Logan and I continue our drinking and flirtatious banter down at the pool bar until the rest of the party appears through the double doors, also already buzzed and ready to continue partying as well. Logan has had one hand on me in some way since we got down here and I wonder if anyone is going to notice our spark.
I spot Chase first and I am so glad my eyes are covered up by my wide black sunglasses so no one can see me openly oogle his shirtless body. This is the first time I have seen Chase in swim trunks and it lives up to all of my fantasies. Chase is broad, hairless and defined in all the right places. My eyes travel down his torso to the V that sits right above his waistline and then take a large gulp of my piña colada. He throws his hands up as he spots us and I watch the bridal party trail behind him.
Right behind Chase is Ainslee, dressed in a white lace robe and a white one-piece with Bride written in gold across the chest. Her long dirty blonde hair is down and wavy and is somehow not a frizzy mess like mine is. Chase's brother Callum, who is almost his twin in appearance but stands several inches shorter has his arm linked with Tory's. She's also in a lace robe but she's wearing a strappy bikini that leaves little to the imagination. Her dark hair is tucked under a sunhat and her bright white smile and bark of a laugh can be seen across the pool area. Lauren, Maddie and Kaitlyn are all huddled together flicking their heads back and forth to take in the gorgeous pool area and I watch Maddie, also dressed in a tiny bikini point out one of the cabanas and they all squeal in excitement. That leaves Mike, Jesse and Alex lingering behind but they are definitely scoping out the half-naked women trotting in front of them.
"Here we go," I mumble to Logan as we swivel in our chairs to face the newcomers. I'm going to do my best to fit in here even though I feel so out of place. They quickly swarm and suddenly I have arms thrown around me and hands thrust out to shake. The girls are all giggly and I hear Maddie tell the group that she is the facilitator of fun. She's wearing large gold aviators that take up her entire pretty face and I can see that mine is flushed in the mirrored lenses as she giggles.
"So happy you made it alright!" Ainslee gushes as she pulls me in for a hug. "Is your room okay?"
I nod, "It's stunning. I love that the whole back wall is a sliding door. I have an amazing view."
"You doin' alright?" Chase asks as he swings an arm around me and I feel my shoulder touching his bare chest. "Thanks for babysitting Logan."
"It was fun actually," I confess. "He ended up having to babysit me a bit." I look past Chase and see Kaitlyn and Maddie flirtatiously pawing at Logan and I feel a weird squeeze in my stomach. Of course, all of these single people are going to flirt with each other. This is Bachelor in Paradise for them. I think Callum has a girlfriend but I know for a fact all the girls are single because they joked about hookups in the group chat.
"I'm glad you're here. We need a responsible adult with us this weekend," Chase jokes and then he spins around to order tequila shots at the bar. I know I need to be social and a part of the group the best that I can be, so I take a step forward and insert myself in the small circle that Logan is a part of.
"How are your rooms?" I ask Kaityln and Maddie and they both start gushing over each other about how gorgeous this whole resort is and how they can't wait to get under a cabana and start getting shit-faced.
"I need nachos," Kaitlyn says and it's the first thing I've agreed with her on. I glance around and see Lauren huddled in a conversation with Callum and Alex and it seems like everyone is vibing. I think most of the group has met before at events Chase or Ainslee has hosted and the guys have known each other for years. The girls work together and have traveled together before which leaves me the odd man out. I know Chase the best, but it's not appropriate for me to glue myself to him.
Chase interrupts all the smaller groups to force us into one giant circle to take our first bridal party shot of the week. I notice Logan has found his way back to me and he smirks before he tilts up his shot glass. He then snatches mine from my hand and downs it quickly.
"I'm not letting you take shitty shots after all that frozen shit. It's too early for you to be puking. Let's get you something else." He then waltzes off toward the bar and no one seemed to notice our interaction. I can't tell if I am peeved he took my shot or grateful that he's looking out for me.
"Pictures! Pictures!" Ainslee squeals as she forces us all together but Logan is still at the bar. She snaps a few pics and then Maddie takes her phone over to take selfies. Alex accidentally bumps into me once the group photos are over and by the way he slurs, I am guessing they all drank heavily on the plane.
"You're the planner, right? He asks and he's already swaying. I met him briefly at Logan's launch party last year but I am not surprised he doesn't remember me with how toasted he got there.
I nod, "Yep. And a bridesmaid now."
"How you know Ainslee," he asks and I can see Ainslee is a hard name to spit out when you're drunk.
"I actually work with Chase and know her through him," I answer but I am thinking he won't retain any of this information...again.
"Ah," he says with a nod and I wonder if he's going to fall over. "You single?"
I laugh. I'm already surprising myself with whatever is happening with Logan and I know for damn sure that nothing at all will ever happen with Alex Partell, resident douche canoe of this group. He got so drunk at Logan's launch party that he started lifting me up as if he was curling me and watched his arms flex as he did so.
Before I can answer him, Logan hands me a fresh piña colada and says, "She's married actually." I glance at him in confusion, wondering where he is going with this.
"Oh," Alex says while his eyes droop, and then Logan adds, "To her work. And Señor Harlow." He frowns dramatically before sipping on whatever cocktail he got, but I am grinning.
"Cool," Alex replies and I can tell he now wants to exit this conversation. He does a quick glance around and luckily Maddie comes bounding over to us, flicking her long blonde hair behind her.
"Guys, we wanna go take some pictures down at the beach before we jump into the pool, cool?" We nod and I watch as she slides her long arm around Logan's and pulls him away from the bar.
It shouldn't bug me.
It really shouldn't.
But it fucking does.
