I marched us into the bathroom.
“What is going on, Harper?” Caroline crossed her arms as I locked the door behind us.
“I was going to ask you the same thing.”
“It’s nothing,” she whined.
“Spill. I know you too well, Caroline. Something is going on.” I tapped my foot as I waited for her to finally get it out.
“Why is it that you come tomyschool and meet the only eligible bachelor?” she grumbled.
“Really?” I threw my arms in the air. “You’re jealous that he asked me out? Is that what a best friend does?”
She bowed her head. “No.”
“I am sorry dating sucks for all of us, but I really like this one.”
“I know. You’re right. I’m sorry.”
I grabbed her. “It’s all right. Have you snapped out of it yet?”
“Yes,” she murmured as she hugged me back. “You deserve to find happiness. I just want it too.”
“You’re going to find someone, Caroline. I promise.”
She shook off her tension. “We need to get back out there. Rhett has been left alone with Sawyer for several minutes now, and Annie can only run interference for so long.”
I stopped her before she opened the door. “Are we good?”
“Of course we are. I’m sorry for acting like a brat.”
“Completely forgotten.”
Making our way back to the table, we walked right into the middle of story time.
“And there Harper was, standing in the middle of the dance floor with punch spilled down her dress, crying her eyes out.” Sawyer shot a quick glance my way as I slid back into my seat.
“Oh no, really? The formal story?” I covered my eyes. “Rhett, I will understand if you think I’m pathetic and want to bolt right now.”
“I think it’s a delightful story,” he said as he chuckled.
“Why didn’t you tell him the one about you photographing the nudist wedding?” Caroline to the rescue.
“Did you have to do it nude or did the staff get to wear clothes?” Rhett leaned in, seemingly intrigued by the details.
“Most of the staff were nudists, too. They fought me on it so I ended up wearing a flesh-colored bodysuit as a compromise,” Harper explained. “It really was a beautiful ceremony.”
“Fascinating,” Rhett commented.
“Oh, what about the time Annabelle had a student who was terrified of horses? The horse could sense the fear on that chick and would buck her off or bolt every time she tried to ride it,” I added in.
“In Hunter’s defense, he was right to not let that student ride him. She didn’t make it through the program.” Annabelle sneered as she laughed hysterically. “That girl was so terrified by the end of my course, she stopped showing up completely. The dean ended up asking for a wellness check for her because no one from the school could reach her.”
“I have one,” Rhett interjected. “When I was in middle school, I was awkward and couldn’t find a date for our Sadie Hawkins dance. I mean not even the nerdiest of girls would ask me, so my mom made my older sister go with me. The teasing lasted until I was in high school. In hindsight, I should have just skipped that dance.”
“Aw, that one is just sad.” I laughed, patting Rhett on his shoulder.
“Valiant effort, Rhett,” Sawyer applauded. “I like the sharing. Don’t worry—this is a safe space.”