by Raina Wilde
She turned the TV off and decided to go to bed. If Ashley was getting married, then Josh was probably coming back into town as well. Ashley sighed. Add him to the list of people that she would have to try to avoid this weekend.
Chapter 2
When Josh woke up the next morning the sky was still dark. He rolled to his back and stared up at the ornate ceiling of the hotel penthouse. With a sigh he rolled his head to the side to see the sleeping form of yet another woman whose name he could not remember. Nor, did he care to learn it.
He got up from the bed and began to throw his belongings into his designer suitcase. He made no effort to be quiet. If the woman woke, so be it. The sooner the better, he thought. That way she could leave and he could get back on the road sooner.
He was tired of the pro-athlete lifestyle. He was sick of women waiting outside of the locker room hoping to catch his attention. Sometimes they did, but not for long. When he first become famous he had thought that it was a perk of being a professional athlete. Now, the routine was getting old and Josh was restless.
“Come back to bed. ” The soft voice beckoned from the other side of the room.
“I can’t. I’ve got a plane to catch. ” He continued to throw his belongings into the suitcase.
“Where you going? I thought maybe you’d want to spend the day together. ” The woman sat up in the massive bed, not even bothering to cover herself. Josh sighed. He needed to get out of here.
“My sister’s getting married this weekend. ” He grunted.
“That’s exciting!” He could tell from the way that her eyes lit up that she was fishing for an invitation. That was not going to happen.
“Yeah, I’m happy for her. ” He zipped the suitcase and placed it by the door before moving toward the bathroom to collect his toiletries. The woman sauntered into the bathroom as naked as the day she was born.
“You come from a cute little small-town, don’t you? ” She asked. “I’d love to see it. ”
“No, you wouldn’t. ” Josh said with certainty. “It’s a shitty little coastal town where nothing ever happens. There’s a reason why everybody moves away from it the first chance that they get. ”
The woman continued to talk but Josh was no longer listening. He was happy for his sister, but the idea of going back to Norman’s Bay held little appeal. There was nothing left for him there. Sure, his parents still lived in Norman’s Bay. After all of their support Josh had made sure that he had purchased the biggest house in town after his first big season. Not, he thought, that he had ever seen it. No, he had not been back to Norman’s Bay since he had been drafted. It was much easier to pay for his parents to fly to wherever he was staying at the time.
He could not suppress a small chuckle when he thought about how he used to plan on returning there one day. Now, the idea seemed silly.
An image flashed in his mind and he remembered the only reason he ever would have considered returning to the small town. Lori Stone. Ashley’s best friend was the only girl who had ever truly caught his interest, and held it. At one point, many years ago, he had thought that they might have had something, but he had been wrong.
He wondered what Lori was up to now. He hadn’t seen her in years. Not since she and Ashley had graduated from high school. That was right before he had been drafted to the NFL. She had been beautiful, and energetic. That summer was the first time that he had seen her as anything other than his little sister’s best friend.
She had been ready to leave the town too. She was going to college to study music and he had been certain that she would be a big name in no time. Surprisingly, he had never been able to find any work that she had released. Maybe she was going by a different name?
Josh had tried to keep in touch with Lori afterward, but she had blown him off. He smiled at the thought that he could now have any woman he wanted but the only one who had ever meant anything had ended it before it ever really had a chance to begin.
Lori had said that she felt as if she would be betraying Ashley by trying to have a relationship with him. Despite all of Josh’s best arguments he could not change her mind. Eventually, she simply stopped responding to him.
The worst part about it was that she had also stopped speaking with Ashley as well. Josh hoped that he had not been the cause of the end of their friendship. Ashley had been devastated. Lori had drifted away from them both and into her own life, wherever she was now.
The door closed behind him and Josh breathed a sigh of relief that the woman had left. He made a quick call down to his driver before exiting the room himself.
Chapter 3
Lori smoothed her hands down the lightweight dress that she had chosen for her dinner with Ashley and Wyatt. It was her best dress and she had been saving it for a special occasion, but after sitting in her closet for a year and a half she had decided that this was probably the best chance she would get.
When she entered the restaurant she had to remind herself to quit fidgeting. She straightened her shoulders and ran a hand over her soft blonde curls. She was determined to appear comfortable with this level of luxury. She was nervous. She told herself that she should not be, but she could not help it.
Lori had done the best that she could in her situation. Being a young, single mother was difficult. Though she might often wish that she had more personal accomplishments, if she had the chance she would not change a thing. Emmy was a smart, precocious, loving child and she was Lori’s pride and joy.
That did not make it any easier to walk into a restaurant and know that she was meeting with two people who were incredibly successful, and worldly. Lori laughed. She had hardly even been outside of Norman’s Bay, let alone travelled the world.
Ashley and Wyatt were late. Lori allowed the hostess to seat her and she sipped a glass of iced water while she watched the door with a pounding heart. Would she recognize Ashley? Would Ashley recognize Lori?
