Plump & Pretty E-Book

Mary E. Thompson

• Herausgeber: BluEyed Press
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

I’m not perfect. I know that. My curves have curves, and I’d rather bury my nose in a book than have a conversation with a real live person. Especially one who really might be perfect.

Connor was the guy in high school. The one everyone wanted to be friends with. The guy every girl fantasized about. The guy who didn’t even know I existed. It didn’t really matter, though. High school was forever ago, and I was okay with who I was. Even if I could stand a few less curves.

So, why is Connor asking me to dance? And why is he showing up at my work? And why am I having such a hard time saying no to his sweet words and even sweeter kisses?

It can’t be real. Girls like me don’t end up with guys like him. Do they?

Leseprobe

PLUMP & PRETTY

A SMALL TOWN CURVY GIRL ROMANCE

BIG & BEAUTIFUL

BOOK SIX

MARY E THOMPSON

Plump & Pretty

Big & Beautiful, book six

Copyright © 2016 Mary E. Thompson

Cover Copyright © 2019 Mary E Thompson

Cover Photo (woman) from DepositPhotos, Copyright © [email protected]

Cover Photo (cupcake) from DepositPhotos, Copyright © Scruggelgreen

Published by BluEyed Press, All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. All characters, businesses, locations, and events are either products of the author’s creative imagination or are used in a fictitious sense. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-944090-05-0

Print ISBN: 978-1-944090-13-5

Audiobook ISBN: 978-1-953879-94-3

Created with Vellum

BIG & BEAUTIFUL

Between the covers of a book is a beautiful place to be. And if you can’t handle the curves, stay out of the covers! Life is beautiful with curves, and it’s always better with cupcakes.

BIG & BEAUTIFUL

Chubby & Charming

Lush & Lovely

Shapely & Stunning

Bulky & Beauteous

Fat & Fine

Plump & Pretty

Husky & Hot

Fluffy & Fabulous

Puffy & Precious

Round & Ravishing

Curvaceous & Captivating

Stocky & Sumptuous

Amply & Alluring

Big & Beautiful Ever After (newsletter exclusive)

SUBSCRIBE NOW AT MARYETHOMPSON.COM

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Epilogue

About the Author

For my friend, Jess, who encouraged me to write about women no one else was talking about.

CHAPTER1

I loved weddings. Always had. I guess it was my closet romantic side, but going to a wedding was a favorite past time of mine.

It was even better that the wedding I was attending was for one of my closest friends. I’d met Sam about six months earlier when she came into my work, READ, to get some information about losing weight. Sam was plump, or fat as she would say, and her ex dumped her because of it. Yeah, he was an ass.

Lucky for Sam, in her quest to make her ex regret his words, she met Brady. They were great together. Over the last few months we’d all gotten to know Brady and saw what a kind man he was, and how completely devoted he was to Sam.

She was lucky.

My best friend, Carrie Taylor, and I were going to the wedding together. Neither of us had dates and didn’t feel like bringing guys we were only friends with. Four of our other five closest friends and their husbands were going to be there so we knew we’d have fun, even without dates. Our fifth friend, Charlie Black, was single like Carrie and I.

I picked Carrie up an hour before the ceremony. We’d known each other for years having met at University of Winterville as sophomores and only gotten closer over the years. We lived together in college, but as much as we loved each other, living together did not work for us.

Carrie met me outside her apartment wearing a fuzzy black coat that fell to her knees. A January wedding somewhat limited the dress options, but with all of us having winter figures, you know, the ones that looked better if you hid most of them, it worked. Carrie’s wavy brown hair floated behind her as she ran across the parking lot to my waiting car.

“Hey,” she said as she pulled the door closed. “Ooh, it’s nice and warm in here.”

“I’m just glad Sam changed her mind about the outdoor wedding,” I joked. Sam told us her dream wedding was at the gazebo at Winterville Park. When she first announced she was getting married in January she was considering still going through with that plan, but Brady convinced her, gently, that getting married outdoors in January, in Winterville, wasn’t really a good option.

And he promised her a summer celebration at the gazebo to celebrate the anniversary of their first date. I’m pretty sure that sealed the deal.

