dollar for every time someone had called me Alexis in my real life, I’d be a millionaire.
“If we could have all the single ladies on the dance floor.” The DJ announced over the speakers. “Single ladies, please gather on the floor it’s time to throw the bouquet.”
“Oh, that’s you, hon!” Tami Lynn pushed me toward the middle of the room.
I started to protest, but then I realized that it was me. I was a single lady. So I threw back my punch, set the cup on a table and joined the women that were gathered in the middle of the dance floor.
As I stepped up to the line of women, I did a double take. Two of the women looked exactly like the bride. Had I drank that much? Was I seeing triple? Maybe I should go home. What if sexy man wasn’t sexy after all and it was just a beer goggle situation?
“They’re the Turner triplets, Maisy’s sisters Melody and Madison.” Someone whispered beside me.
I turned and saw a very attractive blonde. Her grin was wide and friendly.
“Oh, okay.” I smiled. “I thought I was seeing things.”
“Hi, I’m Rachel.” She held out her hand.
“I’m Sasha.” I shook it.
“I know.” She smiled wider. “I’m a huge fan of Sunset Bay.”
“Oh, thanks.”
“Okay, ladies, get your catcher’s gloves ready.” The DJ began playing Single Ladies by Beyoncé. “Three, two, one…” The DJ counted down as Maisy swung her arm, but it was a fake-out.
There was a ripple of chuckling.
“Now that we have your attention, let’s try this for real.”
“Three, two, one…” This time the crowd joined him in the countdown. And this time the flowers flew out of her hand and landed in mine.
I stood shocked as applause broke out. And then everything got fuzzy.
Chapter 6
Beau
“Kisses are like real estate. It’s all about location, location, location.”
~ Barbara-Jean Nelson
Applause swelled as I watched the woman who’d taken my breath away hold the bouquet of flowers close to her chest.
“Who is that?” I asked Harmony.
“Sasha Nelson. She’s Mrs. Nelson’s granddaughter. She’s the actress. The one on Sunset Bay.”
“She is?”
“Yes, her character is the one that I called Mrs. Nelson about at two a.m. And apparently, the tea is she’s here because she’s been dating the actor that plays her husband but she just found out he was cheating on her.”
“That sucks.” I felt the same punch to my gut for her that I’d felt for myself.
“It gets worse. In the show, her husband is cheating on her with a nurse, and in real life, her boyfriend is cheating on her with the actress that plays the nurse.”
“Damn.”
“Maybe you two should commiserate.” Harmony wagged her brows.
“Ha ha.”
“I’m serious. I caught the vibes that you two were throwing off. I haven’t seen you look at a woman like that since she-devil.”
“Don’t call her that.”
“You said I can’t call her the whore,” Harmony defended by way of explanation as to why she was calling her she-devil.
“Those aren’t the only two options you have.”
“Yes. They are. Even Mom hates her. And you know what Bieber says, my momma don’t like you and she likes everyone.”
“You’re quoting Bieber now?”
“Belieber for life, homie.” Harmony made a fist and double tapped on her chest.
“You’re a real gangsta.” I smirked.
“Word is bond,” she said with a straight face.
I chuckled. Harmony had always had a way of cheering me up. She’d been the one to get me out of my funk after my relationship went up in flames. She was just a teenager then, but she’d been wise beyond her years. Her best friend Cara had been diagnosed with childhood leukemia and it had made my sister grow up fast.
She’d been the one that told me to pursue being a firefighter. One night we were watching my favorite movie, Backdraft, and she asked if I’d ever considered firefighting as a career.
I’d always thought music was my path, but after everything ended with Rachel, it had killed that for me. Firefighting gave me a purpose again. It gave me my life back.
“I hate to burst your bubble, but Mom doesn’t hate her anymore. Now she feels sorry for her.”
“Pshh,” Harmony made a dismissive sound. “I don’t. She-devil deserves everything she’s getting. I hope that her divorce is long, acrimonious, and painful.”
“Harmony.” I shook my head as Rachel walked up behind my sister.
“Don’t Harmony me. I’m serious. She is a boil on the butt of humanity, and I hope that this divorce rips her heart out and stomps on it. And the same goes for