Lori laughed to herself. Of course Ashley would recognize her. Though she had allowed her hair to grow out, and her breasts were a little fuller after giving birth, Lori looked exactly the same as she had the last time that she saw her friend.
When Ashley and Wyatt finally entered the restaurant, Lori had to instruct herself not to reveal the surprise that she felt. Ashley was transformed. Her light brown hair had been dyed a coppery blonde. It was twisted into an elegant top-knot that looked impossibly smooth. Lori’s naturally wavy hair would never lie like that, even if she took the time to straighten it.
She stood up and greeted her friend.
“You look fantastic!” Lori was afraid to touch Ashley. Her designer clothes were perfectly laundered, she was adorned with jewels that Lori did not even want to attempt to guess the value of, and her makeup made her look like the cover of a beauty magazine.
Ashley instantly flung her arms around Lori and pulled her close.
“Lori!” Ashley leaned back and looked at Lori with tears in her eyes. “I missed you so much. I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you’ll be attending my wedding. ”
“Of course! I wouldn’t miss it for the world. ” Lori hugged her friend once more before they all sat down at the table.
Lori listened to the updates on Ashley’s life. Every time the conversation started to turn toward her she redirected it to the couple by claiming that this weekend was about them. Ashley seemed appeased because it was clear that she was hoping that they would have more time to catch up after the wedding. Lori could tell that Ashley was hopeful that this weekend would renew the communications that they had lost.
“…and of course we flew in the best caterer in the country. I’ve got a film coming up after our honeymoon and I can’t afford to jeopardize my figure. ” Wyatt explained. “I can’t imagine how this town survives on all of this, so-called, comfort food. I mean, this is the only restaurant in town that even provided a tofu dish, let alone anything else remotely vegetarian. It’s disgraceful, really. Don’t you agree, Lori? ”
“I
… Well… I guess I’m generally more of a burger or pasta type of girl. ” She shrugged. To be perfectly honest, this restaurant was not frequented by many of the locals, who preferred heartier meals at lower prices.
“I can’t believe that. ” Wyatt seemed shocked at her revelation. “How do you maintain your figure? ”
Lori shrugged. She was five feet seven inches tall and had been fortunate to lose all of her baby weight after Emmy was born.
“I do a lot of walking. ” The answer was vague, but not untrue. Waiting tables and cleaning hotel rooms did require a lot of physical activity, however if Wyatt assumed that she was referring to recreational walking she was not about to correct him.
Wyatt nodded, as if that explained everything. Wyatt was going to stick out like a sore thumb in Norman’s Bay. Everything from his perfectly tailored coral trousers to his leather loafers screamed Hollywood actor.
Lori noticed that Ashley had become more refined as well. Josh and Ashley’s parents were a sweet, working-class couple who had done everything that they could to give their children a chance at the best life possible. It seemed as if all of their hard work had paid off.
Ashley tapped her perfectly manicured fingernails on the table and stared at Lori with wide eyes.
“I can’t believe you’re here. ” She said eventually. “I haven’t been back to the Bay in so long that I wasn’t even sure that you still lived here. ”
“I do. ” Lori laughed with a false bravado. “I would not have missed your wedding for the world, Ashley. ”
Lori noticed that Ashley looked nervous about something and she waited for her friend to speak. Slowly, Ashley pulled a gilded wedding invitation from her clutch. The ornate paper had obviously been professionally designed for the couple specifically. Lori accepted the invitation with gratitude.
“I didn’t know where to send it. ” Ashley revealed a half smile. “It’s just a small little gathering, close family and friends. No press. We didn’t want to waste the time with a long engagement so, unfortunately, it’s been short notice for all of the guests. ”
Before Lori could respond Ashley pressed on.
“That’s not all. ” Lori felt her nerves rise. Ashley flashed a smile that Lori recognized from when they were younger. The one that she had always used when she was up to something. “There’s really only one thing left that will finish our wedding planning and I was hoping that you could help us. ”
Lori knew exactly what was coming.
“It would mean so much to me if you would sing at the wedding. Just the ceremony. You’ll be able to enjoy the reception like all the other guests. We’ve hired a DJ for that. ” Ashley interlocked her fingers and held her hands in front of her as she begged Lori. “Please, Lori. I’ve always dreamed of walking down the aisle to your voice, ever since we were children. Please say that you’ll do it. ”
With her long-lost best friend staring at her with wide, blue eyes, how could Lori refuse?
“I would be honored to sing at your wedding. ” Lori smiled. “But are you sure that you don’t want someone with more experience? ”
“Nope. ” Ashley’s voice was resolute. “I just want you. ” The grin that covered the young bride’s face eliminated all of Lori’s fears.
This weekend was going to be much more complicated than she had anticipated, but if she could do this one thing for Ashley maybe it would make up for Lori’s actions in the recent years.
“You have to come to the rehearsal dinner on Friday. The whole family is coming and you should be there. Mom and dad would love to see you and Josh’s coming home for the first time since he was drafted. ” Ashley said excitedly.
Ashley felt the blood drain from her face. The idea of spending an evening surrounded by Ashley’s family, especially Josh, was enough to give Lori nightmares.
