By the time Ava’s surprise party rolled around, I’d shoved the mugging attempt into the dim recesses of my mind. Distraction was the key to repressing memories, and luckily, I had enough distractions to keep me busy for the next five years.
“I can’t believe you guys did this.” Ava turned slowly, taking in the restaurant that had been transformed into a veritable party hall with wide eyes. And by party hall, I meant a seven-foot ice sculpture, multiple gourmet food stations, a live DJ, a chocolate fountain, and a temporary dance floor, all courtesy of her richer-than-God boyfriend. “You absolutely didn’t have to.”
“No, but we wanted to.” I flashed a mischievous grin. “Plus, it was a good excuse to get a chocolate fountain. I’ve always wanted to see one in real life.” I hugged her and breathed in her familiar perfume. The scent triggered a wave of nostalgia.
Ava had been the first person I’d met at Thayer. We’d hit it off right away, and I would never forget how she stuck by me when Josh insisted she end our friendship. She and Josh were extremely close, so the fact she stood up to him for me meant more than she would ever know.
We still hung out after graduation, but not as often as I would like. Part of me wished we could go back to the days when Ava, Stella, Bridget, and I would stay up all night, binge-eating cheese puffs and listening to the girls in the dorm room next to ours scream at each other because one of them hooked up with the other’s boyfriend.
“Happy birthday, babe.” I smiled, not wanting to be a downer despite the melancholy gripping me. “Surprised?”
“Definitely.” Ava turned to her boyfriend and swatted him on the arm, though her eyes sparkled with delight. “You told me we were going to lunch!”
“We are at lunch.” A shadow of a smile graced Alex Volkov’s lips. Ava was probably the only person who could pull so much emotion out of him—yes, that was sarcasm—and the only one who could hit him, even playfully, without losing a limb. “Technically.”
I gasped. “Was that a joke?” I looked around at Ava and Stella and purposefully skipped over Josh, who stood on the other side of Ava. “Alex made a joke. Quick, someone mark down the date and time.”
“Hilarious,” he said flatly.
He radiated CEO vibes even in a button-down shirt and jeans, which was as casual as Alex ever got. His eyes glinted like jade-colored ice chips in a face that could’ve been carved by Michelangelo himself, and his expression was cold enough to give someone freezer burn.
Whatever. He could glare all he wanted, but as Ava’s friend, I was immune to his wrath, and he knew it.
“You surprised me with a birthday party once,” he told Ava, his voice softening a smidge. “I figured it was past time I returned the favor.”
I could practically see Ava melt.
“I think I just got a toothache from the sweetness,” Stella said as Alex whispered something else in Ava’s ear that made her blush.
“We need to book a dentist appointment, stat,” I agreed.
Despite our jokes, we were grinning like idiots. Alex and Ava had been through a lot, and it was nice seeing them so happy, though the word was relative where Alex was concerned.
Meanwhile, Josh lounged against the dessert table, his expression darker than his black shirt.
He used to be best friends with Alex until their falling out, which was a whole other story unto itself. They were civil now, but there was a big difference between civil and friends.
“Wipe the sour expression off your face, Dr. Killjoy,” I said. “You’re bringing down the vibes.”
“If my face bothers you so much, don’t look at it,” he drawled. “Unless you can’t help yourself, which is understandable.”
I scowled. I’d planned the party with help from Stella and Alex, and while I’d been tempted to exclude Josh from the guest list, he was Ava’s brother. His presence was expected, like E. coli on undercooked chicken.
Before I could respond to his conceited statement, an excited squeal punctured the air, followed by a loud clatter and two dozen heads swiveling toward the entrance.
I followed their wide-eyed stares to the couple that had just entered, flanked by two suited bodyguards the size of mountains.
My face lit up. “Bridget!”
She grinned and waved. “Surprise.”
“Oh my God!” I rushed over to her at the same time as Ava and Stella, and we collided in a messy, laughing group hug that would’ve ended with us on the floor had Bridget’s fiancé Rhys and bodyguard Booth not steadied us. “I thought you couldn’t make it!”
“My scheduler found an event at the embassy that coincidentally ‘required’ my presence this weekend.” Bridget’s blue eyes glowed with mischief. “My meeting with the ambassador ran long, or I would’ve gotten here sooner.” She gave Ava a one-on-one hug after we untangled ourselves. “Happy birthday, sweetie.”
“I can’t believe you’re here.” Ava squeezed her tight. “You must be so busy…”
Bridget von Ascheberg may have attended Thayer University with us, but that was where our similarities ended because she was an honest to God, real-life queen.
She’d been a princess when we met her, but after her older brother abdicated, Bridget became first in line to the throne of Eldorra, a small European kingdom. Her grandfather, the former King Edvard, recently stepped down due to health issues and Bridget had been coronated queen two months ago.
“I wouldn’t miss this for the world. Plus, it’s a good break.” Bridget brushed a strand of golden hair out of her eyes. With her blue eyes, classic features, and cool elegance, she bore a striking resemblance to Grace Kelly. “Parliament is being difficult. Again.”