“I don’t know what Sam was thinking, but it’s good Brady is more practical. I just hope he has some cute friends at the wedding.”

I shook my head and laughed. Carrie was always on the prowl. She wanted nothing more than to have kids, but she was more than happy to have some fun until she found the future father of her kids. I was just excited to see the love between Sam and Brady, but Carrie wanted to find a little happiness of her own.

St. John’s church was near where Sam and Brady lived, on Snowflake Street. Sam grew up Catholic and her mom insisted on a church wedding, the only concession Sam made for her mother. Their relationship was rocky, at best, but improving. I struggled with that because I was close to my family, freakishly so it seemed at times. My mom was one of my best friends and my two younger sisters were more friends than sisters, especially as we got older and didn’t have to live together.

At the church we saw the limo parked out front and hustled inside. Carrie stripped her coat off as soon as the doors closed behind us to reveal a stunning jewel-toned green wrap dress. It ended a few inches above her knees and covered her ample cleavage, but still looked sexy. The black lace up high heeled boots she wore with it added another touch of sexy. Dangling earrings with black and green stones and a matching necklace completed her outfit.

Carrie would definitely be getting some attention.

She stepped up to the ushers waiting to seat us and snaked her arm through that of the man at the front of the line. He smiled down at her, no doubt peeking at her assets, and led her to a seat toward the front of the church. Another usher offered me his arm and we followed behind Carrie wordlessly.

I sucked at small talk.

I thanked the man when I reached Carrie and paused to remove my own winter coat before sitting down.

“Damn, you look hot,” Carrie whispered when I sat down. “I might have to fight you for the cute ones tonight.”

Carrie and I never fought over men. Partly because she was interested in fun and I was interested in a relationship. We both wanted to find someone to share our lives with, but I wasn’t willing to play around in order to test out anyone who might work. When I slept with a guy, I needed to know there was a potential for more than just sex. Carrie was content with simply sex, but like me, seeing our new friends almost all paired off made it harder to ignore that ticking clock deep inside that said time was almost up.

I smiled at Carrie’s compliment. I was wearing a dress I’d made myself, one I was pretty proud of. I’d spent years teaching myself to sew and that dress was the biggest project I’d ever completed. The sides were a solid cerulean blue and down the center, front and back, and the tops of the sleeves was a damask print with the same blue. I’d made the collar high enough so I didn’t feel like my 40DDD breasts would fall out and cut it in an a-line to hide some of my plump belly. It ended mid-calf, and I’d added my favorite silver sparkling heels, the ones that were way too high, especially for someone who was 5’10” like me, to complete my outfit.

The dress was exactly like I’d imagined it would be. Of course I’d stayed up late all week to make it in time, but I loved it. It was one time I felt sexy and beautiful next to Carrie. Even though she carried extra weight like I did, there was a visible difference in our sizes, one that always made me feel like the fat friend.

“Brady has some cute friends,” Carrie whispered, winking at a guy across the aisle from us. “I think this is going to be a lot of fun.”

I shook my head at her. Sometimes I felt like I was a frumpy old woman with Carrie around. I was only a year older, but I’d never been as free or adventurous as she was. I couldn’t imagine hooking up with a guy I didn’t know. Not to say I was a prude, I’d had my fair share of dates and more sex than most of my friends knew about, but I wasn’t going to go home with a stranger, no matter how cute he was.

Charlie, Lexi, and her husband, Mike, were escorted to our row. Carrie and I slid down to make room for them. Two more friends we’d met a few months ago, Lexi was a corporate powerhouse, as was Mike, and Charlie owned the best cupcake shop in Winterville, Bite Me! Mike was in a suit that appeared to have been custom made for him, and knowing how much money they had, it probably was. Lexi looked equally impressive in a black cocktail dress that jutted out in flirty waves below her chest and rested at her knees. Her blonde hair was twisted into a knot at the base of her neck, looking both put together and sexy all at once. Charlie rounded out our group with a long black wool skirt and a baby pink sweater. Her chocolate and peanut butter hair fell in loose waves just past her shoulders and her bright blue eyes soaked in the church around us.

