Page 81 of Paradise & Vodka

"Yes, it will," I argued.

"I'm allowed to bring someone … I think."

"See!" I waved my hand toward her. "You think. You don't even know."

"Well, we can say you wanted to come to thank her for letting her husband fly all the way to Fiji to rescue you."

I tilted my head and blew out a breath. "Seriously?"

Adriane shrugged. "It will get you in the door."

I stood. "I can't." I grabbed my glass off the coffee table and started for the kitchen. "I can't use her baby shower just to see Nick again."

I heard her follow. "I'm going to talk to her on Monday. She's cool, and I bet she wouldn't mind you coming."

I spun around, and she almost ran into me. "And what if he's there with another woman? What if he ignores me? What if he laughs in my face if …"

"If you what?"

I looked out the kitchen window. "If I tell him how I feel."

She grabbed my arms and looked into my eyes. "If he does that, I will personally kick his ass, but I doubt he will."

"You don't even know him."

"No, but I know you, and I know that any man would be lucky to have you as his girlfriend."

"Nick said something similar when we said our goodbye."

"What if he didn't tell you how he feels because he doesn't think you could be with a male escort?"

"Ican’tbe with a male escort," I stated.

"Maybe he'd quit." She lifted a shoulder. "You don't know until you tell him how you feel."

"And if he doesn't feel the same way?"

"Then you move on. It's not like you two see each other all the time. You didn't even know him three weeks ago."

"I'm scared. I haven't had my heart broken since Douglas."

"I know." Adriane smiled warmly. "But would you rather have your heart be broken or have your heart not feel complete ever again?"

Adriane and I finally ordered food. We binged a series on Netflix, ate, drank, and just hung out. She was too buzzed to drive home, so she stayed the night. Having her there had me temporarily forgetting about Nick.

That was until I woke up the next morning.

I wondered if he’d had a date, if he’d slept with the client, and if he’d thought about me at all. I even thought about him on Sunday. Clearly, I couldn't get over him in just a few days.

I had a lot of work to do when I returned on Monday morning. It kept my mind off of Nick until Adriane texted me:Spoke to Dr. McKenna. She wants you to come to the shower, so you're coming.

That night, while cooking dinner, I got a call from Everleigh.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Sister, sister!"

I smiled, realizing that I actually wanted to speak with my sister for the first time in several years. "Hey, what's up?"