Right With Me - Stacey Lewis Page 0,59
together, but I can’t help but wonder if he was ever here with his ex-wife. I’m sure he was and start to worry about what everyone here is thinking. The parents especially. Are they wondering why he’s here with me and not her? Do they all know the relationship ended?
What am I thinking? Mitchell and Tabitha split more than a year ago. Surely, they knew before today. They’d have to. I need to stop obsessing.
“Hailey?” Mitchell’s voice brings me out of my head, and I look up to see him staring down at me, brows furrowed as he studies my face. “Everything okay?”
My face heats, but I manage to nod. “Yeah, sorry. Long day.” I try to shrug it off, but I don’t think he believes me. Since we’re around all these other people, he lets it go, at least for now.
The introductions continue, and next, I’m introduced to parents of one of the girl’s husbands. I’m not sure which because all the names kind of run together for me, but all too soon Mitchell and I are split up. He goes over to hang out with Isaac and the rest of the men while I head over to where the women are all sitting and chatting.
As I take a seat beside Riley, she hands over a glass of what looks to be a frozen margarita. I take a long drink of the icy concoction, hoping the injection of alcohol will help me relax. I know a few of these women from brunch, but they aren’t all familiar.
The conversation between them all flows, and I’m happy to sit here and just listen. My glass is quickly empty, and when I sit back from refilling it, a man is standing behind the woman sitting directly across from me, grabbing the baby out of her arms.
Holy…
I’m speechless. In fact, I don’t think my brain will ever work again. I made a fool out of myself when I met Will, but this guy is on a whole different level.
They both notice me staring dumbly, and the woman starts to snicker, covering her mouth with a hand now that her arms are free. “I think you have a fan, Luke.”
“Hey there,” he says, one side of his mouth tipping up into a smile, but it looks forced.
I bet he’s always fending off fan attention… and probably wasn’t expecting to have to do it here. As hard as it is, I attempt to stop my fangirling and act like a normal human. “Uh, hi.” My voice comes out all breathy, and I want to crawl under the chair I’m sitting on and hide. He probably thinks I’m an idiot.
Riley leans over, putting her arm around my shoulders and trying not to laugh at my giant faux pas. “I guess you forgot that conversation we had at brunch, huh?”
Turning to her, I try to glare, but my eyes are pretty much bugging out of my head still. “Ya think?”
“Sorry?” She doesn’t look like it at all. None of them look sorry at my reaction.
Jules, one of the girls I met at brunch, pats him on the hand. “It’s okay, Luke. We won’t let her take your picture.”
This is clearly an inside joke because she and Natalie burst into giggles, their heads tilting together as they try to hold each other upright. Luke huffs out a breath, rolling his eyes skyward and saying, “Why me?” No one answers, and he leaves, taking the bundle in his arms with him.
Once Jules and her friend calm down, they look over at me. “I’m sorry, we really should have warned you he was here, but we don’t think about it much anymore. It’s hard to think of him as Movie Star Luke when he’s been Covered in vomit Luke more than once at this point.”
“Oddly enough,” I tell her, “that visual helps a lot for me too.” I’m still a little awestruck because I mean, he’s Luke Williams! My inner teenager squeals in delight, but I shut her down quickly. “Are there any other famous people I should know about before I make a fool of myself again?”
Jules taps a finger against her lips, thinking. “No, don’t think so. Not anyone who’s here at any rate. You already know Meredith used to work with Starla, and Will, well, no one cares about him besides Meg. I think you’re good.”
That’s a relief. I quickly suck back my fresh margarita, needing the liquid courage to get through the rest of this party.