“You guys look amazing,” Carrie whispered, not very quietly, down the row. “We’re going to be beating them back with a stick.”

Mike raised his eyebrow at Carrie which earned him a wink. Everyone had already figured out she was the brash one of the two of us. She and Sam had that in common. I was fairly reserved, shy most people would say, and had yet to come all the way out of my shell with our new friends. Yeah, I loved them, but it took a while to build up relationships that you knew would stand through anything. I was pretty sure I had that with Carrie, but I was still working on that with the rest of them.

Lexi leaned over Mike and stage whispered back to Carrie, “Too bad I’m not single. Brady’s got some hot friends.”

“That’s what I said!” Carrie exclaimed. Lexi yelped when Mike’s tongue dipped into her ear then he whispered something I didn’t catch. Probably for the best. Lexi didn’t respond to Carrie’s comment as the music changed indicating the ceremony was about to start.

We all turned to watch Sam’s mom being escorted up the aisle by her brother. Over the months Brady and Brian had become close friends and he’d asked Brian to stand up in the wedding as Brady didn’t have a lot of close friends. Sam said it meant the world to her brother and you could see the pride in his eyes as he led their mom to her seat.

Brian took his place in the line of groomsmen. Brady’s mentor and father figure, Dave, was his best man. Greg, a trainer from the gym Brady owned, Dave’s Gym, stood next to Dave. Brian stepped next to Greg, and last was Sam’s brother-in-law, Mark. Brady had a horrible relationship with his dad growing up and had walled himself off from getting to know anyone else until Sam came along. Not only did she open him up to love, but she also helped him to move past what happened with his dad and accept the woman his dad had married after Brady left, and the half-sister he never knew about.

Unfortunately, Brady’s dad passed away before they could rebuild their relationship, but Sam said Brady forgave his dad and let go of the anger and pain he’d let control him for so long.

Looking at Brady as his sister, the flower girl, Grace, walked toward him his eyes were filled with love. Brady loved his sister and they had come so far in the few months since they’d met. She was adorable in a white princess dress complete with puffy skirt and red heels that would have made Dorothy proud. A red ribbon snaked around her waist, accenting the shoes and setting off all the white.

Before Grace reached the altar I sensed someone behind me, ducking into the pew with us. I glanced back and smiled at Xander, Aidan, and Joey. Their wives were the other three bridesmaids, and our good friends. They winked at me and Xander, who stood beside me, grabbed my hand and squeezed. The three of them looked hot in grey and black suits, red ties to match their women’s dresses, and crisp white shirts.

I wanted one.

Well, not one of them, but a man of my own. One who liked the same things I liked. Someone I could share everything with.

Sam’s sister, Heather, stepped onto the aisle in a fire engine red velvet dress. Cap sleeves and a fitted chest with sweetheart neckline was a touch of modest for the church wedding, but as she walked I got a glimpse of her thigh as the loose, flowing skirt parted and showed the flirty, sexy side of the dresses. Heather, who favored their mom, had dark blonde hair curled and pulled up on the sides, secured with a single red rose. She carried a bouquet of white roses with a long red ribbon tying the stems together.

And wore black thigh-high Louboutin boots, the red soles matching the dress perfectly.

Damn, they were hot.

Claire and Mandy, the other two bridesmaids, followed Heather in matching outfits. Aidan and Xander, their husbands each got blown a kiss from painted red lips as my friends walked by, something they were both clearly pleased by if the groans behind me were any indication. Then Addi, Sam’s best friend and matron of honor, finished the procession with a wink for her new husband, Joey, on her way past.

The music changed and the double doors whisked open to reveal Sam with her arm looped through her dad’s. He was in a black tux that matched Brady’s, but every eye in the place was drawn to Sam. I gasped at how beautiful she was, not that Sam ever looked bad, but holy fuck she looked hot. Her signature red glasses framed chocolate brown eyes that twinkled as they met Brady’s. Cherry lipstick drew attention from her silver dusted eyes, but her sleek chestnut hair, left straight and long, was classic Sam.

