a wedding wonderland. She stepped through a wedding arch draped in sheer gauze with fragrant white, pink, and red roses. White votive candles glowed on every surface—the small black end tables, the longer black table now prominently placed in the center of the room, and on the sleek black bar top. White and pale pink flower arrangements stood at the center of each table, and classical music played in the background, piped through speakers in the ceiling.

  Claire beamed, her arms outstretched. “You like?” Her usually blond shoulder-length hair was dyed brown for her part as Mia in Fierce Loving, making her hazel eyes look more brown than green. Her outfit was elegant and sophisticated—a V-neck black and white striped top with white crystals studded along the V, tailored black pants, and black open-toed heels that were definitely designer. Her closet was designer heaven.

  “I love it!” Ally exclaimed, dropping her duffel and sleeping bag and rushing forward to hug Claire.

  Claire gave her a squeeze and pulled back to look at her. “I missed you, lady! I was so bummed I had to miss last week’s meeting. I love your dress!”

  It was Ally’s version of a modern wedding gown—an off-the-shoulder white eyelet dress that ended mid-thigh with white ballet flats complete with satin straps that wound around her ankles. She’d skipped the veil.

  “Thanks! I love your outfit too.”

  Claire smiled. “I wanted something more sedate to keep the focus on my personal vows.”

  Their friends gathered around Claire, who exclaimed over each of them, admiring their dresses. They all had a version of a white dress, mostly sundresses and maxi dresses, except for Mad, tomboy all the way, who had a white pants suit.

  “Go ahead and set your stuff by the back door,” Claire said. The rear exit of the lounge led directly to a private elevator.

  Everyone dropped off their stuff. Ally removed the manila folder with copies of the vows she’d prepared with Missy’s help from her duffel bag and rejoined her friends now gathered near the large center table.

  Hailey let out a low whistle. “Did you do all this yourself, Claire? I’m so impressed.”

  Claire waved airily. “I told my assistant that my friend wanted to get married here in a private ceremony. All credit to Arianna. I’m going to miss her something fierce when she goes on maternity leave. Should we begin?”

  The women chorused their agreement and took seats around the table.

  “Ally, you sit at the head of the table since this was your idea,” Claire said. “You lead us.”

  “Happy to.”

  “I’ll get the champagne,” Claire said. “It’s chilling. And we’re due to have the food delivered in an hour. It’s from the most amazing restaurant. Jake and I had our first date there as real Jake and real Claire.” Everyone laughed. It was a crazy story when the two of them had first met, each in disguise as someone else. At least it all worked out. Jake and Claire were happily married.

  “I’ll help,” Hailey said, hurrying to join Claire.

  A few moments later, Claire popped her head up from behind the bar, two champagne bottles in hand. Probably the good stuff too. “I got tapas warming back here to hold us over until the food arrives.”

  Ally couldn’t help her wide smile. “You really thought of everything. Thank you so much for making this such a special night.”

  Claire walked gracefully in her heels to deposit the champagne bottles in the center of the table next to a flower arrangement of pale pink and white roses. Hailey followed, balancing a tray of champagne glasses.

  “I’m telling you, this magic is all Arianna,” Claire insisted. “She’s a wizard with the details. Anyone know someone who’d like to be my assistant, let me know. There’s a ton of organizational details to see to, but I promise I’m a good boss. And of course there’s perks, award shows on occasion, black-tie events.”

  “I might be interested,” Ally blurted. It sounded kind of glam and she adored Claire. It might be just the thing for her next adventure. She’d been feeling restless in the classroom lately, even though she loved the kids.

  “Awesome,” Claire said. “Let’s chat later.”

  Ally nodded once, a calm settling over her, like her entire life was finally falling into place. She handed out the vows. “I thought we’d go around one by one, say our vow, and then everyone could congratulate that person, and then the next one goes. At the end, we’ll all toast together. Unless you wrote your own vow, then of course feel free to say that one.”

  The women exchanged glances.

  “Nobody wrote their own vow?” Ally asked.

