Those Red High Heels (20 page)

Fate. That damn word. I was getting closer to being over Greyson Lyons, but it still sent a sharp pain to my heart when I heard something that reminded me of him. “Fate, yes.” Brynn looked at me with an expression full of pity.

Luckily, a cute guy, maybe in his late teens-early twenties, came over to bring us our usual lattes. “Here you go, ladies. Might I add how lovely you’re looking today?” He shot us both a wink and headed over to another table.

“I almost forgot the real reason I love coming here. He always makes me feel fabulous.” Brynn said with a laugh and blew on her vanilla latte.

After a few seconds of silence, I couldn’t help myself and I needed to ask how Greyson was doing. I hadn’t asked about him much, but I knew she would tell me. “How is he?”

Brynn looked at me, and I knew she was having an internal debate. “Are you sure you want to know?”

I nodded and took a sip of coffee. “Yes, I haven’t heard anything about him since the he left my apartment, and I’m okay. I went on a date last night.”

Brynn’s eyebrows perked up and I could tell I had her attention. “Oh really? I will be getting details, and as for Greyson, it was confirmed a while ago that Nora is indeed pregnant. I guess they went to their first ultrasound together and she is a little further along than they had originally thought. Greyson seems to be excited about a baby, but Nora is still her crazy ass self. I was hoping pregnancy would mellow her out, but it seems to have made her a bit more of a lunatic.”

“That’s too bad. Hopefully, when she has the baby, she’ll calm down.”

“Yeah, we all hope so, too.”

We sipped our drinks, and smiled up at Charlie, our cute waiter who spoiled us rotten, when he placed our favorite cream cheese croissant with two forks in front of us. “My ass is going to get so big if we keep eating these things.”

Brynn cut off a small piece and slowly placed it in her mouth. “They’re sooo good,” she said while closing her eyes, enjoying its decadent taste.

I laughed and cut my own piece off. “I guess that’s what we do yoga for, right?”

Brynn agreed and wiped a small crumb from the corner of her mouth. “So, tell me about this date.”

I inwardly cringed, thinking about Dean, the guy who’d taken me to a Broadway play the night before. I was hoping Brynn would forget about it, but I wasn’t so lucky. “Well, there isn’t much to tell. His name is Dean and he took me to a play. We didn’t have any chemistry and all he talked about was his cat, Jorge, and how much I would like him. Something about understanding English and giving kisses? I stopped listening when he told me I would have to convince him to give me his spot in bed.”

Brynn covered her mouth while trying to contain her amusement. “He did not say that. Where in the world did you meet this guy?”

“Apparently, Dexter is on this kick that I need to find a guy. He has really strange friends, and after last night I told him that I was never going out with a guy who has even heard of Dexter Robbins.”

“Good call. Hey, have you talked to Greg?”

“Yeah, I talked to him this morning. I finally sold my car and he helped with delivering it to it's new owner, and getting the money wired to my new account. I told him I was ready for Sadie, but he always changes the subject. I think I may need to go out there and steal her when he’s out and about. I think he keeps forgetting she’s my dog.”

“Is he still living the man-whore life?”

I choked a little on my bite when she said that, and had to cough a few times so I wouldn’t require the Heimlich. “I don’t ask him about his personal life. We are doing the friends thing, and it’s working out really well. We both knew we wouldn’t have worked out together. We are on different pages in the book of life. However, my friend Jess has sent me a few updates and has noticed he has been with the same girl a few times. I do hope for his sake he settles down sometime.”

“Well, if you ever need my assistance in ‘Operation Get Sadie,' let me know. Collin has a company jet we can use.

“I forget how luxurious of a life you live,” I said with a wink. “So, two weeks until the big day. Is everything all set? Do we need to finalize anything else?”

“No, I think we’re all set. Oh, Emma. I’m so excited and ready to marry Collin. I don’t know how, but I love him more every day.”

I patted her hand and smiled over at her. I was so happy for my favorite couple. “Good, well let’s finish up our coffee and maybe we can go look for something naughty for you to wear after the wedding. Since you guys don’t want a bachelor or bachelorette party, I’ll have to give it to you now.”

Brynn grinned at me and thought that was a fabulous idea. “That sounds like so much fun, and Collin already did all of this with his first marriage. He said if he had it his way, we would have already been married in Bali.”

“Oh, that sounds nice, too.”

We spent the rest of the afternoon laughing, and shopping in naughty adult stores. Brynn bought Collin some hilarious gifts, and I found the perfect wedding night outfit. “Collin is going to flip his shit when he sees you in this.”

Brynn let out a laugh and rolled her eyes at me. “You and your mouth.”

I shot her a wink, and when an eccentric couple walked in, oblivious to the rest of us in the store, we decided it was time to call it a day.

**

“I can’t believe it’s our actual wedding rehearsal!” Brynn squealed when we pulled up to a picture perfect white chapel for a quick pre-wedding practice. Our country roots would always be with us, and Brynn was set on having her ceremony in a church.

I smiled at her and walked behind her and Collin. I’d known the day was coming, the day when I would see Greyson again. I wasn’t looking forward to seeing him with Nora, or their growing child, but I knew it was inevitable. I was hoping that Cade would be able to make it in, but he was finishing up with one of his big projects, and wasn’t able to make it until the next morning. I caved when he called me last week and asked if I would go with him as his date to the wedding. I decided that it would be nice having Cade as a date, and said I would be happy to.

