Page 69 of My Ex-Fiance's Best Men

“Oh, thank you,” I smile and glance down at my upside-down tulip dress. It’s simple and black, but it shimmers beautifully under the club’s dynamic lighting. “I feel bloated, though.”

Penny gives me a playful wink. “Your appetite has gone up.”

“I’m getting bigger, aren’t I?”

“It’s not a tragedy,” she rushes to reassure me. “Babe, you’re going through some things. You’re not made of stone. We all have our coping mechanisms.”

I lower my gaze, feeling rather ashamed. Penny quickly realizes where my thoughts are and puts her arm around my shoulders, pulling me close.

“Phoebe, you are and will always be beautiful, no matter your size or weight. The most important thing is that you are happy in your own skin.” She squeezes my shoulder. “Speaking of being happy, have you called the guys yet?”

“No.”

“Why the hell not? They’ve been giving you the space you asked for. They deserve at least a phone call from you. Come on.”

“I know. But it’s like with each passing day, I grow more and more avoidant. I think you’d call it self-sabotage.”

“Itisself-sabotage.”

“Well, maybe I don’t deserve them. I panicked last week. I turned against Theo, and I shut the three of them out without giving them a chance to explain anything.”

“And then you asked for a little bit of time to work through your feelings. Which is what you’ve been doing, right?”

I glance around, recognizing some of the club’s patrons. Familiar faces I’ve seen at other bars and events over the years. Rich kids. Hamptons royalty. Mostly harmless but with plenty of cash to waste in places like this.

There was a time when I would’ve given anything to feel included in their cliques. Not anymore. I’m no longer drawn to this kind of lifestyle. Not that it ever really stuck to me in the first place.

“Yes,” I tell Penny. “But now it feels like it’s too late to salvage anything from my relationship with them. Maybe it’s been too long.”

“No way. Phoebe, they’re waiting for a sign from you. They’ll never give up on you. Get that through your thick, beautiful head.”

I can’t help but smile as I look at her. “You think so?”

“Honey, they’re smitten and… hold on,” she pauses, frowning as she looks somewhere behind me. “Hold that thought. Fucking finally.”

“What is it?”

I follow her gaze, but I don’t see the center point of her sudden interest. There’s a big crowd by the main bar, and it’s hard to make out the details of anyone hanging around that area, especially with so many folks dancing all over.

“Penny?” I ask.

“One moment,” she replies, her gaze still fixed on that single, distant point. “Son of a bitch. I knew it.”

“Knew what? You’re killing me here!”

“Okay, confession time,” Penny says, but she still won’t look at me. “I wanted to take you out tonight but not to get you drunk. I’ve been following a pattern with the guys, and we were pretty sure I’d see her here tonight.”

“Wait, you’ve been talking to them?” I ask sharply.

She nods. “Almost every day, yeah. We’rethisclose to getting to the bottom of that lingerie store nonsense. I think Dominic and August are grilling the paparazzi as we speak. There was a movie premiere at a private theater in Manhattan, and the photographer was supposed to be there. They couldn’t miss their shot so?—”

“Penny, slow down. I’m way behind here.”

She gives me a long, thoughtful look. Slowly, a devilish smile stretches across her face, specks of glitter shimmering on her cheeks. “Look at the cocktail bar. The section on the far end, to the right. Next to the small Red Bull fridge.”

I do as I’m told, finding the energy drink fridge after a careful scan of the area. I watch as the bartenders dash from one side to the other while serving cocktails. I see patrons gathering and waving at them. Some look a little too young to be in here, while others?—

“Oh, shit,”