“I got her out of the palace just in time, or she would’ve ruptured an artery,” Rhys added, his dry tone at odds with the affection in his eyes as he looked at Bridget.
Standing at a tattooed, muscled six foot five, Rhys Larsen was one of the most dangerously good-looking men I’d ever met, but beneath his rough exterior was a heart of gold. He used to be Bridget’s bodyguard until they fell in love, and now he was the future Prince Consort, since the King Consort title didn’t exist in Eldorra. They’d had to overcome a lot of obstacles to be together considering she was royalty and he wasn’t, but they were now one of the most beloved couples in the world.
The loud snap of a camera shutter interrupted our reunion, and I suddenly remembered we weren’t alone. The rest of the guests were still staring, slack-jawed, at Bridget and Rhys.
Having a literal queen waltz into a birthday party without warning could be a bit of a shock.
No one approached us though, except for Josh, who greeted Bridget with a normal hug and Rhys with one of those handshake hugs guys loved so much. I guess Booth and Rhys’s bodyguard looked intimidating enough to scare off people from approaching.
“So.” Bridget linked her arm with Ava’s and walked to the nearest table. “Tell me what I missed.”
For the next half hour, we caught each other up on our lives while Josh hit the bar and Alex and Rhys sat quietly across the table. They occasionally said something to each other but spent most of the time watching Ava and Bridget with infatuated expressions. Well, as infatuated as someone as cold as Alex and as gruff as Rhys could look anyway.
I ignored the pang in my heart at their obvious love for my friends and refocused on the conversation.
I’d given up on love a long time ago. There was no use longing for it.
“Jules and I are looking for a new place after our current lease is up,” Stella said. We still lived in Hazelburg since I was attending Thayer Law, but our lease ended in April, and I would be graduating in late May. After that, we’d both be working in the city, so it made sense for us to find something in D.C. “No luck yet though.”
Everything we found was either too far from our offices, too expensive, or too gross. I was pretty sure one of the apartments we’d looked at used to be a drug den.
Gotta love house hunting in the city.
“Where are you looking to move?” Rhys asked.
“Ideally downtown, anywhere close to the red line,” I said. The red line dropped me off right at Thayer, and the fewer metro transfers I had to endure, the better.
A thoughtful expression crossed his face. “I know someone who owns a building downtown. He may be able to help. Don’t know if he has any openings, but I’ll ask.”
Stella’s eyebrows shot up. “He owns the entire building?”
Rhys shrugged. His shoulders were so massive the movement was akin to mountains shaking. “He’s into real estate investment.”
“That would be great.” I gave Alex a pointed stare. “At least someone in real estate can help us.”
Alex was CEO of The Archer Group, the largest real estate development company in the country.
I was joking about him helping us, but he actually responded instead of ignoring me. “My properties are full, unless you want to sleep in a shopping center or office building.”
“Hmm.” I tapped a finger on my chin. “The shopping center has potential. I love clothes.”
“Me too,” Stella agreed.
Alex looked unamused.
“Speaking of real estate development…” Ava said as Josh reappeared with a drink in hand. He slid into the empty chair next to Alex’s, taking great care not to look at his ex-best friend. “One of Alex’s business associates has a new ski resort in Vermont, and we bought tickets for the grand opening to support him. Four tickets, to be exact, so we can bring two guests. Bridget and Rhys, I know you guys won’t be here, and Stella, you mentioned you have a big event in New York the last weekend of March…”
Stella was always getting invited to fancy fashion events because of her blog, but if she couldn’t make it, and Bridget and Rhys couldn’t make it, that left…
Oh no.
“Josh, Jules, what do you think? We can all go together.” Ava beamed. “It’ll be so much fun!”
A weekend trip with Josh? I’d have more fun getting a root canal without Novocain, but Ava looked so excited I couldn’t bear to say no, especially on her birthday.
“Yay.” I tried to summon as much enthusiasm as I could. “Can’t wait.”
“I would love to, but…” Josh grimaced, doing the worst job of faking remorse I’d ever seen. “I’m working that weekend.”
Thank God. I could handle third wheeling it if it meant I wouldn’t have to—
“Too bad.” Ava didn’t blink an eye at her brother’s response. “The resort has a triple black diamond.”
Josh’s glass froze halfway to his lips. “You’re shitting me.”
My stomach sank. Josh was a notorious adrenaline junkie, and there were few things more adrenaline-inducing than the most dangerous type of ski trail in the world. It was like waving premium powder under a cocaine addict’s nose.
“Nope.” Ava sipped her drink while Stella stared at her phone, barely hiding her grin, and Rhys and Bridget exchanged amused glances. Alex was the only one who showed no visible reaction. “I know you’ve always wanted to ski on one, but since you have to work…”
“I think I can trade shifts,” Josh said after a long pause.
“Great!” Ava’s eyes sparkled in a way that set off my inner alarm bells. “It’s settled then. You, me, Alex, and Jules are going to Vermont.”
Josh’s strained smile mirrored my own. We didn’t agree on much, but he didn’t have to say it for me to know we agreed on at least one thing.
The trip wouldn’t end well. At all.