A lace bodice with sweetheart neckline and cap sleeves like the bridesmaids’ dresses was accented by a ruby necklace. A red velvet ribbon tied under her chest with the ends trailing behind Sam as she walked. The rest of her dress had the same lace overlay giving her a traditional feel despite the pops of red.

Then I saw her shoes. Forget Dorothy, Sam had on killer red velvet heels that matched the red sole. A lace pattern that matched her dress accented the red heels that I knew were boots, probably thigh highs like the others. Just above her toes a white cord laced the boots and I knew Sam picked those so Brady could unwrap her later.

I’d never seen a bride that looked equally demure and sexy, but if anyone could pull it off, it would be Sam.

Her dad kissed her cheek and handed her over to Brady then took his seat beside Sam’s mom. Sam smiled at Addi as she handed over her bouquet, a collection of red roses tied with a white ribbon.

The priest welcomed us all to the ceremony and talked about the love he’d witnessed between Sam and Brady over the months that he’d gotten to know them. A couple readings, a unity candle, an exchange of vows and rings, and the priest was announcing them as Mr. and Mrs. Wright.

Brady cupped Sam’s jaw and whispered I love you before his lips came down over hers. Sam’s arms slipped under Brady’s jacket as their kiss tipped slightly past church-tongue to get-a-room. Everyone clapped and cheered and when Xander let out a loud whistle they broke apart, grinning like fools.

Brady held her hand as they walked down the aisle, a touch of Sam’s lipstick darkening his lips. The others followed then we all gushed over how beautiful everyone looked.

“Leave it to Sam to make red look so good,” Carrie said.

“I know, right?” Lexi agreed. “Sexy but not slutty. Brady’s going to have fun unwrapping her later. Did you see those boots?”

“Ten bucks says she’ll keep them on for sex,” Carrie laughed.

I saw Mike’s eyebrows go up as he looked behind me and I knew the guys were all imagining their women in those boots. Yep, the boots would stay on. For all of them.

I just shook my head.

“I’ve gotta make sure the cake is set up,” Charlie said, pushing past us to duck out the side door so she could make it back to the reception hall, an old Victorian house that had been converted to a banquet facility a few years ago. It was always a place I loved the look of, being a sucker for older homes, but had never been inside. I couldn’t wait to see what they’d done to the place. It seemed to hold a touch of magic, like anything could happen there. There was no doubt it would pass some of that magic on to Sam and Brady.

“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m planning to have someone to go home with tonight. All this sweet, happy, love stuff is making me sad. I need someone to fill that void,” Carrie declared, sounding like she was joking, but I recognized the pain in her eyes. She hated weddings because they were a reminder that she was still looking. If Carrie were married she’d be one of those women who got pregnant on her honeymoon, or at least tried. She joked around the guys, but she wanted everything the rest of them had.

“You’ll find it,” Xander said, “when you least expect it.”

I nudged Xander, silently thanking him for easing the pain in her eyes. He’d gotten to know us well enough that he knew when we were full of shit, and Carrie’s eyes were definitely brown.

“Ooh, I think I see a willing participant now. Riles, look, two rows back across the aisle. Tall, dark hair, blue eyes, sexy as sin, and built like he can handle a woman like me. Even better, he’s looking over here.”

I looked across the aisle to find the man Carrie was ogling and my gaze connected with his. My breath burst from my lungs as though a Hoover had been installed. It couldn’t be. Not after all these years. What was he doing there?

“I wonder what his name is? I think I’ll go find out,” Carrie said, still grinning.

“His name is Connor Lee.”

CHAPTER2

My reaction to him was instant and undesirable. I didn’t want to still want him. It’d been almost eleven years since I’d seen him, but he was as gorgeous as he’d been back in high school, maybe even hotter. His chest was bigger, wider with his shoulders. His waist narrowed in a way I could only dream about. His hands, always my weakness with men, were thick and strong. I knew he was 6’6”, one of the many statistics I’d memorized about him. His blue dress pants and white shirt could have been cut from the finest of fabrics, but simply being on his body made them look that good. Hell, even his skinny tie, that perfectly matched his pants, helped make him look hotter. I kept looking up and saw his blue eyes blazing with a fire I’d never seen directed at me before. A small smile quirked the edge of his mouth, making me realize I was staring at him.

