The girls in the story are all 26 and the guys are all 27. Braidey is played by Matthew Goode.
Today is a crazy busy day. Work was crazy busy and I haven't had any time to rest after that. Currently, I'm shopping for tonight's dinner. Braidey's mother is coming over. I tried to change the date but his mom can get really clingy. Ever since her husband left her she clinged onto Braidey. Now that Braidey's living with me she doesn't see him as often as she would like. Too bad for me because now she visits us as often as we allow it and I don't have the heart to tell her to give us space. And space is what we desperately crave. We barely have any alone time. Either I'm working, he's working or his mom is here. Suddenly my body hits something solid. While deep in my thoughts I must not have seen where I was going. "I'm sor-", is my attempt at apologising until I look up and see who the person I bumped into is. He's still a bit taken back so hasn't noticed me yet. I take that to my advantage by quickly turning around and disappearing into another aisle.
As soon as I'm sure he didn't follow me I take a minute to get myself back together. Gosh, why did it have to be him? After all these years of succesfully avoiding him. I never thought of the possibility that I would simply bump into him, let alone the way I would react to it. Now that I'm thinking about it, walking away wasn't the most mature way to handle it. I take a deep breath and focus back on the groceries. I only have two hours until Margret will be at the house. So I grab my shopping cart and go back to shopping. But without being aware of it I check every aisle before I walk into it.
I quickly walk to my car with my bags full of groceries in my hands, glad that I didn't bump into Eddie again. As soon as I'm in my car, I can drive away from here and forget that the encounter with Eddie ever happened. Also, I have to pick a different grocery store now that I know Eddie shops here too. How come I never saw him here before in all these years? Suddenly I feel the weight of one of my grocery bags dissapear. I turn around, irritated, "Hey!". I take a step back as I face the man who took over my bag. He smiles broadly, showing his white teeth. "Hey Loren." My irritation has turned into aggravation. I yank the bag out of his grip and continue the way to my car after turning back around. I can hear him catching up with me. "So no apology then?" I just keep walking but I am curious about what the hell he thinks he's talking about. "Apology?!" "Yeah, technically it was you who bumped into me." I sigh,"So you recognised me." "Really Loren? I might not have seen your face but that voice, that ass. Hard to forget." I turn around agressively. "How dare you!" "What? It was a compliment Loren." "I don't need your fucking compliments, Eddie! And beside that, you have no fucking right to compliment my ass!" It stays silent for a few seconds in which I stare at him with rage. He looks a little taken back. I turn back around and after a few steps I finally reach my car.
I open the trunk and dump the bags in it. Eddie still on my heels. "Come on Lo. You're just going to leave like that? We haven't seen each other in years." I open the door of my car. "And I would have liked to keep it that way." And with that I get in and drive away, confused and hurt.
"Hey sweetie, what took you so long?", says Braidey as soon as I get out of the car. "I bumped into someone I knew. I'm sorry." "It's okay. Let me help you with those." He grabs the grocery bags out of the trunk and I follow him inside. He drops them on the kitchen table and before I know it he has cupped my face with his hands. He presses his lips onto mine and I smile, kissing him back. After a minute I pull back, bound by time since his mother is going to be here in a little while. He groans, "Babe, why?" "Because someone's mom is coming over for dinner." His hands are still cupping my cheeks and his face is still close. "I'm sorry about her being so clingy." I give him a genuine smile. "It's okay Braidey. I know it must be hard for her. I couldn't go a day without you either." He pecks my lips. "And that's why I love you. You're the only girl who would put up with my crazy family."
"I'm sure that's not true." I say. "Do you know where Adriana's wedding invitation is? I forgot the date." "I think it's on the night stand." he replies. "When are you going bridemaids dress shopping?" "Tomorrow. I really hope she doesn't try to put me in something ugly." He turns back to me, "It doesn't matter. You'll look amazing no matter what she picks." I smile, "You have to say that." He grins, "Because you're scary when you're angry at me." I act offended, "See! There it is. The real reason you are so charming." He chuckles and grabs my waist, kissing me again.
"Loren! You're here!", Adriana squeals while giving me a hug when I get out of my car in front of the mall. Melissa's already there and so is Kim. I pull back, "Of course I am! I'm your maid of honor, aren't I?" "Well, you're late.", Adriana pouts. "Yeah, sorry about that. Braidey's mom left extremely late last night so Braidey and I slept in." "Right, the crazy mom.", Kim says. "She's not crazy. Just lonely.", I say. "Maybe a little clingy.", Melissa says. "Yes, she's clingy. And it's annoying. A-". I start to say but get interrupted by Melissa who's smirking, "And because of it you and Braidey haven't had sex for a long time." I fake a smile, "Ha, ha. Very funny. Let's just go shopping okay?"
