“Maybe summer. Or fall? I know it’s not really a lot of time, but I don’t know that we need it. I already live with him. I don’t need some big to-do. We’ll see. It’s all kind of new, right? Mimi’s already talking about an engagement party, and of course she wants it to be in one of the New York hotels.” She’s fidgeting again, like she’s nervous. “I’ll understand if you don’t want to be in the wedding party . . .” She trails off.

“Of course I’ll be in your wedding. My experience isn’t going to get in the way of me standing up for my best friend.”

“I just . . . I know how stressful he’s made this. I can’t guarantee Armstrong won’t be at the wedding. I mean, I don’t want him there, but he’s Bancroft’s family, and it’s kind of a complicated situation. I can tell you that Bancroft won’t hesitate to punch him out if he’s a jerk to you, though.”

“I can deal with Armstrong.” It’s Lex who’s going to be the problem. I have no idea how to handle this situation with him anymore.

“We’re having dinner with Bane’s family tomorrow night. Mimi wants to talk about the engagement party, and if you’re okay to be part of the planning, you could come, but I totally understand if it’s too much too soon.”

“Of course I’ll come. I want to be involved.”

“Great. Awesome. I’ll tell Mimi. Griffin is going to be there, and Lex, obviously. They’ll both be in the wedding party.”

Oh God. Of course he’s going to be involved. Probably heavily. We’re going to be seeing a lot of each other in the coming months.

Ruby eyes me warily. “What is that face about?”

Telling Ruby about what happened in Bora Bora now will just make things more awkward. Not only did I lie to her while I was there and in the months since I’ve been back, but I also do not want Bane knowing. Besides, this is between me and Lex and, no matter what, I won’t betray his confidence over this. “Sorry. It’s nothing.”

Ruby narrows her eyes. “Is it about Lex?”

I shake my head, trying to keep the vigor to a minimum.

“Amie, come on, talk to me. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you react every time I bring him up. Did something happen in Bora Bora that you’re not telling me about?”

“No. Nothing happened.” I focus on my glass, wishing I didn’t have to keep this from her.

“Are you sure, because you’re being really weird and evasive right now. You’ve declined every dinner you’ve been invited to at the Mills and just the mention of Lex’s name seems to freak you out. Don’t think I haven’t noticed.”

I sigh, preparing for the bitterness of the lie before it comes out of my mouth. I’m a pretty decent liar. I’ve had lots of experience with it over the years, but most of the time I’m concocting lies with Ruby, not telling them to her. “He was nothing but nice to me in Bora Bora. I’m just embarrassed about the way things happened at the wedding, and how he had to come to my rescue on my non-honeymoon. I’m making a bigger deal out of it than it needs to be.”

“You’re sure? It’s okay if you’re not ready for this. I really will understand.”

“I know you would, but honestly, Ruby, it’s nothing I can’t handle.” I lift my glass to my lips and don an impish smile. “It’s not an interrogation room in a Mexican airport, it’s a dinner party with a guy I tried to make screw me.”

Ruby laughs, looking relieved but still uncertain. “I bet he wishes we hadn’t busted in on you.”

“I don’t know about that, I waved gardening shears at him, he was pretty terrified.”

“How did I not know about the gardening shears?”

“How do you think I cut myself out of the dress?”

“I sort of wish I’d been there to witness it.”

“There is only one witness, and thankfully he seems to be good at keeping those details to himself on account of my threats with the shears.”

“That was a real Anarchy Amie moment for you, or series of moments, I guess. I’m glad you let her out to play in Bora Bora, even though I didn’t even get to see one picture of Mr. Hottie Hook-Up.”

“I figured it was better to leave all the evidence behind.” I’m glad I don’t have any pictures of Lex on my phone. Then I’d be able to connect them to specific memories, to a night, to the scent of his skin, to the feel of his lips, to the sound of his voice in my ear.

I have no idea how I’m going to manage seeing him again.

At least it’s a dinner party. I just have to make sure we don’t end up alone.

Twenty: Private Party

Lexington

It’s been more than a month since I’ve seen Amie. Not that I’m keeping track. I’m not obsessed. I’m not fixated. I don’t stroke myself to the pictures I took of her sunbathing in Bora Bora. Because that would be wrong. And a little desperate.

I run my fingers across my ties, trying to decide which one I want to wear tonight. We’re having a dinner party to celebrate Bancroft’s engagement and likely to plan the actual engagement party, because my mother’s favorite thing in the world is party planning. Nothing makes her happier.

Amie’s going to be there. At least I assume she is. She’s Ruby’s best friend. She’ll be in the wedding. I have to wonder how she’s handling this. I’m aware, thanks to Bancroft, that Ruby waited almost a full week after Bane proposed to tell Amie—because she wasn’t managing things well. When I asked what that meant, Bane shrugged and clammed up.

I don’t know if I’m part of the reason for Amie’s inability to handle things. I don’t want to make her life more difficult than it already is, especially since Armstrong is being a huge jackass about the annulment. But I can’t pretend I’m not looking forward to seeing her even if I can’t sleep with her anymore.

It’s obviously a bad idea considering the runner she pulled last time. I should’ve just left things alone, but once we were in the car reasoning took a vacation with logic, leaving my dick in charge. I’ve almost texted her a hundred times over the past few days, but I’m not going to push her to talk to me if she’s not ready. Except tonight we’re going to have to find a way to deal with this, because we’ll be spending time together, no matter what. Maybe not alone time, but time nonetheless.

I choose a purple tie and a white dress shirt to go with my black dress pants and leave my condo early so I can pick up some flowers for my mother on the way.

Traffic is worse than I anticipated, so I’m late instead of on time. My mother greets me at the door, her expression changing from chastising for my lateness to emotional when I present her with flowers, which is silly because it’s not unusual for me to bring them for her. She doesn’t pass them off to one of the staff to put them in water. Instead, she makes me come with her to the pantry to select the right vase, then she has me arrange them and put them on the table in the entryway so she can see them every time she comes home or goes out.

It’s a small gathering, just immediate family and a couple of Bancroft’s old rugby friends, so Amie is the first person I see even though she’s on the other side of the room. Her long blond hair hangs loose around her shoulders. Her knee-length lavender dress skims her curves but doesn’t conform, hiding the perfection that lies underneath. Her heels are gray, and low. The champagne glass in her hand is half full.