Exquisite (46 page)

He’d heard
around town about
Exquisite
, which was Mason’s restaurant and he was
looking forward to checking it out for himself, after all he couldn’t remember
how many times he recalled Mason telling him that one day he’d be so famous all
the women he wanted would be lining up around the block for him, pretty boy
bastard probably had achieved that goal too.

Pulling up at
the address Mason had given him, Josh parked around the back and got out of his
truck. Walking over to the back door, like he’d been told to, he noticed a
shiny red BMW convertible parked in the back and rolled his eyes, it reminded
him of a Barbie car. He chuckled and thought,
should’ve parked the truck
next to that just to piss off the owner.
Stopping at the door he knocked
twice and waited.

Shelly and Lena
had made their way over to the table that’d been set for eight and took a seat.
Lena had refilled her margarita and she had to admit, Maggie’s Margarita was
pretty damn delicious. As Lena took a seat she beamed over at Shelly then asked
quietly.

“Look before
everyone gets here can I ask you something?”

Shelly nodded
sipping her drink watching as Lena kept an eye on the kitchen doors.

“Sure. Hit me
with it.”

Lena licked her
lips then blurted out, “Will you be my Maid of Honor?”

Shelly smiled so
widely at Lena her face hurt. If you’d asked her not even a year ago if Dr
Magdalena O’Donnell would ever look so happy she would’ve told you, you were
out of your damn mind. After the death of her sister, Lena had closed down and
been determined not to let anyone in, until Mason that is. However, as Lena
smiled over at her and her eyes twinkled, Shelly was hit with such joy at her
friend’s happiness she almost started to cry. Nodding quickly she reached
across the table and took Lena’s hand. Squeezing it gently she answered softly.

“I’d love to
be.” then she paused, “But do I really need to be called
Maid
of Honor?
It makes me sound so old, and kind of stuffy.” Shelly added grinning and
wrinkling her nose. Lena smiled back at her then sat back lifting her glass to
her lips.

“Fine I’ll call
you that in secret meetings only.”

Shelly winked at
her over the rim of her glass and took a sip. “Sounds like a plan. So when’s
the big day?”

“Oh we haven’t
decided yet. But guess what? One of Mason’s old college friends just moved back
to town a few weeks ago and he’s coming here tonight. It’s so exciting! I’ve
never met any of his school friends. They all moved away after graduation but
apparently Josh just got back.”

Shelly felt the
hair at the back of her neck start to rise and she slowly lowered her glass
shaking her head. “Please don’t tell me your,”

“He’s going to
be the Best Man, if he agrees. Wouldn’t it be great if you two get along and,”

“Stop, stop.”
Shelly interrupted sitting forward in her chair. Lowering her voice a little
she glared at Lena and shook her head.

 “No. No,
no, no, Lena-I’m-so-in-love-O’Donnell. Do
not
try to fix me up. Ugh, I
hate being fixed up.” she said faking a shiver.

Lena’s brow
raised and she pointed out, “Need I remind you that you were the one who told
Mason to come stalk me at O’Malley’s and look how that turned out?”

Shelly rolled
her eyes and picked up her drink, well on her way to feeling relaxed.

“Yeah but look
at him. We knew or let me say, I knew from having seen him that night at the
restaurant that he was smokin ass hot and you should grab him and take a bite.”

Shelly licked
the salt off her bottom lip and finished by adding, “This guy could be balding
and fat for all we know. You do
not
get to set me up with anyone until I
see him first.”

Lena’s eyes had
moved to look past her shoulder and as they widen slightly Shelly thought she
almost looked comical in her shock, as though her eyes would pop out of her
head.

“Well maybe you
should turn around because as far as I can tell Josh isn’t fat
or
anywhere close to balding.” she heard Mason say from behind her.

Shutting her
eyes on a groan she shook her head at Lena who was now biting her lip and
trying hard not to laugh. Shelly put her glass down slowly and turned ready to
face the music.