Violet.”
I cleared my throat. “Well, sometimes the bums smell bad, but they tell a hell of a good story, too.”
“Girls, this is Violet Murphy,” Alicia explained. “She is going to be Gabriel’s best man. Violet, let me introduce you to my bridesmaids.”
I looked around the table at the four girls surrounding Alicia. It was like an ad for the United Colors of Benetton. All four pairs of eyes reeled to my face at once, and I immediately sensed scrutiny. My hair, my face, and my outfit were assessed as Alicia rattled off each of their names.
To her left there was a thin Asian girl, Rose, who I was sure I’d seen in an ad in Seattle Metro Magazine before. To her right, there was an African American woman, Shawn, whose long, braided hair shone like a licorice rope down her back. Next to her was Alicia’s cousin, Marissa, who was equally as beautiful as Alicia, which was incredibly annoying. Last but not least, there was a brunette, Kate, who glared at me while fingering a BlackBerry. Each one of the girls was at least three sizes smaller than me, and though in any other situation I would have been proud of my curves, in this group I wanted to hunch over to hide my breasts and tug at my shirt to disguise my tummy.
I waved at them, my jewelry clunking together. After slipping my bracelets off underneath the table, I dropped them into my purse and unfolded my napkin onto my lap. “Thank you so much for inviting me. I’ve never eaten here.”
Alicia sipped her mimosa. “Gabriel and I come here often. It’s one of our favorites.”
I looked around at the other women. “Wow, with these girls as your bridesmaids, and you for a bride, your wedding party will be stunning.”
“Well, I have to look at these pictures for the rest of my life,” Alicia joked, patting Marissa on the hand sweetly.
Rose snickered under her breath. “Hope the best man doesn’t plan on wearing that hat.”
I glared at her. “So…how do each of you know the bride?”
Kate spoke first. “I’m her agent. I work for Puget Model Management. So I’ve known her since she signed on with us…oh, how long ago was that?”
Alicia’s hand went to her chest, and I waited for her to say a number of years. “Eight months.”
My eyes bounced between the two of them, who were obviously sharing a tender moment. Did she just say months? Confused, I moved on to Rose, who offered me what could only be described as a grimace intended to be a smile. “I’ve been her roommate for a year now.”
“We did our first nudes together.” Shawn grinned. “That was two years ago. I hadn’t heard from her in a year, but here I am.”
My eyes bugged out of my head. “Nudes?”
Alicia waved a hand, dismissing me. “They were for an avant garde pictorial. There’s no porn in my background, I promise.”
I shook my head and sipped from my glass. “No, I wasn’t—”
“I’m Alicia’s cousin.” Marissa’s voice was loud and commanding. “She’s told me everything about you, you know.”
I nearly choked on my mimosa. “Oh, yeah? Such as?”
“Apparently you and Gabe have been friends since you were, like, ten, right?” Marissa folded her tanned arms. Who in Seattle, in the middle of February, was tan? Really?
“Six.” I bit the inside of my cheek.
“You two are, like, best friends, right?” She eyed my hat with disdain.
I tugged at the collar of my shirt. “Is it hot in here? Um, yes. Nobody knows me like Gabe does.” As soon as I said it, I cringed. Talk about opening myself up for scrutiny.
“Right.” She flared her nostrils. “So anyway, you guys know each other inside and out?”
I shifted in my seat and laughed. “Listen, I know Gabe really well, but not to the extent that he and Alicia know each other. I mean, some things just come with being in an actual relationship, you know?”
The other girls nodded in unison, and I released a breath of relief.
“Did you guys go to school together?” Shawn asked.
I nodded. “Yes. Clear until our junior year.”
“And you guys were neighbors,” Alicia pointed out, her mouth tightening.
“Yes.” I gulped. They should hang a single lightbulb over my head and slap me every time I answer.
“What’s his favorite color?” Marissa snapped.
“Gray,” I answered without thinking.
Kate nudged Shawn with her elbow. “What’s his shoe size?”
“Eleven and a half.”
Shawn tilted her head at me curiously. “What’s his favorite food?”
“What’s his biggest pet