And in turn my friends were staring at me.

Shit.

“Who’s Connor Lee?” Carrie asked, her eyes bouncing between us like she was watching a tennis match. The question in her gaze told me she was trying to decide if he was off limits, and if he was worth her time.

I shook my head and broke away from his gaze. He wasn’t looking at me, he couldn’t have been. I didn’t want to look behind me to find the thin, gorgeous woman he’d been smiling at. After all, Connor Lee didn’t know who I was. There was no reason for him to be looking at me.

Except for that whole staring at him thing.

“Connor Lee is just someone I went to high school with. Mr. Popular, dated the prettiest girls, had all the cool parties, you know the type.”

Lexi and Carrie nodded. “The hottest guy in school that every girl dreamed would walk up to her one day and kiss her. So what’s your history with him?”

I scoffed. “My history? Non-existent. He didn’t even know I existed in high school. He was a year ahead of me, but his senior year he dated a girl in my homeroom. Her locker was next to mine so I saw them making out all the time, but he never saw me.”

Carrie narrowed her eyes in his direction as though looking at him would tell her if he was a jerk. Of course, knowing Carrie, she might actually be able to read something on his skin that told her the truth. As for me though, I wasn’t going to even glance in his direction again. Connor Lee was as far out of my league as you could get. There was no reason to even care that he was at the wedding. It didn’t matter.

“He’s still looking over here,” Lexi stated as though it would make a difference.

I rolled my eyes. “He’s probably checking out someone behind us. Or maybe he thinks I look vaguely familiar and is trying to imagine me 100 pounds lighter, when he’d actually have given me a second glance. Let’s go to the reception.”

Xander and Aidan flanked me on our walk out, in tune with my emotions, and protecting me from Connor Lee. They didn’t need to. Connor Lee wouldn’t approach me. He was into women who looked more like models than the woman who ate the models for lunch. Literally.

Besides, Connor Lee had never been mean to me or cruel. He’d have to know I existed first. And that wasn’t ever going to happen.

Carrie and I climbed back into my ten year old Volvo SUV, a gift from my parents when I graduated high school. I cranked the heat, but of course, it blew out cold air. “Ugh, I don’t know why you don’t just trade this in. You could get something that actually heats up when you turn it on.”

It was a constant battle between us. Carrie hated my car, but even more than that she hated not being able to drink. I’d never enjoyed the feeling of being out of control so I volunteered to be her designated driver pretty much all the time. It just meant she had to deal with my old car.

“You know I’m not going to get a new car. I love Betty. She’s been good to me. Plus, I don’t need a new car. This one is running just fine.”

“Yeah, if you like freezing eight months of the year in this frigid weather we live in.”

I shrugged. “I’ve got plenty of padding. The cold doesn’t bother me nearly as much as it does you. That’s about the only good thing about being the plumpest one of us.”

Carrie rolled her eyes, like I knew she would. She hated when I talked about being the biggest one, but she couldn’t ever deny it. The difference between me and the others was obvious to anyone who looked at us. Really though, I didn’t mind. Yeah, I had more curves than a mountain road, but I was happy. I’d watched my mom and sisters struggle to maintain a healthy weight for years, only to always restrict what they could eat and grumble about it. I wasn’t going to live that way. If it meant I carried a few extra pounds, or a hundred extra, I wasn’t going to go nuts over it. I was happy with the way I looked, and one day I’d find a guy who was happy with it too.

Betty warmed up as I pulled into the parking lot for the reception hall, something Carrie was more than happy to point out. “Remember how you feel about Betty when you have a drink. If it weren’t for her you’d be sober with me.”

Carrie grumbled half-heartedly. She knew I was right.

We rushed inside, carefully so we didn’t end up on our asses in a snow bank, and breathed a sigh of relief when the warm air surrounded us. “Ooh, much better,” Carrie moaned happily. “I can feel my toes again.”

Shaking my head at her we went into the main room. The entire house had been gutted when the new owners took over. The first floor was for the party and upstairs had rooms that Sam and the others used to get dressed. On the first and second floors were wrap-around porches that would probably get lots of use in the summer, but were wasted in the middle of January in Winterville.