We walk into the mall and start looking at the most beautiful dresses. Adriana has already bought her wedding dress a week before. It's great for her but it would look completely slutty on me. Not that it's slutty. It's just revealing but it fits Adriana's body perfectly. Melissa speaks up, "Loren, you seem distracted. Is it the whole Braidey's mom thing?" "No, I'm okay.", I say. Kim doesn't believe that lie, "No, Melissa's right. You do seem distracted." "Spill it.", Adriana joins them. "Okay, you guys. No need to gang up on me." I hestitate, "I...bumped into Eddie yesterday." "What?! Oh my gosh!", Kim screams out. "That's good.", Adriana reacts. "Good?", I act suprised. "Yes. Good. You know...since I invited him to the wedding.", Adrianna rushes the last part of the sentence. I'm shocked, "You what?" "He's good friends with Phil. I couldn't just not invite him. But it's good that you have seen him yesterday. Now it won't be such a big shocker when you see him at the wedding." "So what happened?", Melissa jumps into the conversation. "Well, I went grocery shopping and I literally bumped into him. When I realised it was him...I kinda turned around and disappeared." They all burst out laughing. "You did what?", Melissa laughs. "I know! I'm so ashamed! Because he recognised me and followed me to my car. And then he had the nerve to talk about my ass!"
Adriana grabs a dress while chuckling. We're all still scanning trough the racks. They're laughing, I'm starting to get angry at Eddie again. "What did he say?", Kim laughs. I wait a few seconds, trying to remember his exact words. "I was suprised that he recognised me as the one bumping into him. Then he said: Really Loren? That voice, that ass. Hard to forget." They all burst out laughing and Melissa even grabs her stomach, while sitting down on a puff in the shop. "It's not funny! He has no right." They all notice that I am seriously hurt after seeing him again and stop laughing. Adriana tries to lighten up the mood, "Girls! Try on these." She holds up three blue dresses. We all grab one and get in a few dressing rooms. I change into the dress and it fits terribly. It has curves in all the wrong places. I walk out and by the look on Melissa and Kim's faces, they have the same opinion of the dresses.
"They're terrible.", Adriana agrees. "Thank God", Kim says relieved. We try on a few other dresses but they're all wrong one way or another. Adriana sighs frustrated just as I grab three pink dresses. Adriana looks interested and tells us to try them on. We do and we all walk out of the dressing rooms with a satisfied smile. "I totally love this dress.", Kim squeals. The dresses are strapless and mine is shorter than the other two because Adriana wants me to stand out as the made of honor. So my dress reaches until a little past my knees and Kim and Melissa's dresses reach the ground. The upper layer of the dress is made from a thinner fabric. The crinkles in the dress all lead to one point on the left of our upper bodies. On that spot there's a beatiful white crystal pin that holds it all together. "I love them too.", Adriana smiles. "Loren, you like them too right?", Adriana asks suddenly concerned. "I totally love them.", I squeal. "Well, then that's settled. Go change then I'lll go pay for them while you all change back into your own clothes." While we change, Melissa, Kim and I discuss the dresses. "Oh my gosh Loren, your boobs looked great in that dress.", Kim squeals out. "What? You're crazy!" "No, she's right. Your breasts have become amazingly big over the past few years.", Melissa agrees with Adriana. "Oh no. Are you guys telling me that they're too big?" "No. Not at all. They're perfect!", Melissa reassures me.
We all finish changing and join Adriana outside the shop. "Okay, next stop. Shoes.", Adriana orders us. We all link arms and walk to the next shop like that. We find white strappy bridemaids shoes that perfectly match the dress. With the bags in our hands we grab a café and order a coffee and a piece of cake. Adriana skips the cake and takes a caffeïne free coffee. "I would like to still fit in my wedding dress in a few weeks." "Well then, stop losing weight and eat your piece of cake.", I order her. She laughs and gives in. "Okay, but it's your fault if I won't be able to get in my dress." That's when I feel two hands on my shoulders. Followed by someone placing kisses all over my neck and shoulder. By the looks of the girls and the feeling of his lips, I know that it's Braidey. I smile. I can feel him giving me a hickey but he gets interrupted by Adriana. "Braidey, keep yourself in control. My maid of honor can't be showing off a neck full of hickeys at my wedding. Braidey pulls back and smirks, "That's too bad."
