Fighting for my Best Friend (Fated Series Book 4) Read online

  “You might have to admit that you’ve liked him all along.” She looked up and shook the jumbo hairspray bottle next to her ear.

  “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

  “Otherwise, why wouldn’t you have told him?”

  “I know.” I picked up the mascara again and swiveled it inside the tube. “I just hope that’s good enough for him.”

  “It will be,” she said. “It has to be. He’s not going to throw your friendship away over the fact that you lied by omission one time.”

  I shrugged. “I hope not,” I said. “But I’ve seen him cut people loose for less.”

  “You’re not people though. You’re Lucy Ryan.”

  I rolled my eyes. “For whatever that’s worth.”

  “I think you should bring more bobby pins.”

  “Really? I thought I put a whole box in?”

  “You did, but if the whole bridal party’s hair goes to shit, it’s going to be on you to save the day.”

  “Good call. Do you have some I can borrow?”

  “Yeah,” she said. “And some extra hairspray is probably in order, too.”

  “If you say so.”

  “I just can’t decide if you should take an extra curler in case yours burns out or something-”

  “Jesus, Fiona. Are you trying to send me into a panic? It’s not going to burn out!”

  “Do you want to bring mine just in case?”

  I groaned. “Well now I have to say yes, don’t I? Otherwise it will definitely blow and I’ll be up the creek.”

  “Sorry,” she said. “I just want you to have a perfect day.”

  “I know. Me too,” I said, screwing the lid tight on my mascara. “But I keep forgetting that today isn’t about me. It’s about Claire.”

  “It’s about you and Aiden, too.” She got to her feet. “This is the day you have to fix this thing, this thing that is all my fault.”

  “I hope I can,” I said. “Now grab those supplies before we forget.”

  “Right.”

  I put one last sweep of powder on my nose and went to my closet. I knew Aiden was expecting me to wear black like I always did, but after Fiona and I discussed my options at length, we decided I needed a new dress.

  I swallowed as I stared at it. I probably should’ve at least gone with a dark color so as not to shock myself so bad, but it was too late. Plus, the dress I liked was only available in a bright sunflower yellow.

  But I kept reminding myself that the important thing wasn’t the color. The important thing was that it was wedding appropriate and covered my scars because it had one full sleeve. The other side of the short dress was shoulder-less and sexy, without being over the top.

  Which was important because Aiden’s family was as classy as they were conservative. Therefore, the goal was to look attractive without calling attention to myself, even if that meant forgoing my default color choice. Nancy probably wouldn’t even recognize me.

  I took a deep breath and stood on my tiptoes so I could take the dress down from where I’d hung it on the closet door. I’d been staring at it all week in an effort to psych myself up to wear something so out of character.

  I could hear Fiona rummaging in her room like a burglar so I slipped my robe off and stepped into the dress, pulling it up over my one arm and smoothing it down over my hips. Then I stepped in front of the full length mirror beside my closet.

  I didn’t even look like me. I looked like I’d raided Taylor Swift’s closet or something. I was like a ray of pale sunshine. I had to admit, though, there was something striking about the contrast between my dark hair and the yellow dress. Best of all, it hugged me in all the right places.

  “Oh my god, Lucy.”

  I pursed my lips and turned towards the door.

  Fiona was hugging the spare hair supplies to her chest. “You look fucking gorgeous.”

  I exhaled at the compliment, relieved that I didn’t look as uncomfortable as I felt. “Zip me?”

  “Of course.” She walked over and crouched down, dropping her stuff on the floor.

  I turned around and let her zip me up.

  “Can I see it with the shoes?” she asked.

  “Sure.” I bent over, picked up the shoe box, and set it on my bed. When I removed the lid, I pulled out the first nude heels I’d ever owned.

  “I am so borrowing those once you break them in.”

  “Anytime,” I said, turning towards Fiona and the mirror.

  “You are going to steal the freaking show.”

  I saw myself blush in the mirror. “I don’t know about that,” I said. “But I have to admit, these shoes make my legs look really long.”

  “You’re a total smoke-show.”

  “Don’t make me laugh right now. I’m so nervous I could pee myself.”

  “Well, you’re wearing the dress for it.”

  “True.”

  Fiona walked up and pushed my hair over my shoulders. Then she pulled one piece forward. “There.”

  When she stepped back, I could see the yellow streak we’d hidden in my hair to match the dress.

  “That’s better.”

  I smiled. “Thanks for your help, Fi.”

  “My pleasure, she said, bending over to load the extra stuff she gathered into the bag. “I can’t wait to hear all about it. ” She stood up. “Call me if you need anything.”

  I nodded.

  “Seriously, a band aid, an extra set of hands, anything at all.”

  “I will.”

  She put her hands on my shoulders. “I know you’re nervous, Luce, but try and have a good time.”

  I gave Fiona a hug and squeezed her too hard.

  “Aiden will have no choice but to forgive you. You’re going to be the belle of the ball, I promise.

  I stepped back. “I wish you could come with me and boost my confidence like that whenever I needed it.”

  “I’m only a phone call away,” she said.

  “I know.”

  And then we heard a honk.

