Page 4 of Third Time Lucky

‘Why don’t you use that twisted mind of yours to figure out how we get in to see her so I can ruin her day before she says “I do.” I’ll think of what to say while we look for her,’ I suggest, standing from the booth.

Aaron grabs the rest of the bacon from my plate, following behind me as we head toward the hotel’s lobby.

‘I’d just say it – “your husband-to-be, blowjob Brandon, has a tab with a girl from the Red Light district.”’

‘Less hurtful.’

‘OK… how about – “your fiancé has a wandering penis, and I’ve got proof.”’

‘The words “wandering penis” aren’t leaving my lips.’

‘Lame, but I think I just got an idea,’ he says, grabbing a huge bouquet of flowers from a vase and shaking the water from the stems onto the carpet. ‘We’re now flower delivery guys. Vagabond Brandon is about to be outed. Play along.’

‘Good morning, sir,’ the dark-haired middle-aged woman at the front desk greets Aaron as we approach. ‘How can I help?’

‘I’ve got flowers for the Lucy—’ He glances at me, eyes wide.

‘Gray,’ I say under my breath.

‘The Lucy Gray wedding,’ he finishes his sentence.

She motions toward a sign off to the left of the desk.

Gray – Kruzie Wedding

I beeline that way, walking past the next sign pointing into a large ballroom where a woman in a black tuxedo stands outside the door with a tray of champagne flutes. Instead of going in there, I follow a man with a camera who appears to be on a mission.

‘I’d bet money this photographer is headed toward the bridal suite.’

‘Smart!’ Aaron says, now at my side downing a glass of champagne. He tosses the glass into a garbage can on the way.

‘Are you even a hint sober?’

‘A hint, yes. But that’s about it,’ he confirms.

‘God, those flowers look like they belong in a Vegas-themed funeral.’

‘Isn’t that what this is about to become?’ he asks sarcastically.

Photographer dude lingers near a potted palm tree across the hall from a door labeled – Bridal Party. This must be the place.

I inhale deeply, then knock. I’ve only been this nervous a couple of other times around this woman. God, I hope she’s not completely ready already.

Aaron steps up next to me, the flowers covering his face. ‘This could go tits up quickly.’

‘I’m very aware.’

The door swings open suddenly and a tall slender woman stares us down.

‘Can I help you?’

‘Um— I’m looking for Lucy Gray? Flower delivery,’ I say, motioning Aaron’s way.

Her gaze moves to the flowers, and she lifts a curious eyebrow. ‘Lucy?’ The woman pulls the door open all the way and at the far side of the room, standing in front of a mirror, is Lucy. Our eyes lock through the reflection. Her sparkling white gown glitters when she turns my way. Shit.

‘Ash?’

I stand, silent, my mind wiped clean at the sight of her.

‘Earth to Ash,’ Aaron groans under his breath.

‘Say, Brandon is a jezebel and you’re too good for him.

’ From behind the flowers, he mutters a sentence he thinks will fix all, jabbing me in the ribs with his elbow as I realize I’m staring with my jaw hanging open like a goddamn cartoon character, my gaze on Lucy.

‘W-WOW,’ I stutter. ‘You look… beautiful.’

Pink fills her cheeks as she smiles softly, running her hands down her sides and admiring her dress. ‘Thanks. Though I do believe it’s bad luck to see a bride before the wedding?’

Finally, Aaron lowers the bouquet and shakes his head. ‘Only if you’re marrying him.’ He throws a thumb in my direction.

Since when is he an expert in wedding traditions? ‘How do you know that?’

He smirks. ‘You may not realize this, but I’m a very romantic man,’ he insists, winking toward a woman standing near Lucy. ‘Deep down. Very deep.’

The man just used two of her friends – there is obviously a bone in his body, but it’s not the romantic type.

I glance back at Lucy, who also doesn’t look convinced. I’m sure by now she’s heard the story.

‘Didn’t you— uh—’ Aaron clears his throat, looking to me. ‘Have something you needed to say?’

All eyes snap my way. ‘Yeah,’ I say with a nod. ‘I, uh?—’

I swear she’s somehow staring into my soul. She looks so beautiful. And I haven’t seen her for twelve years – why am I about to ruin this woman’s life?

