You May Kiss the Bridesmaid - Camilla Isley Page 0,67

to wear an oversized sweater to bed, but last night she’d had no other choices. Busy with her Summer Academic Fellowship for Harvard Law, she hadn’t bothered to do laundry in weeks. Her Victoria’s Secret PINK set was the only clean thing left at the bottom of the sleepwear drawer. It was either that or two drops of Chanel Number Five.

Rose massaged her arms with her hands to warm herself up as she turned around, away from Tyler’s door and toward the bathroom. Might as well, since I’m already up. She finished her business and was about to exit the bathroom when she caught herself in the mirror. Her mini-pajama fit her well. Yes, not bad at all. Pity she turned into a popsicle when she wore them.

Rose moved her gaze up to her face. Her eyes were such a dark brown as to be almost black, and her skin tone made her look constantly tanned. Not like Georgiana with her impossibly white skin, long licorice-black hair, and startling blue eyes. Did Tyler prefer blue eyes? Over the years, he hadn’t shown any particular trend in his women. Tall, short, curvy, androgynous, brunette, blonde, redhead—it didn’t matter to him. As long as they were attractive.

Tyler’s phone began ringing again downstairs. Like an angry cat, Rose hissed at the mirror. How was she supposed to sleep if that damn thing was going to go off every five minutes? She exited the bathroom and ran down the stairs, the carpet muffling her steps.

After a quick scan of the living room—no phones in sight—she eventually located the phone in the kitchen: a shiny rectangle lying innocently on the table—lifeless. Rose looked at its black screen accusingly just as it started ringing again. Georgiana’s smiling face greeted her. It was her calling. Rose grabbed the phone, turned it to silent, and put it back down, relieved. Georgiana’s face remained lit for a few more seconds and then disappeared.

With the phone neutralized, she could go back to her peaceful sleep-in day. But as she turned to leave, a speech bubble popped up on the screen. The temptation was too strong; Rose snatched up the phone and read it.

I’m sorry, okay? Can you please pick up?

So, they definitely had an argument. And it looked like it was Georgiana’s fault. What could she have done? Nothing too bad, Rose was sure. Georgiana was all sweetness with Tyler. She acted nasty only when he wasn’t around, during the rare times when Georgiana and Rose were alone together.

Georgiana was jealous of her. That was the only explanation. The sentiment was strong and reciprocated, too. Georgiana didn’t like the idea of her boyfriend living with his attractive female best friend. As for Rose, she didn’t appreciate Georgiana’s intrusion into their friendship—or the intrusion of any of Tyler’s girlfriends, for that matter.

And Georgiana was more annoying than most of the girls he dated. She went to Harvard Law with them, meaning she imposed not only on their free time, but on their school time as well. In class, she sat with them—Rose on one side, Georgiana on the other, and Tyler sandwiched in the middle. At lunch, she ate with them. When they were studying, she followed them to the library. And she was at the house so often that Rose wondered if she was trying to move in without Tyler noticing. Georgiana being beautiful and rich didn’t help. Nor the fact that she was the daughter of one of the most powerful and recognized lawyers in Boston, Bradley Smithson.

This was the first time since high school that Tyler had dated someone who was in school with them. Rose had forgotten how hard it was to have a daily reminder of him being with someone else. Not to mention the unwelcome novelty of being in the next room when Georgiana spent the night. Contractors should make thicker walls. It was almost like Georgiana was being a loud lover on purpose, to make sure Rose knew just how well Tyler satisfied her in bed. Her. Not Rose. Never Rose.

When Tyler had first started going out with Georgiana, it hadn’t been so hard. Not while Rose had been with her boyfriend Marcus, her longest relationship to date. She suspected the two years she’d spent with Marcus had been Tyler’s first experience with jealousy. She remembered being glad when he’d started dating Georgiana so she could finally stop feeling guilty for spending all her time with her boyfriend. Rose also hadn’t told Tyler she