  Chapter 4: Aiden

  I regretted honking as soon as I did it.

  What the fuck was I doing? Being pissed was no excuse to act like a Neanderthal.

  I got out of the car, walked to the door of Lucy’s apartment building, and pressed the buzzer.

  “Hello?”

  “Fiona, it’s Aiden. Is Lucy ready?”

  “Yeah, she’s on her way down.”

  I stood back from the door and folded my arms. I wasn’t expecting Fiona to buzz me in, but when I heard the latch click, I shoved the door open.

  When I looked up the stairs, my jaw dropped. Lucy- or someone that looked suspiciously like her- was gliding down the stairs like a yellow balloon. I swallowed.

  From where I was standing, it felt like I could look up her legs forever. And her face looked different, too. Lighter. Like she was wearing less make up than usual.

  I knew I should say something. I wanted to. But by the time she got to the bottom of the stairs, I’d barely managed to pick my jaw up off the floor.

  “Hi,” she said.

  “Hi.”

  “You look handsome.”

  My eyes bounced between her glossy lips and her smooth, exposed collarbone. “You, too.”

  She smiled. “Tha-”

  “Not handsome though,” I said. “You look- shit.”

  Her eyes went wide.

  “I mean, wow.” For a second I completely forgot what the heck I was doing there.

  She leaned down and grabbed the handle of the small duffel bag by the door.

  “I’ll get it,” I said. “You just-”

  “Just what?” she said, tilting her head.

  “You just stand back and tell me what you’ve done with my friend Lucy.”

  She rolled her eyes and stepped out the front door.

  I looked after her, watching her shiny hair swing down her back and pursed my lips. Then I closed the door behind us, hurried to the passenger side, and opened it for he
r.

  “Thanks,” she said, clutching her small purse in front of her as she took a seat.

  I waited for her to tuck her bare legs into the car and closed the door. Then I opened the door behind her and set her stuff down on the floor before walking around to the driver’s seat.

  Once I sat down, I stuck the key in the ignition and turned towards her. “I’m sorry I honked.”

  “It’s okay,” she said. “Don’t worry about it.”

  I looked in the rearview mirror and backed up so I could drive out of the space. My guts felt so twisted I didn’t know what to do. On one hand, Lucy looked stunning, and I could feel my body reacting to her little yellow dress, her shiny hair, and her glossy lips.

  On the other hand, I was still hurt. I wished I wasn’t. I wanted to forget the whole thing, but the fact of the matter was that she’d lied to my face and let me look like a fool.

  And the conflict between those two realities was making me sick.

  “Aiden, I owe you an-”

  “Don’t,” I said, keeping my eyes on the road. “Just don’t.”

  “But my whole day will be ruined if you don’t let me-”

  I slammed on the brakes at the light. “Your day will be ruined?! Your day will be ruined?! Well that’s a goddamn shame.”

  “Aiden-”

  “At least your reputation won’t be ruined. At least no one will laugh at you behind your back while-”

  “That’s not fair.”

  “No,” I said. “What’s not fair is that I’m the one that looks like a monster for being pissed when you’re the one that fucked me over.”

  “I didn’t fuck you over!”

  “You stood by while someone else did,” I said. “Which is basically the same thing.”

  “Look. I’m sorry, okay?”

  “Sorry you got caught or sorry you aren’t the friend I thought you were?”

  “Both,” she said, looking out her window.

  I exhaled through my nose.

  She stared out the windshield and then turned to face me. “I never meant to hurt you. You know me well enough to know that.”

  “I thought I did.”

  “I didn’t know how to tell you-”

  “What do you mean you didn’t know how to tell me? You didn’t even try.”

  “I know but-”

  “You must’ve had half a dozen opportunities to mention it.”

  “And what if you didn’t believe me?”

  “It wouldn’t have mattered! You would have done your job as my friend.”

  She sighed.

  “Whether I refused to listen or not is irrelevant.”

  “I know.”

  “I don’t expect you to make decisions for me or tell me what to do. I only ask that you don’t hide information from me.”

  “You’re right.”

  “I don’t want to be right. I want my friend back.”

  She tucked her hair behind her ear.

  I noticed her purple streak was missing. “How long did you know?”

  “Know what?”

  “That she was seeing other people. To put it politely.”

  “Not that long.”

  “Days? Weeks? Months?”

  “No.”

  “How long?”

  “Maybe a few weeks.”

  “Fuck me, Lucy.” I shook my head. “And it didn’t occur to you to say something?”

  “Of course it did! But you knew I didn’t like her, and I didn’t want you to think I was just trying to break up your relationship out of spite.”

  “Why would I think that?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Until this shit happened, I always thought you had my best interests at heart.”

  “I was confused.”

  “I don’t know why. Seems like a straightforward problem with an obvious solution to me.”

  “Well, it wasn’t.”

  I clenched my jaw.

  “At first I wasn’t sure so I didn’t want to stir shit up for no reason.”

  “And when you were sure? When you and Alex saw her on fucking Tinder?”

  “I didn’t know what to do.”

  I shook my head. “Not good enough.”

  “It wasn’t easy to not tell you,” she said. “I lost sleep over it, trying to figure out what to say.”

