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“Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.” Juliet mumbled to herself as she picked at the remaining food on her plate.
It wasn’t like she wanted to get married right now. Hell, she was only 27 and just in the start of her career. But being the bridesmaid at the last four weddings she’s attending, well, it was getting kind of old.
She looked around the restaurant, trying not to feel sad at all the happy couples. This was the night before Selene’s big day, and she couldn’t blow it by being all mopey.
The sound of a chair screeching against the floor pulled her from her misery. She turned and came face to face with Shawn Spencer, the best man.
“Hi.” He said.
“Hi.”
“You’re the maid of honour, right? Selene’s best friend.” He asked.
She nodded. “And you’re Shawn, Gus’s best man.”
“Since we in diapers.” He smiled. “How are you enjoying this thing?” he nodded to the general area.
“It’s… nice.” she said.
Shawn coked an eyebrow.
“Okay, it’s a bit fancy for my tastes. I didn’t think people actually had rehearsal dinners in real life! but this is what Selene wants, and I’m here for her.”
Shawn nodded. “Glad to hear it, because I do have to ask a favour of you.”
She groaned inwardly. She’d met Gus quite a few times over the past few years that he and Selene had been dating, she’d only met Shawn twice, and both times he seemed… less than mature.
“If this is going to involve strippers or anything illegal, I’m telling you right now that I’m not helping.”
“What? No!” he shook his head. “nothing of the sort.”
“Oh, good.”
“Unless you think stealing is illegal.”
;;;
Juliet tried to keep the smile on her face and look interested. Bill Guster was talking about… something, she wasn’t quite sure, but he as very passionate about whatever it was.
She risked a look over his shoulder. Shawn was standing in the alcove a little ways behind them. He was grinning like a maniac, and he gave her two big thumbs up.
His plan was simple: Bill was giving a toast tonight, and he hadn’t let Gus read it. This was causing Gus to ‘freak the hell out’, according to Shawn. Having his best friends back, Shawn wanted to steal the speech and make sure it didn’t contain any nasty surprises.
“The trouble is,” Shawn had said. “Bill’s keeping the damn thing in his top jacket pocket. That’s where you come in.”
Juliet thought that her role as ‘distraction’ would be the easy one. All she had to do was get Bill talking, then sit and keep his attention on her while Shawn snuck up behind him and stole the speech.
But she hadn’t accounted her nerves.
“Don’t you agree?” Bill asked.
“Oh, yes sir, absolutely.” Juliet said with certainty, hoping she hadn’t agreed to anything too controversial.
Movement caught her eye. Shawn was tiptoeing across the floor, zeroing in on Bill’s jacket that he’d laid over the back of his chair.
Juliet bit her lip to keep from laughing. She hummed and nodded at Bill, trying to keep up the charade.
Shawn stopped behind Bill’s chair and slowly reached into the jacket pocket. Juliet held her breath and tried to keep her eyes locked on Bill. If she looked behind him, he’d catch Shawn and their plan was toast.
“And that’s when I knew the cream was working!” Bill said.
At the same time, Shawn pulled a piece of paper from bill’s jacket pocket.
“Yes!” Juliet cried
Bill frowned. “I didn’t think you were that invested in my bunions?”
“What? Oh yes, sorry, I’m glad… they’re gone?” Juliet stammered. “Actually, sorry, do you mind, I’ve got to… ah… go.”
She gifted Bill a half-hearted wave, then ran off after Shawn. He’d managed to get quite far in the short amount of time since he stole the speech. Juliet caught the tail end of his jacket flicking out from behind a wall, and she tried to hurry up.
These damn heels, she thought.
She hobbled quickly around the corner to find Shawn. He was hunched over and his face was in his hands, crumpling the speech. And he was shaking.
Oh god. Was the speech really that bad?
“Shawn, hey…” she reached out and rubbed his arm. “It’s gonna be…”
Shawn looked up at her with a huge smile on his face. Laughing, she thought. He’s only laughing. He tried to speak, but he was laughing so hard he couldn’t get a word out.
“Shawn.” Juliet said, trying to fight off the urge to join him. “What…” she shook her head and gave in.
“Oh, god, I can’t believe we did that!” he said between fits of laughter.
Juliet tried to laugh quietly but it was too hard. “I, I, I know!” she stammered between giggles. “Bunions! He was talking about bunions.”
“You looked so interested.” Shawn laughed.
“I doubt that.” She shook her head and tried to control herself. “What’s in the speech.”
Shawn cleared his throat and shook his head. “Right, the speech.” He waved the paper in the air. “It’s all good. Kind of sweet, really. Riddled with spelling mistakes.”
Juliet laughed again. Her stomach was starting to hurt, but in a good way.
“Oh, oh no.” she tried to regain her composure.
The sounds of the party wafted through the halls, but it all seemed so far away. Juliet suddenly realised how close she and Shawn were standing.
“Thanks for your help with this.” he said.
“It was my pleasure.” She replied. “Actually, this is the most fun I’ve at wedding in a long time.”
Shawn blinked up at her. He was still smiling so widely. “Me too.”
Juliet felt a blush rise to her cheeks.
Maybe it’s not so bad being the bridesmaid after all.