“Unfortunately, I’m busy on Friday but I’m sure that I’ll see them on Saturday. ” Lori smiled and hoped that her excuse seemed casual enough. She really had no excuse and hoped that she would not be caught in the lie. Ashley might be distracted with the plans for the wedding but the other family members, particularly Josh, would not be so easily deceived.
Lori had known that she would have to see Ashley’s family this weekend, but she had hoped to just give a brief greeting to Mr. and Mrs. Bennett before slipping off for the night. Thankfully, Ashley’s parents were so busy enjoying their retirement and traveling all over the country that they were rarely in town. As far as she was aware, they had no knowledge of Emmy’s existence.
Chapter 4
Josh closed the door to one of the guest rooms at the house that he had bought his parents. He needed a moment to himself. Every other room seemed to be filled with people he did not know. Friends of Ashley and Wyatt, the groom’s family, and people from town that he could barely recognize.
Tonight was the welcome home dinner for the couple. In addition to the raucous get-together that was going on downstairs, the yard was also teaming with hired hands, event planners, and all sorts of venue professionals.
Ashley was planning to be married in the extravagant gardens that had come with the property. Josh had made sure that the grounds had been properly maintained, even though his parents had spent very little time here in the recent years.
With their children’s financial independence, their parents had quickly retired and taken advantage of the freedom that it allowed.
Josh was used to the attention of being a celebrity. That was nothing new. Sometimes he liked it, or at least his ego did. This was not one of those times. He had not expected to be fawned over and gawked at here in this place, surrounded by his family. The small town residents and new acquaintances seemed in awe of him and were constantly asking for autographs and gossip that surrounded the professional athlete.
What he really wanted was to be treated like a regular human. For some reason today the attention was strange and a little overwhelming.
The door opened and Ashley slipped through it.
“Hey, bro. ” She gave him a light punch in the arm. “Are you looking for some peace and quiet too? ”
Josh nodded. He tapped his hand on the edge of the bed and his sister came over to sit beside him. Ashley rested her head on his shoulder and he wrapped an arm around her.
“What’s up? ” He asked.
“Nothing. ” She yawned. “I’ve just had a long day and I needed a minute to regroup. ”
“Are you tired of giving instructions to the Army that’s out in the yard? ” Josh laughed.
Ashley looked at him in shock. “Of course not! I was born to throw parties. ” She yawned again and covered her mouth with her hand.
“You hardly ate anything at dinner. Are you sure you that you’re all right? ” He pressed.
“Well I had no idea that mom and dad were throwing a dinner party. ” She laughed. “I had already eaten. Actually… Wyatt and I had dinner with Lori. ”
Josh felt his stomach drop. Just the mention of her name was enough to send his mind reeling.
“Oh? Is she in town? ” He tried to sound casual.
Ashley turned to him with bright eyes and renewed energy. “Apparently she still lives here. ” Ashley shrugged. “She’s coming to the wedding! She’s going to sing at the ceremony. Josh, I’m so excited. She hasn’t spoken to me in years except for a few texts here and there. After the wedding is over I’m determined to find out what I did wrong. ”
Interestingly enough, Josh’s thoughts mirrored Ashley’s exactly. Except for the part about waiting until after the wedding. For the first time since that summer four years ago Lori would be unable to avoid him. This was his chance. He was going to find out why she broke it off with him. He was going to find out why she had effectively cut his entire family out of her life.
For years he had gone over and over what he might have done wrong. Everything had seemed so perfect. Years had passed. She couldn’t possibly still harbor anger for whatever it was that he had done to upset her.
Josh decided that he needed more information from Ashley before he enacted his plan. He attempted to question her as casually as possible.
“I don’t know how I feel about you two being friends again. ” He laughed and poked his sister in the ribs. “You two played a lot of pranks on me when we were kids. ”
“It isn’t as if you didn’t get us back ten times worse!” Ashley giggled. For a moment they both sat in silence as the memories played like a video in their mind. Josh was glad that Ashley was not privy to his own thoughts. She had never suspected that any interest had passed between her brother and her past friend. For all Ashley knew, Josh thought of Lori as another younger sister. This was not the case. It had not been the case for a very long time.
It made it even more difficult to watch his sister not understand why Lori had severed ties with her. Josh was fairly certain that it was his fault. That he somehow scared Lori away. He had never worked up the courage to explain to his sister that his own feelings had ruined the best friendship that she had ever had.
“What’s she up to now? ” He made sure that his tone sounded as if he did not really care about the answer. In reality, his heart was racing. What if Ashley said that Lori had met someone else? What if she had a husband, and children? Was it possible that she would have been able to find, with someone else, that elusive feeling that he had only ever experienced with her?
“That’s the funny thing. ” Ashley sighed. “I have no idea. We talked for over an hour at dinner and I never really found anything out about her. She’s so mysterious. Every time I tried to ask her a question about herself she would redirect the conversation to the wedding, or my life. Of course Wyatt had no problem with this, so I was not able to push the matter. ”