  “You lost sleep, huh? Too bad it wasn’t cause you were actually picking up the phone to call.”

  “I know.”

  “Does Alex think I’m some kind of tool now?”

  “Of course not. I didn’t even tell him. I just swiped her away. I didn’t say she was your girlfriend or anything.”

  I felt my chest loosen a little bit. Knowing one less person knew Chelsea dicked me around was a relief, albeit slight.

  “Only Fiona knew, I swear. And that’s just cause she was with me when we saw her out with a guy.”

  “What guy?”

  Lucy shrugged. “A guy I recognized from Tinder.”

  I felt my neck start to get hot. “A guy you recognized?”

  “Yeah,” she said, looking out her window.

  I slammed my hand on the steering wheel. “You’re not even being honest with me now!”

  “What do you want me to say?”

  “How is that not obvious?! I want the truth! That’s what this whole argument is about! You lying to my face-”

  “Fine,” she said, her voice shaking. “You want the truth? I recognized the guy because I went on a date with him and had meaningless, empty, unremarkable sex with him afterwards, and I thought I’d never see him again until I saw him out with Chelsea across the street from where he fucked me a week earlier! Okay? Are you happy now?! Is that what you wanted to hear?!”

  “No,” I said, tightening my grip on the steering wheel.

  Lucy wiped under her eyes with her fingertips, trying to keep her tears from ruining her makeup.

  I loosened my tie with one hand and kept my eyes on the road. Five minutes earlier, the fact that Lucy knew Chelsea fucked around on me was the most disturbing issue in my life. But the thought of Lucy fucking another guy on top of that was like a living nightmare.

  I didn’t know what to think. I knew she’d been with other guys. We’d laughed about her shady dates and fallen princes a thousand times.

  But that was before.

  Before she was mine.

  Chapter 5: Lucy

  “Who is it?”

  “It’s Lucy,” I said into the door, practicing my best sunny smile.

  “Finally,” Mrs. Briggs said, opening the door.

  “Sorry,” I said, shifting my bag to my opposite hand. “Am I late?”

  “Not at all,” Claire said, crossing the room to give me a hug. “We have loads of time.”

  “I wouldn’t say loads,” her Mom said.

  “It’s nice to see you guys,” I said, relieved to be around a few members of the Briggs family that I hadn’t disappointed yet.

  “You, too,” Claire said. “I can’t wait to catch up.”

  I smiled, noticing her Mom peeking out the door.

  “Hey Mom?” Claire said.

  “Yes, dear?” she asked, turning back to look in our direction.

  “Do you think you could go make sure all the bridesmaids are here and that Dave is still in the building?”

  “Don’t you need me here?” she asked.

  Claire’s face said no but her mouth said, “I’ll be fine for a few minutes.”

  “Alright.”

  I relaxed as soon as she left the room. Mrs. Briggs had been slightly awkward around me ever since she found out I knew about her husband’s affair. It’s not like I’d ever whispered a word of it to anyone, but I was used to her keeping me at arm’s reach.

  “Thank you so much for offering to do my hair,” Claire said, giving me a big hug that was as amorous as it could be without smudging her make up.

  I looked over her shoulder at the hotel suite. Everything was gold and white. I didn’
t know what the venue looked like, but I imagined her dressing room was nicer than most people’s reception halls.

  “It’s my pleasure,” I said.

  “My Mom wanted me to do something over the top,” she said, waving her hands around. “But I just want something understated, ya know?”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  She took a seat in a chair that was already set up in front of the dressing table. “Is this an okay spot?”

  “It’s perfect,” I said, bending over to unzip my bag.

  “I love your dress by the way,” she said. “Yellow is definitely your color.”

  “That’s nice of you to say.” I plugged in the curling iron and laid the hairspray, some brushes, and enough bobby pins to style an army of brides on top of the dresser.

  “I’m so glad you agreed to be Aiden’s date. I know he’s a total pain in the ass, but he’s nothing compared to his last few girlfriends.”

  I forced a smile.

  “Did he drive you here this morning?” she asked.

  “Yeah,” I said, releasing her hair from its plastic clip.

  “Good, so he’s here. Though I almost wish he wasn’t. You haven’t heard his speech, have you?”

  “No.”

  “Cause he swore up and down that he was going to mortify me.”

  “I’m sure he won’t.”

  “I wouldn’t bet against him. I mean, he’s been warning me since the day I told him I was getting married.”

  “I don’t know what to tell you,” I said, pulling her hair back.

  “Maybe if he gets really out of hand, I can give you a sign and you can chuck your drink over him or something.”

  I rolled my eyes. “That’s a great idea. That wouldn’t call attention to his speech at all.”

  “You’re right. He’d probably just go after both of us then,” she said. “At least try and make sure he doesn’t drink too much beforehand.”

  “What would you suggest I do?” I asked her through the mirror. “Restrain him?”

  “You’re right. I’m not going to worry about it.” She took a deep breath and splashed invisible water on herself.

  “Good. Just enjoy yourself.”

  “I know. God. Sorry I’m blabbing so much. I tend to talk a lot when I’m nervous.”