‘Congratulations, again,’ I say, the words tumbling out of my mouth unexpectedly. ‘You look even prettier than you did at prom.’

Her smile is bright. ‘Thank you. And today’s the dreaded day, right? Thirty?’

I nod. She remembered even though she must be preoccupied with wedding things.

‘Happy Birthday,’ she says. ‘I’m sure both of our days will be amazing.’

But her face doesn’t match her words. Sure, I haven’t seen this girl in twelve years, but I once knew her well enough to see when there was doubt all over her, so, I’m not convinced she thinks today will be amazing.

Silence hangs between us like a heavy, invisible cloak, weighing down our conversation with unspoken tension and repressed memories. This is the exact confused, worried look she gave me the night Kris died as she waited for me to find the courage to speak.

‘I—’

‘OK, that’s all the time we have for this,’ the tall woman who answered the door says, cutting me off while taking the bouquet from Aaron, furrowing her brow when she realizes the stems are wet. ‘Thanks for stopping by, but we’re on a tight timeline. We appreciate the sentiment.’

With that, she closes the door in our face.

Aaron and I both stare at the door silently for a second before he starts to laugh.

‘Dude, smooth as butter.’

‘Shut. Up.’ I run a hand through my hair. ‘The dress, the sparkles, seeing her again, the words I have to say – it all distracted me.’

‘Don’t worry. I’m sure she’ll catch him with some woman on their honeymoon and then your part in all this is over. You won’t have to be the bad guy ’cause men like that always get caught.’

‘You realize you’re talking about men like you, right?’

‘No way. I’m no cheater. I just sleep around. There’s a difference.’

I shake my head. ‘I’ll give ya that. But no. I’ve walked in on exactly what I saw last night, in my own bedroom. I know how that feels, and I do not want her feeling that. I have to tell her. Before she says “I do.”’

‘We can’t get in! She’s got security,’ he reminds me, motioning behind us where the room is.

‘I’ve got to find a way,’ I say as we walk away, running my hands over my head and clasping my fingers behind my neck. ‘Jesus on a fucking pogo stick. I’d rather deturd a ship full of shrimp.’

‘And you hate shrimp.’

‘Exactly.’

‘Well, if you’ve got to do it, there’s only one thing that’ll make it easier. Booze.’ He points toward one of the bars opened twenty-four hours a day.

‘It’s barely noon.’

‘Somewhere it’s drinking hour, so let’s pretend we’re in that time zone so you won’t pussy out and hate yourself later.’

I stop at the bar, stupidly letting him order for us. ‘I don’t do that.’

‘Yes, you do. When have you ever spoke for yourself and told off one of these women who fuck you over?’

‘I’m no longer dating any of them, so clearly I ended it somehow,’ I defend myself.

‘Yeah, but which have you told to get fucked? ’Cause they all earned it, but if it happened, I’ve never heard the story.’

Talking about my feelings isn’t my favorite thing. But surely there’s one I’ve told where to go. Let’s see.

Megyn, my first ‘adult’ girlfriend at nineteen – while in college – didn’t like my love language – touch.

I was too touchy for her. Yet a guy she met in class felt her up in the corner of the kitchen one day, and word got back to me pretty quickly, so – insert confusion here.

I broke up with her the same day I found out, and she walked away like I was nothing.

Those two are now married – happily, so I’m told.

I did not tell her to fuck off like I should have.

Next up was Heidi. She was a bit older than me, turning thirty while we dated.

Maybe her ticking biological clock is why she wanted to move so quickly – like 0 to 100 in sixty days.

I hadn’t even met her family – whom she claimed were a tad ‘unhinged,’ to put it nicely.

So, when I found a box of ovulation kits in my bathroom, I decided to take a hard pass on Heidi.

Last I heard, she was married with three kids under three.

Sounds exhausting. I was afraid to piss this one off, so no exit words for her either.

Jeneva – aka Jen, is up next. Aaron set me up with her – which I should have known would lead to a terrible ending.

But she seemed into me, and I was beyond into her.

She was gorgeous and interesting, but she liked to disappear on me a few days a week.

It took me a couple of weeks to find out she was busy because she was keeping up with six boyfriends dispersed across the city.