  “Yours looks wonderful,” Carrie said.

  “Good with me,” someone else said. The women all murmured agreement.

  Ally took her seat. “Okay, let’s take a moment of silence to center ourselves. Close your eyes, deep breath in and out.” Ally had barely finished with the exhale when Hailey startled her with a sharp, “Ladies!”

  Hailey stood, beautiful as always in a white lace cutout dress with exposed holes on her sides, the dress ending just past her ass. “I have a confession.”

  The room went utterly still.

  Hailey smoothed her long strawberry blond hair. Her pale blue eyes held an abject expression of guilt. “I haven’t been walking my talk. I’ve worked so hard to plan happy endings for other people all while keeping myself closed off from the possibility of the same for myself.” She bit her lip, apparently waiting for them to condemn her. Not likely.

  “We all know that,” Mad said bluntly. “Otherwise you’d be hooking up with Josh by now.” Only Mad would have the nerve to say what they were all thinking. Mad was Hailey’s closest friend despite the fact they were, on the surface anyway, so different. Hailey, a poised beauty queen, feminine to her core, and Mad, a tough blackbelt with gruff manners and a die-hard tomboy.

  The women quietly agreed on the Josh assessment.

  “Would you please just let me finish my confession?” Hailey asked Mad. “This has nothing to do with that scoundrel of a brother of yours.”

  Mad snickered.

  Hailey went on. “Anyway, committing to myself in this way has made me realize it’s time to honor myself and line up my life’s work with my actual life.” She paused dramatically and took a deep breath. “I’ve had a friends-with-benefits situation for years, which I just ended. Right before I came here, actually.” Her eyes were wide and beseeching. “I know you must think I’m a total hypocrite being a happy ending facilitator—”

  “Who’s the guy?” Ally interrupted, thrilled to hear the real deal. They’d all been wondering about Hailey for years. It was so odd how she acted like a relationship expert yet never mentioned any guy in her life ever.

  “How come we never saw him?” Mad asked. “Is this one of those fake boyfriends?” She widened her brown eyes. “Sure, your boyfriend from Canada who we never see. Ri-i-i-ght.”

  Hailey huffed. “He’s not from Canada. He’s my friend from college. We’ve always just sort of gotten together whenever, you know, casually. He lives in DC, and when he’s in New York on business, if he’s not seeing anyone, and I’m not seeing anyone—”

  “Which you never are,” Mad put in.

  Hailey ignored that. “Then I meet up with him at his hotel in the city. Liam’s a nice guy, well mannered, cultured.”

  Missy got right to the point. “The sex must’ve been fantastic if this went on for years. Got a picture?”

  Hailey whipped out her phone and showed Missy his picture.

  “My God,” Missy breathed, “he looks like a model.”

  “Gimme,” Mad said. The phone got passed around the table.

  Ally finally got to check it out. She looked from the handsome strawberry blond Liam to the beautiful strawberry blond Hailey. “He actually looks a lot like you.”

  Hailey walked over and took her
phone back, staring at it. “I guess we do have similar coloring.”

  “He’s the male version of you,” Ally said. “Right down to the high cheekbones.”

  Sabrina grabbed the phone and stared at the picture.

  “Maybe that’s why we were compatible,” Hailey said.

  Sabrina looked up. “Do you think he’s your secret brother?”

  Hailey snatched her phone back. “Omigod, no! I’m an only child. My dad died when I was three.”

  “What if he had kids you don’t know about?” Sabrina asked gently.

  “He’s not my brother!” Hailey exclaimed. “We’re the same age.”

  “Same birthday?” Mad asked and, at Hailey’s fierce glare, added, “What? Twins happen.”

  “No,” Hailey said. “Different birthdays. I’ve met his parents. He looks like them. It’s a coincidence.” She crossed to her seat and flopped down. “I think we’re getting off topic. I just wanted to share that I’m fully committing to our sologamy ceremony.”

  Not good enough for Mad. “If he’s nice and the sex is good, how come you never got together with him?”

