CHAPTER 44: BACHELORRETTE TRUTHS

HARLEM

Unpacking in my room, I get a knock on the door and go to open it. We finished dinner about an hour ago and mom finally let us go because she thought we would be exhausted from flying. I am, slightly. But I have to unpack now or I’ll never do it.

I open the door and see Ezra standing with a hoodie and sweatpants. It has to be the first time I’m seeing him wearing something TOO comfortable. I’m shocked and let him in. We’re currently lodged in a five star hotel and I’m pretty sure his room is right next to mine.

He raises a brow "What?" he asks.

"You look good." The words leave my mouth before I know it. His eyes widen and he looks at his outfit like he’s just realizing what he’s wearing. He clears his throat "Thank you. But I’M usually the one saying that to you. It’s basically your job to look good."

I smile. Did he just complement me? "Of course. Only one of us can be the diva." I tease, going to seat on my bed.

He smirks at me "I wanted to check up on you, actually. I’m just coming back from the gym and wanted to stop by. Do you need anything?"

"Thank you, Ezra. I’m good, don’t need anything. You?" I almost physically face-palm because why the hell am I asking him?

He bites his lips, glancing around my messed-up room. "It depends on what you’re ready to give me, Tamrin."

Okayy. "Alright. I get it. Good night" I say, shooting up from my bed and going to open the door, feeling myself go hot and my heartrate spike. Betraying body.

He laughs; a rich and deep subtle sound that causes goosebumps to erupt even on the evilest of persons. Okay yeah, I need sleep.

"Good night, princess. Lovely family by the way." He states and then walks out.

I close the door and get back to unpacking, a smile beginning to feel normal around him.

----

The taste of the apple cider sours my mouth as it flows down my throat into my empty stomach. Violet and I sit around a table in a restaurant with some of her friends/bridesmaids trying to finish a bottle of apple cider after eating. Why though? I’m getting to that.

Yes, I’m at her bachelorette party and we just had lunch, but all of a sudden; Violet brought out a whole flipping bottle of apple cider and told us we need to finish it so we could all look good on her wedding. Which is next tomorrow by the way. I mean, I’m all for beauty hacks and shit but this is just torture. She didn’t even let us dilute.

"Vi. I don’t think it’s healthy for us to finish the WHOLE bottle." One of the bridesmaids, I think her name is Lucille or Lucy says, wincing slightly.

"Oh, come on. There’s like 10 of us." She says.

I clear my throat "8 actually." She looks at me like the information isn’t necessary. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that I’m a bridesmaid? Violet forced me. I told her she wouldn’t want me because I don’t know how to catch flowers or dance and shit but she insisted. She almost even bought my dress a few hours ago, the one I had before was not something I could wear as a bridesmaid, and to which I quickly averted and paid myself.

I stare at the cider, wondering what Ezra and my brothers are up to at their bachelor party. Probably something not Ezra-like. I smile at that. He seemed reluctant to part ways this morning but Zoran being Zoran, dragged him along.

I look at Violet and I’m filled with joy for the both of them. They get to be with each other forever and I’ve never seen a more perfect match. Violet catches me staring and smiles at me and I smile back, turning slightly red having been caught staring.

After about another hour of singing, dancing, apple cider torture and just plain messing around, we decide to call it quits. Violet looked so happy, I almost felt jealous. Guess I may never get to experience what she’s feeling.

The girls order their uber and leave while Vi insists on driving me back to the family house herself so I shoot a quick text to Ezra to tell him not to worry about picking me up.

Folded by Kehlani begins to play on the speakers and I and Violet lose ourselves in the music while she drives her beautiful Porsche. She works as a real estate agent and makes a ton of money from it. I hope to be very financially free like her. Matter of fact, I hope to BE like her. And I’m happy about that because Zoran respects her a lot because she runs her own ship.

When the car goes silent, she turns to me. "So, are you going to tell me what’s going on between you and your ’friend’?"

My eyes widen and I look at her "What?"

"You know, Ezra Roth, billionaire CEO who just happens to be your ’friend’?" She sure does keep throwing that word around.

I sigh, because playing dumb doesn’t work on her. "Well, um, I think he might like me. I don’t really know" I say glancing at her.

She smiles "Girllll! You lucked out. A billionaire?" she exclaims.

"It’s not serious, at all. Trust me. And I don’t even know why I invited him. Probably because I didn’t want to be alone at the wedding and he was the closest person at the moment to ask." I retort.

"Stop. Don’t do that, Harlem. I see the way he looks at you and you might also have the same look in your eyes. Girl, I’m getting married in two days, I know what I’m saying." She says smiling mischievously.

"I don’t know." I mutter looking out the window, trying not to think too much about it because there’s definitely no such ’look’ being given. I can’t begin to describe how the idea of a relationship with Ezra feels. But it sure is foreign.

She says a bit more stuff about romance but my mind is on why the hell my heart is beating so fast.