I fall in line behind Alex while Ainslee and Chase lead the charge to the beach. Lauren finds me as we are trotting down the wide wooden steps that lead us out of the resort and says, "I'm so happy you came here early with us."
"Oh yeah?" I pant, trying not to die of heat while walking through the thick sand.
"Yeah, I feel like you're not as crazy as the rest of the girls. I love them, but...they can be a lot when they get drunk." I notice she's also panting and it makes me feel better. Maddie and Tory are skipping along to the water as if this trek isn't a complete workout and the wind blows up their robes, exposing their thong bottoms. I never thought I would feel frumpy and overdressed in a black one-piece and jean shorts.
"Oh yeah? Anything I should prepare for?" I hesitantly ask and Lauren spins her red braid around her finger before answering, "Tory gets mouthy, Kaitlyn and Maddie just want to find guys to flirt with and I just usually want to go to sleep."
"I'm not sure if I have been around Ainslee when she's been drunk without Chase. I'm not sure how many activities they are planning to do together over these next few days."
"Honestly...I kinda hoped I could talk to you about that," she starts and we hear Maddie and Kaitlyn squealing in the distance as the water rushes over their ankles. We are far enough behind the group that I urge Lauren to continue.
"Yeah, what's up?"
"So..." Lauren starts and she slides her tortoiseshell sunglasses up her sweaty nose. "Ainslee gets a bit cocky when she drinks. And she likes attention from men."
I snap my gaze to her and she nods, "Oh shit."
"Yeah, I don't think she'll do anything dumb but, I was hoping you could help me keep an eye on her if we go out without Chase." I want to laugh. This is so perfect. Ainslee could blow up her own wedding. I might just have to sit back and watch.
"Of course. Absolutely. I don't really plan on getting shit-faced honestly. I mean I work with Chase and I am also the wedding planner. I was planning on mostly behaving myself, so I can help be on bride duty."
"Thanks girl, we'll see if we can all manage not to kill each other by Sunday," Lauren mumbles as we've now approached the rest of the group.
"Oh my god, this is gorge!" Maddie gushes with her hands on her hips as she faces the ocean. The wind is whipping her long hair around and I understand why they wanted to take pictures. It's all very Instagramable.
"Bride and groom first!" Kaitlyn demands and she yanks Chase into the water, just deep enough so his ankles are covered. Ainslee eagerly hops into his arms and grabs his face with both hands before planting a kiss on his lips. The girls start snapping pictures while my stomach lurches.
Why am I doing this to myself? This entire week is going to be torture.
I try and feign a smile as he grabs her ass and the rest of the crew goes wild when he throws her into the water. The other guys start herding the screaming girls further into the water as Lauren and I stand just behind the others watching.
She looks at me and mutters, "So much screaming." I grin but am thankful I am not being swept into the water by the other guys because I would be screaming about not knowing what was swimming around my waist, waiting to nibble on me.
I watch Maddie throw her arms around Logan to dunk him under the water and realize I am definitely not going to be the only one flirting with him. I glance at Chase who now has Ainslee straddled around him in the water and then back to Logan who has Maddie on his back.
"Who do you think will hook up with who?" Lauren asks as if reading my mind. "My money is on Maddie, I'm just not sure with which guy."
I snort a laugh and then reply, "Alex is definitely going to try and hook up with one of these girls, but I don't think he'll be successful."
"He is so Jersey Shore isn't he?" Lauren jokes and I laugh in agreement. "Logan is hot. He doesn't look like the pictures Ainslee showed us. Callum is hot too, but he's taken." No one cares that Lauren and I are lingering on the shoreline. They've now moved further into the water and are absorbed in riding the waves.
"Logan had a recent glow-up I think. He was definitely more granola the last time I saw him."
"Jesse isn't bad either, but I only talked to him for like ten minutes at the airport."
I flit my eyes to her as I ask, "Are you trying to hook up here?"
She shrugs, "Maybe. It's Mexico. We are all mostly single, wanting to have a good time. I just don't want drama though. This doesn't have to be Love Island."
We watch as the girls continue to throw themselves physically at the guys but notice Logan is now off by himself, swimming out further away from the group.
"What about you? Are you single and dying to mingle?" Lauren asks me as she twists her braid off of her sweaty neck.
I scoff, "Single yes. Ready to mingle...eh. I've met all these guys before except Jesse. Chase is technically my boss and these are his best friends. It doesn't seem wise."
"Oh, that's right!" She says snapping her gaze to me. "You're the work wife. I forgot that's how you fall into this group."
I cringe, "I definitely don't need to be known as the work wife. Especially when his future wife is right there."
Lauren takes a step closer to me and then says, "Ainslee is a bit jealous of you. She's not thrilled with how close you two are. I don't think she likes the expression either." Something warm spreads across my insides as this golden nugget is tossed my way. I think I might have an ally in Lauren. I won't trust her immediately since she is still close with Ainslee, but she might just be a treasure trove I dig into throughout this trip.
"That's silly. Chase and I work well together but that's where our relationship stays. At work. We've never dated in the three years I have known him. She has nothing to worry about with me."
"He's the one who pushed her into having you take Brinlee's spot. I think your friendship continues out of the office."
I shake my head as she smirks at me. I think she's hoping I'll admit to something but I never will. I point off to where Ainslee is groping Chase and say, "I think she knows where I stand."
We watch as Chase gropes her back and I wish I didn't look over. She must feel us staring because suddenly she's waving us in. I look back at Lauren, refusing to get in the water and say, "I was supposed to meet the hotel coordinator. Will you tell the group I'll see them at dinner?"
She nods and I leave her standing on the sand while the rest of the group continues to play in the water. I came here to help plan a wedding and that's what I need to do.