  Hailey frowned. “I don’t know why we never fell in love. He wanted me. But unlike most guys, he was up front about why and that he only ever wanted casual.”

  “What was his reason?” Ally asked. “I mean for why he wanted you.”

  “Duh, sex,” Mad said.

  “He liked my looks,” Hailey said in a small voice. And then louder, “Which at least was honest. I was tired of guys hitting on me only to be interested in the surface, leading me on like there might be more.”

  “Oh, Hailey,” Claire said sympathetically, “I completely understand. Before Jake, men used me for what I could do for them in the industry, but you’re so much more than the package. I’m so glad you’re not going to settle anymore. You deserve more.”

  Everyone chimed in their agreement.

  Hailey wiped away a tear. “Thanks, ladies. I told myself the arrangement with Liam was ideal, but now I see it was a way of holding myself back. I always knew he’d be around. He’s been around for years now.”

  “Maybe he’s in love with you,” Ally said. She couldn’t imagine why else a guy would be available off and on for years. Unless the sex was off the charts. Hmmm…

  “He’s not,” Hailey said tightly. “When I ended it, he said that was okay because he recently met someone and he thought it might go somewhere.” She pasted on her beauty-queen smile and Ally instantly knew her friend was hurting. They all did, everyone giving her sympathetic looks.

  “So no hard feelings,” Hailey choked out and then broke down in gut-wrenching sobs.

  The women quickly gathered around, rubbing her back and murmuring sympathies.

  “Did you love him?” Ally asked gently once Hailey had quieted again and everyone had returned to their seats in somber silence. Ally was all too familiar with the big buildup and devastating disappointment of unrequited love.

  “No!” Hailey dug a tissue out of her purse and carefully wiped under her eyes. Her mascara was apparently tear-proof. “I guess I just thought maybe someday the thing with Liam would go somewhere, you know, when the time was right. I know that sounds dumb. It would’ve happened by now, right?” She squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. “I didn’t mind the casual nature of our relationship because it made it so easy for me to focus on building my business. I desperately needed that solid foundation, for me, you know? You have no idea how unstable things were growing up, but now I’m going to be in Bride Special. When that comes out next August with Carrie’s wedding in it, I’m set. There’s nothing better for national publicity.” Hailey had been lucky enough to score a feature article as a wedding planner extraordinaire in Bride Special. In a cool turn of events, the magazine people had witnessed Zach proposing to Carrie and had invited them to be the featured wedding in conjunction with Hailey’s spotlight.

  Hailey took them all in. “Tonight with full honesty and commitment, I enter into these vows. To honor myself and my company’s mission. And to be open to future relationships.”

  Stunned silence.

  “Wow,” Missy said. “That was a good vow.”

  Hailey let out a sniffly laugh. “I’m sure what you and Ally prepared is even better. Ally, would you like to lead us now?”

  “Absolutely,” Ally said, rising from her chair. She looked around the table at the women who were like sisters to her, faithful companions on this great journey, and began. “On this most special night, surrounded by friends who love me, I vow to love myself.

  “I vow to take care of myself,

  “to seek out fulfilling work and purpose,

  “to live my dreams,

  “to accept my flaws unconditionally,

  “to forgive myself,

  “to know that I am worthy of love,

  “and to treat myself and others with love and respect.”

  She took a moment to soak in the significance of the words, tears pricking her eyes at the commitment she should’ve made to herself long ago. She pulled a jewelry box from her purse and removed a sterling silver heart necklace and held it up with a smile. “With this beautiful reminder of self-love, I do.” She put it on and rested her hand on the heart.

  The women applauded and whistled. “Congratulations, Ally!” they chorused.

  She sniffled, more moved than she thought possible. “Thank you,” she managed over the lump in her throat. She plunked down in her seat.

  Sabrina, sitting next to her, clasped her hand warmly. “That was beautiful.”

  “Thanks,” she whispered.

  “I’ll go next,” Sabrina announced. “I brought my grandmother’s emerald ring for my symbol.” She set it in front of her, stood, and held up a hand with a short laugh. “I’m shaking.”