"What are you doing here?", I ask suprised. "Phil is taking us all out for beers." "And making sure you all have suits I hope?", asks Adriana. Phil answers for Braidey while walking up to his fiancée. "Yes babe, it's all checked." "Lo, guess who I met.", Braidey asks me. "Who?" "Eddie, he's your ex right?", he happily says as if it's the most normal thing in the world. And as if on cue, Eddie walks up to our table together with Ian and Tyler. "Hey Loren." One corner of his mouth is twitched up in a smile. A really sexy smile. But it makes me even more upset. I stand up and walk into the café in the direction of the toilets. When I'm almost there, Braidey places his hands on my shoulders and turns me around. He looks at me with concern, "Hey Lo. Stop. What's wrong?" I look up at him, "You act like Eddie is the coolest dude on earth." "He's okay. He seems like a cool dude.", Braidey replies. "A cool dude? Did you forget the reason he's my ex?" "Right, he cheated on you." "Yes Braidey! He cheated on me!" We're still in sight of the rest of our friends and I'm sure that they're all staring at us. Braidey's hands are still on my shoulders and his eyes are still full of concern. "And I have no clue how he could be such a fool to let you go. But he does seem like a nice guy." "So, it doesn't matter that he hurt me." "Of course it matters, sweetie. I hate that he hurt you but I'm glad that he did cause else I wouldn't have you." I give him a small smile. "Yeah, I guess that's the bright side of it. But I'm not just going to forgive him. And I'm sure as hell not going to act like everything's okay." "And I don't expect you to. Just make sure that you don't let it come in the way of Phil's wedding." "I'll try." Braidey smiles at me, "That's my girl." And he kisses me. I kiss him back and after a few seconds he pulls back and wraps his arm around my shoulder while we walk back to the table.
"Hey Loren.", I say. Loren looks upset. She stands up and walks into the café. Braidey looks concerned and follows her. The girls all follow them with their concerned gaze. No one knows exactly what it's about but everyone has an idea why Loren's upset. Everyone knows the story. We've all been friends since forever so they all know what happened between Loren and I. Only Braidey is new to the group. As a matter of fact, I find out today that he even existed. That's probably because it has been a long time since we've all been together. Braidey places his hands on her shoulders and turns her around. They talk and Loren seems angry. But after a little while she smiles. I know how Loren can be when she's angry so I'm impressed by the effect Braidey has on her. He kisses her and my jealousy grows. I turn my head away. I don't have to see all of that. I turn my head back around when Melissa says: "They're so cute together." I look at Loren and Braidey walking back smiling at each other with his arm around her shoulder. The girls all nod in agreement with Melissa. I frown. When Loren and Braidey sit back down, Braidey holding Loren's hand, Adriana starts talking. "I hate the fact that I have three bridesmaids and you have four best men. "Then dump Eddie as your best man.", Loren suggests. That makes my frown grow deeper. "Loren.", Braidey pleads. "Fine, don't dump him.", Loren says with an attitude. "Why don't you just take another bridesmaid?", Ian asks. "Because there's no other girl in our group of friends.", Adriana says.
"What about Leah?", I suggest. Well, that was a wrong move. Loren tenses up. Braidey starts stroking her arms up and down, trying to calm her down. No one ever really really liked Leah but they were okay with her being around. That changed when I cheated on Loren with her. No one tolerated her anymore and Leah was okay with it. "Leah?", Tyler says like I'm crazy. "We haven't spoken to her in years.", Ian says. "Maybe Eddie has "kept contact" with her.", Loren says in a disgusted way. "I haven't. It was a stupid idea, let it go." "Then who's going to be my fourth bridesmaid?" "Oh my gosh, why haven't we thought of this before? Chloe can be your fourth. She has been modeling in New York for a year right?", Kim says. "Oh my gosh, yes!", Adriana agrees. "I feel ashamed that I haven't thought of it before. She has been our friend for years. Just because she moved away doesn't mean that she shouldn't come to my wedding. I'm gonna call her right away." Then Adriana lets me know that she totally support Loren on the whole cheating thing by saying, "Oh and Eddie, just to be clear, Leah is in no way welcome at my wedding." Okay, I deserved that but it still hurts. I totally regret it but I can't change anything about it now. I hope everyone will completely forgive me before the wedding. Especially Loren.
Will they? I guess you all will find out soon.