The Mistake (Bad Bridesmaids #1) - Noelle Adams Page 0,30

champagne streamed down his skin, soaking his collar, his tie, and the lapels of his jacket. Some of his hair was sticking to his face wetly.

“What...?” The word was choked out. He clearly couldn’t believe she’d done it.

She couldn’t believe it either.

But she hadn’t hurt him. She’d only gotten him wet. And if anyone deserved it, he did.

So she turned on her heel and clipped a dignified retreat back into the reception room.

Unfortunately, as she did, she noticed quite a few people gathered at the window, watching her.

Watching them.

It must have been clear they were arguing, and that had drawn a certain amount of attention. Then her tossing a glass of champagne in his face would have gotten even more.

Shit.

Everyone had just seen that stupid, embarrassing fight.

Now they’d all want to know what was happening between them, and Amanda had no idea what to tell them.

Damn Robert anyway.

He’d gotten her into this mess to begin with. Why couldn’t he have kept his dry wit and his cleverly arched eyebrows and his skillful hands and lips and body and his cold, hard heart to himself?

six

“I KNOW, TAYLOR. I KNOW.” Amanda’s tone was maybe slightly impatient as she talked into her phone, but it was the best she could do at the moment. It was less than twelve hours after the disastrous wedding reception yesterday, and she’d had call after call since nine this morning. Some callers had been genuinely concerned about her while others had simply been curious.

Taylor was the former, so Amanda wasn’t really annoyed. Just tired.

So tired.

“I know he’s your uncle and I’m your friend, and you’re kind of stuck in the middle and it must feel awkward, but—”

“Awkward? I don’t feel awkward. I feel freakin’ pissed. I like my little world settled, and this has riled it up in a way that’s highly disturbing. I’m not trying to be a peacemaker here or something ridiculous like that. I just want things to be quiet again. I don’t deal well with people around me being mad.”

Amanda couldn’t help but laugh. When she was emotionally unsettled, she liked mindless tasks, so she’d cleaned her whole house this morning and had moved on to laundry. She put the call on speaker so she could start folding a T-shirt with unnecessary precision. “I definitely didn’t mean to create noise in your world. And I’m not mad at him.”

When Taylor gave a disbelieving grunt, Amanda went on quickly. “Not anymore. I’m really not. I just feel ick about the whole thing. I wish it had never happened.”

“Me too, but sadly that’s not a possibility anymore.” Taylor paused. “Was he really a jerk to you?”

“No. Yes. No.” Amanda groaned. “I don’t even know anymore. He wasn’t before. I mean before yesterday. But it felt like he was yesterday. And I reacted badly. I really don’t know what happened. I never lose my temper that way.”

“Well, Robert has a particular talent for making people snap. But I swear I don’t think he intended it. He feels really bad about it today.”

“Does he?” Maybe she sounded a little bit needy, but that wasn’t something she could help. She really wanted to know.

“Yes. He does.”

“He’s not annoyed with me? Or thinking I’m some hysterical, insecure idiot who—?”

“Amanda, stop. You’re being stupid. He feels bad. I don’t know exactly what happened, but anyone with a brain would know that he must be mostly to blame for it. You’re normally the most sensible, levelheaded person I know.”

Amanda leaned back in her chair, smiling and internally cringing at the same time. “I don’t feel sensible or levelheaded lately. I feel really stupid. But I feel bad about it too. So I should probably give him a call and apologize for the unfortunate champagne-throwing incident.”

Taylor laughed. “That wouldn’t be out of line.”

“Or maybe I’ll just send him a text.”

“That would be okay too.”

“We might as well get things settled in some way. We’re going to keep seeing each other around.” Amanda was reminding herself of that truth as much as she was telling Taylor. “If only at all these endless weddings. He’s going to Michelle’s wedding next weekend. Down at Hilton Head.”

“What? The one on the yacht? Why is he going to that wedding? She didn’t get to invite most of us from school because the guest list is so small. And he’s got no connection to Michelle.”

“I know.” Amanda groaned, cringing about the upcoming event, which she could foresee would be either awkward or painful. “But I guess he’s good