I looked back over at Brynn and gave her an approving smile. “I’m so happy for you two. This looks absolutely perfect.”

Collin leaned over and placed a sweet kiss on Brynn’s cheek and headed toward the entrance. Most of the wedding party had already arrived, along with their photographer and preacher.

Collin whispered, “One more day, and you’re finally going be my Mrs. Donahue. I can’t wait to officially have you as my wife.” I took that as my cue to give them space. I walked inside and found some of the other bridesmaids sitting in the back pew.

Jada, a bridesmaid, was a really fun and outgoing girl who Brynn met at her first job when she moved out to NYC a few years ago. They hit it off right away, and have been great friends ever since. The other bridesmaid is from her current job. Her name is Kristin and is way too sweet to be a true born and raised New Yorker. I seriously don’t know how she has survived for so long. I would bet money that if a mugger asked to borrow her phone, she would happily oblige, and would be genuinely shocked when he ran off with it. She’s great.

“Hey ladies,” I said with a smile and headed over their way. “You both look beautiful. Are you ready for this?”

Kristin ran over and gave me a tight hug. “I hope I don’t cry. Thinking about a wedding makes my eyes water, and having one of my good friends walk down the aisle? I don’t think I can handle it.”

Jada and I both let out a laugh and I was about to reply when I had the sudden feeling that someone was watching me. When I turned my head and looked across the room, I instantly found two eyes staring right at me. I sucked in a breath and felt my heart flip in my chest. No matter what I told myself and my close friends, I wasn’t over those baby blues.

“Damn, Greyson Lyons is so hot. I still can’t believe he is part of the wedding party. Looking at that man makes me all wet and steamy, I mean come on. Those blue eyes and dark hair. It should be against the law,” Jada said and started fanning her face.

Kristin let out a little sigh, while Greyson and I never broke our connection. He shot me a small smile and turned back to the other groomsman. Jada was walking down the aisle with Cade, so she would have to make-believe he was here tonight.

Kristin nudged my shoulder and whispered in my ear, “You’re so lucky you’re walking down the aisle with that man. Too bad Nora is such a bitch. She has no idea what a great guy she has.”

I just smiled and waited for our instructions. I knew Greyson and I would have to be by each other soon, and I needed to muster up as much strength as I could. A huge part of me wanted run out of there and take him with me, but our new future had been sealed with that one text message.

Finally, the preacher announced we would do a few quick run throughs of the wedding ceremony. Greyson and I would be walking down the aisle last, following the other two couples.

“Okay, first I need Kristen and Paul. Jada, you and Cade will walk next. Finally, Emma and Greyson will line up. When you hear the music start, that is your cue to walk down the aisle. Greyson you will go to the right, and Emma, you will go left. After the last couple takes their place, the flower girl and ring bearer will make their debut.”

I peeked over at the adorable flower girl and ring bearer. They were brother and sister, and belonged to Collin’s cousin, Paul. His wife Sara was sitting in the back of the church, trying to wrangle the two munchkins while they argued over who was going to go first. I smiled and turned my attention back to the preacher.

“Collin and Brynn, you will start to walk down the aisle when you hear the harp start to play.” He pointed over to a woman who was balancing a gigantic gold harp against her tiny body. I never understood those things, but I remembered Brynn saying if there was one thing she knew she wanted at her wedding, it was a real harp. I looked over at my best friend and shot her an approving thumbs-up.

The preacher continued on and had us stand so we could do our first run-through of the ceremony. I was also thankful that Brynn and Collin made a rule that it was only the wedding party for the ceremony rehearsal. No spouses or significant others.

Greyson started to head in my direction. We awkwardly stood in front of each other, not knowing what was appropriate to say, or even exactly what to do. It was always so easy around him, and I’d hated this was how we had to be with each other.

I smiled at him and walked over so I was standing on his left side. “I can’t believe it’s already here.”

Greyson held his arm out, for me to link with mine, and I reluctantly pushed my arm through his. “Me neither. Collin has been waiting for this for a while. This is the happiest I've ever seen him.”

“Brynn, too. It’s nice to see your friends so in love.”

We stood there, quietly, as the preacher finished his speech about walking slowly, and smiling at the guests.

“Here we go,” Greyson whispered as the music started to fill the beautiful old church.

As I looked around at all the stain-glass windows, I started to wonder about my own wedding day. Would I get married in a church, or possibly in Central Park? I knew it was a cliché, but it was something I had always dreamed of. While having my fantasy about getting married, I looked over at Greyson and notice his freshly shaven face, and couldn’t help but fantasize that if our lives had worked out differently, maybe we could have made it here someday.

When I walked over to take my place, I watched the flower girl and ring bearer running around, being silly kids. Their mother walked over and whispered something to them, maybe a threat, because they both suddenly stood up straight and started to head down the aisle like perfect little angels. Jada nudged me and we both let out a little laugh.

Watching Brynn walk down the aisle instantly made my eyes water, but I was able to hold it in. I couldn’t say the same for Kristin; she was a mess.

After the first run through, we practiced our exit, and when it was Greyson and my turn, he met me half way and we linked arms again. Flashes of our night together, played through my mind. I wondered if I would ever be able to forget that night.