That was fun to find out when I ran into her and one of them downtown, hand in hand (hard to deny there’s nothing going on when you’re clinging to one another like you’re in a windstorm).

Yet again, I was nobody special in her life but rather one in a long line of men attempting to woo the girl as she built herself a secret harem.

I got an invitation to her wedding last year.

I didn’t accept. No exit words for her either.

It’s hard to yell at a woman when she’s got a huge man on her arm.

Then there was Melissa – the most serious and recent of the women I’d consider ‘girlfriends.’ Absolutely beautiful, sophisticated, and exactly my type, or so I thought.

But after two years of dating (that’s right, she’s also my longest relationship), she suddenly decided she was no longer feeling it.

However, I had a ‘friend’ visiting, and she was feeling it with him.

When I walked in on them in my bed, she was cold as ice.

You’d have thought I was the landlord there to ask for late rent.

Her exact words were, ‘I told you I wasn’t feeling it any more.

Staying with you feels like tossing a golden ticket into a fire just to admire the sparks.

With Justin, he starts the fire.’ Jesus, Justin.

So, another one bit the dust – and they left my apartment together, him still buttoning his pants.

I was once again wordless. I’m not sure of her relationship status now, nor do I care.

So, to sum it up: Cheated. Tried to knock me up.

Cheated. Cheated. That’s my serious dating history in a nutshell – and Aaron’s right, I didn’t say what any of them deserved to hear.

And that’s why I have to tell Lucy about Brandon.

I know the feeling of being betrayed too well, and I don’t want her to feel like a fool after making their relationship legal.

‘Fine, you’re right. I didn’t tell even one of those women off because I hate confrontation. So, sue me, I’m a nice guy.’

‘It’s OK that you’re soft inside,’ Aaron says gently, leaning in closer.

‘Now, this isn’t exactly a manly thing to do, but we’re brothers, and we’re in Vegas where anything goes, so if you need me to hold your hand while you man up and grow a set so you can save this girl from a nasty future divorce, I’ll do it,’ he says, grasping my hand and holding it tightly.

I pull my hand from his. ‘How about you just have my back in case it all goes wrong?’

‘What could possibly go wrong?’ he says with a laugh.

I know he’s being sarcastic, but he’s also buzzed so, I feel like I need to prep him for what could be.

‘I imagine the groom’s going to be pissed at what she’s watching if I’ve got to break out the video.’

Aaron nods. ‘Agreed. We may risk a fight. But two against one, we could take him.’

‘I’ve hit one person in my life and that’s plenty. We’re not fighting anyone. Should things implode, we run.’

‘Run?’ Aaron’s jaw drops. ‘Like a couple of pussies?’

‘Exactly like that. You saw that party last night. It appears everyone in Vegas knows this couple, and it would not be two against one.’

‘What about your phone? If you hand it to her to watch the video and we run, you lose it.’

I shrug. ‘I’m due for an upgrade. No big deal.’

He shakes his head as if he’s disappointed that he even knows me. ‘You don’t have to do this, you know? We could just disappear into the crowd and go on with our lives.’

‘Sorry, I can’t. She deserves to know.’

He groans. ‘Man, I don’t even know how you still believe in love.’

‘Everyone believes in love, and if they pretend they don’t, they’re just afraid to admit it.’ I side-eye him, but he’s shaking his head.

‘Maybe she already knows about his shenanigans and gives no fucks?’

I shake my head. ‘Not the girl I knew.’

‘Alright then, maybe she’s only looking for a first marriage in the guy? I mean, considering what I saw when I met her and then walked into that bachelor party – it’s going to be a hell of a first marriage.’

‘No. She’s not like that. This girl has already had her heart ripped from her chest in the worst way possible. I can’t let her marry some cheating douche.’

He sighs heavily, dropping his shoulders with defeat. ‘Right. The dead guy,’ he says with a roll of his eyes, as he sips his drink. ‘Alright then, drink up, cause there’s only one place left to do this.’

I drop my head as I sit at the bar next to him.

‘Let’s blow up this girl’s wedding,’ he says, lifting a fist and splaying out his fingers as if a bomb exploding.

Not the option I was hoping for, but here we are. Fuck. This may well be a birthday I never forget. This could also be my second official arrest in this godforsaken city.