  The women encouraged her. Sabrina didn’t often speak in front of the group. She was on the shy side, more comfortable one-on-one. Finally, she launched into the vows with a quavering but determined voice.

  Ally got choked up. Everyone did. It was powerful stuff.

  With each of her friends’ vows, the love in the room grew. A palpable force. The strength of the women, their determination to support each other and themselves. It was perfection.

  They finished with a champagne toast. “To us!” Ally declared and they drank.

  “Let’s eat!” Mad exclaimed.

  Everyone laughed.

  “Before you all snarf down the tapas,” Claire said, “the honeymoon starts tomorrow. I made you all appointments for the hotel spa. Massages, facials, mani-pedis, the full deal. In honor of you!”

  “Thank you, Claire!” Ally exclaimed and rushed over to hug her.

  Pretty soon they were in a massive group hug, laughing and exclaiming, bonded for life in the most important commitment of all—to themselves.

  A short while later after champagne and tapas, they sat down to a delicious dinner they passed around family style. Filet mignon, grilled salmon, vegetable lasagna, and all sorts of sides—cauliflower au gratin, brandied mashed sweet potatoes, green beans with almond slivers. And then the best part—a huge ten-layer tiered wedding cake with pink roses. On the top was a pink heart where the bride and groom would be. Pink for female solidarity.

  Ally floated on a happy cloud, surrounded by her sisters.

  They all went to Claire’s penthouse suite afterward—a massive suite of rooms that took up the entire top floor of the hotel. The place was decorated in shades of white and silver with royal blue accents with two bedrooms, a living room with a big-screen TV, a dining room with seating for eight, and a kitchenette. They dumped their bags in the living room and headed to Claire’s bedroom with its walk-in closet for their favorite game—try on Claire’s designer clothes in a fashion show. Claire was so generous she frequently sent them home with a favorite item.

  After that, they settled into the massive living room, sitting on the long sofa or on the floor, talking, talking, talking.

&nbs
p; Pregnant Charlotte yawned and that immediately set the women into action, getting ready for bed. They all took care of Charlotte, mindful of her pregnancy. They settled into sleeping bags with Charlotte on the sofa to make it easier on her back.

  Lights out and the talking continued. The best time for talking, when the secrets came out.

  Charlotte had been warned she might be put on bed rest soon. Her pregnancy was considered high risk because of previous severe endometriosis. That had given them all a scare, but then Charlotte insisted they keep positive.

  Sabrina had been spending time with Logan Campbell, strictly as friends. Apparently, he’d recently rented office space in the same building where she had her counseling practice. Though, of course, they all called her on it. If they were just friends, why had she kept it secret? Her reasoning that she didn’t want people to make a big thing about it had them settling down, not wanting to be the one she referred to as making a big thing.

  Hailey worried things were going too well with work and the other shoe was going to drop at any moment and she’d be back to square one. They all assured her she was already a huge success.

  Ally shared that the sologamy ceremony was the crowning moment of glory for her new single me, happy me plan.

  Missy confessed she didn’t believe in lasting love, which was why she was so happy they all did this sologamy ceremony. She could never divorce herself.

  Each secret led to much speculation and advice. Exactly what good friends were for. After a while, the conversation trickled down to a few whispers as her friends fell asleep.

  Ally curled up on her side and closed her eyes, facing Carrie, Sabrina on her other side. Ethan’s sexy smirk came to mind. Now that she knew he was single, she could lust guilt-free. The more she saw him, the stronger the attraction. But where was his head at? Was he messing with her? Did he want to mess around with her?

  She got a heat flash just thinking about it. No, no, no. She was not going to spend her solo wedding night thinking about Ethan’s well-formed body or his gorgeous face or his smirky dirty sense of humor. She sighed. It had been an embarrassingly long time for her. Dean, then Mark, she did some quick mental arithmetic and realized the number was in the vicinity of…oh, man, way longer than a year. She couldn’t bear to dwell on the actual number.