The house was bigger than I expected with a wide open room off the foyer. Large tables filled the space, enough room for the 125 guests. Crisp white tablecloths covered the tables with red sashes tied around the chairs and red flowers lighting up the centerpieces. Red napkins sat on white china at each place setting.

It was elegant and beautiful. It suited both the beauty of the Victorian home and Sam.

Carrie and I found our seats. Lexi and Mike were already at our table. Carrie headed to the bar to get a drink and I took a seat next to Charlie’s coat. Mike and Lexi were drinking wine, gazing at each other like they couldn’t wait to get home. I sipped my water and tried to think about anything other than Connor Lee walking into the room.

My cheeks heated when I noticed him. He scanned the room but I looked away before he could see me. The last thing I wanted was for him to catch me staring at him again. God knew I’d done enough of it in high school, but I was a grown woman. A grown woman who’d moved on from childhood fantasies about the captain of the football team.

Xander dropped into the seat next to me, kissing my cheek as he sat. “Is lover boy still checking you out?”

I rolled my eyes. “Connor Lee is not checking me out. He doesn’t even know who I am. Besides, I’m not interested in him.”

“Then you won’t mind if I go talk to him,” Carrie teased as she took the seat on the other side of Xander.

I shrugged and tried to feign indifference, but knew I failed miserably.

“So tell us about him. Who was Connor Lee? And why does he have you in knots?”

“He doesn’t have me in knots,” I argued with Xander. “I’m just surprised to see him is all.”

“So you said. Who was he?”

I rolled my eyes, not interested in the interrogation that was headed my way but knowing I’d never get out of it. Xander sipped his beer, Carrie leaned onto the table to look at me around him. Lexi and Mike even stopped mooning at each other. Aidan and Joey halted their conversation to listen in. And of course, Charlie chose that moment to sit down next to me.

“What’s going on?” she asked tentatively.

“Riles was just about to tell us who the hottie at Table 12 is,” Carrie informed her.

I glanced around quickly, as though Connor Lee would sneak up on us and overhear Carrie. Or me. Even worse than staring at him would be talking about him and having him catch me. I couldn’t do that.

“Connor Lee was the popular guy in school. He was a year ahead of me. His girlfriend had a locker next to mine my junior year, but he and I never spoke. He was captain of the football team, leading scorer on the hockey team and the lacrosse team. He always seemed like a nice guy, but he didn’t look twice at girls like me. He went for the cheerleaders.”

“He was probably leading scorer with them too,” Carrie teased, earning laughs from the rest of the table. I nodded in agreement because she was probably right.

“Were you friends with him?”

I shook my head and sipped my water. “No. He didn’t know I was alive. I kept to myself in high school. I mean, I had friends, but none that were in his crowd. His group was oblivious to people beneath them, people like me.”

Xander rested his arm on the back of my chair and leaned over. “He was a fool and a jerk to ignore someone like you. Even if you were just friends, like we are, he missed out on knowing a great person.”

“Thanks, Xander. You guys are wonderful. Connor Lee is a nice guy, I think, but he’s not like any of you. He always seemed to care more about looks than anything else.”

Xander laughed mirthlessly. “I was one of those guys a while ago. In some ways I think we all have those moments. Even if we don’t want to admit it, looks matter. Being attracted to someone has a huge bearing on dating them. Just remember, it works both ways. Mandy wouldn’t go out with me at first because she thought I was too hot. Sam struggled with Brady because of that asshole who hurt her. Everyone has fears. Maybe he’s changed.”

I glanced around the room again but didn’t see Connor Lee. I looked back at Xander. “Maybe he has, but it doesn’t really matter. It’s not like he’s going to talk to me. He doesn’t even know who I am.”

The DJ came over the loud speaker and asked everyone to take their seats so the wedding party could join us. We turned to face the door and cheered for the couples, everyone standing when Sam and Brady walked in. We screamed and yelled and tapped our forks against our glasses until Brady swept Sam into his arms and dipped her low for a kiss. Her fists clenched the lapels of his tux as he held her for the entire crowd to see.

