in a ponytail. Even from inside my car I can tell that my best friend is happy with her life. She should be. She’s killing it in college at Duke, and she has one of the greatest fiancés around.
“Hey, girl,” I say as I get out and round the front of my car to hug her.
“How are you?” she asks me as we embrace. Just that single question nearly has me falling apart. When I don’t answer, Sadie pulls away to examine my face. “Are you okay? What the hell happened in Cancun, Brayden?”
“It’s a long story,” I tell her, meaning the part where I was arrested and thrown in jail and the part where Logan came swooping in to save the day and steal my heart in the process. “How have you been?” I ask, trying to turn the conversation to her. “I’m sorry we’ve drifted apart over the last few years, but you look great and happy.”
“Oh, don’t worry about it,” Sadie says, waving me off with her hand. “People go their separate ways after high school, that’s all that happened to us. And I am happy,” she agrees with a smile. “But first, you’re gonna come inside and tell me what you’ve been up to. Around here it’s just the same old, same old.”
“Same old meaning living and loving a hot fighter every day and night. Yeah, sounds so ordinary,” I tell her with a sarcastic roll of my eyes.
“It isn’t hearts and flowers all the time,” she says as she goes up the steps and opens the door for me to walk through. “But it is pretty damn good.”
“I’m sure,” I agree. “Where’s Jude?”
“The gym, of course. I think that may be one of the few things we fight about,” Sadie tells me as she takes a seat on the sofa and pats the cushion next to her for me to take. I flop down on it even though I could use a long walk to stretch my legs from the drive.
“So you fight because he’s at the gym all the time working out and getting nice and buff for you?” I ask.
“Yes! He practically lives there. When he’s not training, he’s doing all the managerial shit, so I pretty much have to beg him to come home.”
“Yeah, sure you do,” I reply sarcastically with a laugh.
“It’s true. And then he was always mad at me because I wouldn’t set a date. Well, I wouldn’t set one, but now I have,” she adds with a bigger grin.
“You have, like, an actual date for your wedding?” I exclaim.
“Yes! I’m so excited. Jude’s been worried, thinking I was blowing him off, but I just had to get through my graduate degree before I thought about marriage, you know?”
“Yeah. So, when is it?” I prompt, unable to believe she’s finishing her graduate degree and I haven’t even finished my bachelor’s yet.
“Next June.”
“That’s awesome, Sadie! I’m so happy for you two,” I tell her, wishing I could have what the two of my friends have.
“So, what about you?” Sadie asks. “Any love interests at NYU?”
“Um, no,” I reply. “And I flunked out. My dad just found out when I got home, and he was so pissed that I just needed to get out of the house for a few days. Thanks for letting me come see you.”
“No problem,” she says as her brow furrows. “But back up. How did you flunk out? Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, of course,” I lie, because I don’t want my friend to worry about me, and I can’t exactly tell her about the shitstorm that surrounds my life. “I’ve just been stressed out, going through a few rough patches during the semester. I got behind in my classes and never caught up. Honestly, I didn’t care enough to put in any effort.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Don’t be,” I assure her. “I’m gonna live with my parents for a while, get a job to work off my debt to them, and try to figure out what I want to do with my life.”
“That’s good. I hope you find the answers,” she says before leaning forward to give me another quick hug. “And you know I’m here if you need anything,” Sadie adds when she pulls away.
“Thanks. I appreciate that. And I will be a better friend to you from now on.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Sadie replies. “Because I wanted to ask you if you would be my maid of honor.”
“Really?” I squeal in surprise. “Are you