Page 12 of Just One: Box Set

Chapter One

" Y ou may now kiss the bride." Jackie tried to watch as her best friend, Harley, kissed her husband, Archer, through blurry vision—and it wasn’t because of tears.

The trip had started with her losing a contact lens on the plane and then ripping the remaining one while trying to make sure it was still in place.

She hadn’t brought her glasses as a backup, leaving her nearly blind.

But she wasn’t going to let the annoyance of impaired vision stop her from celebrating with Harley.

This wedding was no surprise—she had always known Harley and Archer were meant to be together.

Seeing, or mostly seeing, them so happy made Jackie’s heart swell, despite her frustration over her eyesight.

And, of course, there was another issue that would gnaw at her throughout the evening: Carter.

Carter was Archer’s best friend, and Jackie hated—no, loathed—him.

It made socializing with the group challenging, and no amount of persuading from Harley could change her mind.

Harley didn’t understand why, and Jackie had never explained it.

The truth was it was stupid. Carter had broken her heart, and he didn’t even know it.

There she was, saddled up to the bar, drowning her sorrows in self-inflicted misery.

Her best friend was now married, and Jackie couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that she’d be the forgotten single friend, left behind as Harley moved forward with her new life. Guilt mingled with sadness in her gut.

She waved the bartender over, ordering another drink in hopes that the alcohol might numb the emotions swirling inside her.

Turning her attention to the dance floor, she watched as Archer and Harley danced, their families surrounding them.

Archer’s siblings, Andre, Amy, and Allison, as well as Damon and Phillip, were seated nearby, all smiling as the couple moved to the music.

Andre approached her, smirking. “Holy fuck,” he said, waggling his eyebrows. “Carter didn’t tell me you were such a fox. Wanna have a quick Vegas fling?”

Jackie snorted at his remark, just as Archer and Harley joined them. Archer playfully smacked the back of his brother’s head. “Keep it in your pants. I don’t need you causing any problems this weekend because you couldn’t control yourself.”

Andre tipped his head toward Calli, Harley’s cousin, who was shimmying on the dance floor. “What about her? She’d look good bouncing on my?—”

“Fuck, you’re disgusting,” Allison groaned, making a gagging sound as she walked away toward the bathroom.

Damon slammed his hands on the bar, knocking over a drink the bartender had just set down. “Nice move, asshole.”

Phillip and Archer exchanged a glance. “I think my brother’s smitten with your sister,” Phillip teased.

Damon mumbled under his breath, “Fuck off, Phillip. You don’t know shit.”

“She’s off-limits,” Archer growled. “Allison just got out of a terrible relationship and is leaving the country as soon as I marry Harley.”

“Whoa. She’s leaving the country because of a breakup?” Phillip asked, looking in Allison’s direction.

“It’s a long story,” Amy interjected, her tone sharp. Jackie could sense the protective sibling energy radiating from her. They shared an unspoken understanding—Allison had been hurt, and Amy wasn’t about to let her feel worse around everyone tonight.

Archer quickly filled them in. “Her boss was involved. The guy was a player, and his wife didn’t take it well when she found out he proposed to another woman. The trip Allison’s about to take was supposed to be their honeymoon.” His voice was filled with disgust.

“That’s fucked up,” Damon muttered, staring in the direction Allison had gone. “Even your hit-it-and-quit-it ways wouldn’t go that far,” he said, shooting a look at Phillip, who glared back.

“Yeah, so go easy on her,” Archer warned. “And don’t hit on her.”

Andre grumbled and got up to use the restroom while Amy rolled her eyes. “You guys are so fucking juvenile.” She downed her drink and turned to Carter, who had been quietly nursing his own. “So, Carter, what are you doing now that you’ve graduated college?”

“I’m going to work for my dad’s architecture firm. That’s always been the plan—get my degree in engineering with a focus on architecture, then take over the company eventually,” Carter replied.

“That’s impressive,” Amy said, giving him an appreciative glance. Jackie noticed Amy’s eyes lingering on his muscular frame. If Carter were looking for a quick fling, Amy seemed more than ready. But Carter barely acknowledged her, making Jackie wonder what his deal was.

Not that she cared. She didn’t care if Carter fucked every woman at the wedding—or so she told herself.

“So, Allison, what do you do for a living?” Jackie asked, trying to shift her focus away from Carter.

When Allison returned from the bathroom, they learned she was headed to Venice in the morning. She’d quit her job after the nasty breakup and needed a fresh start. The trip had been planned for her honeymoon, but now it was a way to reset her mind.

Amy, the oldest sibling, was a sports physiotherapist, which caught Phillip’s attention.

He was a professional soccer player for the Atlanta Force, and it was clear he was interested in anyone who shared his passion for sports.

Andre, Archer’s oldest brother, was a firefighter in Atlanta, and he seemed intrigued by Calli’s profession as a middle school teacher.

Damon, a public defender in Atlanta, was fully engaged in conversation with Harley, who was about to start law school and had a million questions for him.

Archer’s family was just as accomplished as Harley’s, which made Jackie feel a bit out of place, even if she wouldn’t admit it.

“What are you thinking about?” Carter’s breath tickled the spot just below her ear, startling her. His proximity, blurry as it was, made ignoring him harder.

“None of your business,” she snapped, sliding off the stool and grabbing Harley’s hand. “Come on, let’s dance.”

She needed to soak up as much time with her best friend as possible—and get as far away from Carter as she could.