They parted with a grin and headed to their table at the front of the room. Plates of food were deposited before the wedding party then the rest of the guests were called up to the buffet for dinner. As I loaded up my plate with chicken, mashed potatoes, broccoli, and salad I chatted with Xander. He and his best friend, Drew, were looking into starting up their own restoration company and had come into my bookstore, well the one I worked at, for some reference materials. I asked him how the plans were going.

“We’re moving along slowly. Drew is ready to jump in, but I’m a little more anxious. Mandy wants me to go for it.”

“You do too, don’t you?”

Xander and I talked when he came in one day. He was excited about the idea and looking for information about setting up an actual business, the legal side of things, and about running a partnership. Xander and Drew had been friends since college and worked together already, but they wanted to branch out of their own instead of taking orders. I admired the hell out of them.

“I definitely want to do our own thing. It’ll mean a lot of flexibility down the line, as long as things go well, and doing the projects that really inspire us. Drew’s all in. I feel like I just need to jump, but I’m anxious, you know?”

I nodded, understanding better than he could imagine. I’d been working at READ for seven years and had thought about buying out the owners more times than I could count, but I never had the guts to approach them about my dream. I kept telling myself when they were ready to retire I’d talk to them about it. I was pretty sure they were getting close to retirement, but I didn’t know if the money I had saved up was enough to buy the store.

“It’s a big leap. One you need to be sure you’re ready for. The security that comes with a day job is hard to let go of, even though you could lose your job at any time. Working for yourself there’s no one to fall back on if things don’t work out.”

Xander nodded and scooped up a mouthful of mashed potatoes. “You’re right. If I knew things would be okay it would be easier. But I don’t know that things will be okay where I am now. I guess I trust myself and Drew more than I trust our current company so there’s no reason to stop the progress.”

“Then maybe it’s time to take that leap. Hey, where is Drew? I thought he was coming?”

Xander shook his head. “Brandi’s being Brandi. Sam didn’t invite her, of course, and Brandi gave Drew a bunch of shit about it. She basically told him if he came to the wedding she was going to leave him.”

“I don’t know what he sees in her.”

Xander nodded. “None of us do.”

The conversation and drinks flowed around me. I accepted a glass of champagne when the toasts began, but other than that I kept myself free of alcohol, although I would have loved a few drinks to take the edge off seeing Connor Lee. All through dinner I stole glances at him. He was talking to the others at his table, laughing and enjoying himself. It didn’t appear as though he had a date, but he was chatting with a pretty blonde sitting next to him. I knew I shouldn’t be jealous, but I couldn’t help it.

Never before had I truly wanted to be one of the beautiful people, the ones with the skinny bodies and the perfect hair. Not until that moment when my high school dream was looking at the woman at his table as though she hung the moon.

I’d never been looked at like that. Sheer determination, or maybe stubbornness, told me one day I’d find a man who would look at me like I was the prettiest woman in the room, but that night, I didn’t think it would ever happen.

Music started playing in the room next door where the DJ was. It was nice to have the tables and dining in one room and the dancing in the other. That way if people wanted to sit and talk it wouldn’t be so loud. It also meant it was obvious who was the popular crowd and who wasn’t.

Once Sam and Brady shared their first dance, Wanted by Hunter Hayes, Sam danced with her dad. Since Brady’s mom died when he was only three, he danced with his little sister for what would have been the mother-son dance. Even though I couldn’t hear them, it was amazing to watch the bond between them strengthen on the dance floor.

The wedding party was called up to dance and Xander, Aidan, and Joey joined Mandy, Claire, and Addi on the floor. Before long Lexi and Mike were out there too.

And then there were three.

Carrie found a guy to dance with but Charlie and I hung out near the edge of the dance floor. Not dancing but standing around as though we were part of the action anyway. Charlie went to check on the cupcakes because Sam and Brady were about to cut it, or whatever you did with a cupcake cake. I turned to head back to our table, if nothing else to check my phone for any missed calls, or read the latest smutty romance novel I’d downloaded, not that I’d confess that one to anyone.