{"product_id":"the-wedding-date-isbn-9780399587665","title":"The Wedding Date","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003eA groomsman and his last-minute guest are about to discover if a fake date can go the distance in this fun and flirty multicultural romance debut by \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author Jasmine Guillory—author of the Resse Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick \u003ci\u003eThe Proposal\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTHE \u003ci\u003eUSA TODAY\u003c\/i\u003e BESTSELLER\u003cbr\u003e#5 LibraryReads Pick\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e“A swoony rom-com brimming with humor and charm.”—\u003ci\u003eEntertainment Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e (The Must List)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e“\u003c\/b\u003eWhat a charming, warm, sexy gem of a novel....One of the best books I've read in a while.\u003cb\u003e”—\u003c\/b\u003eRoxane Gay, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eHunger\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eAgreeing to go to a wedding with a guy she gets stuck with in an elevator is something Alexa Monroe wouldn't normally do. But there's something about Drew Nichols that's too hard to resist.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOn the eve of his ex's wedding festivities, Drew is minus a plus one. Until a power outage strands him with the perfect candidate for a fake girlfriend....\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter Alexa and Drew have more fun than they ever thought possible, Drew has to fly back to Los Angeles and his job as a pediatric surgeon, and Alexa heads home to Berkeley, where she's the mayor's chief of staff. Too bad they can't stop thinking about the other....\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThey're just two high-powered professionals on a collision course toward the long distance dating disaster of the century--or closing the gap between what they think they need and what they truly want....\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eOne of...\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eEntertainment Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e’s \u003cb\u003e“\u003c\/b\u003e12 Romances for V-Day\u003cb\u003e” • \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eCosmopolitan\u003cb\u003e’\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003es \u003cb\u003e“\u003c\/b\u003e2018 Anticipated Reads\u003cb\u003e”\u003cb\u003e • \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eElle\u003cb\u003e’\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003es \u003cb\u003e“\u003c\/b\u003e2018 Must Reads\u003cb\u003e”\u003cb\u003e • \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eHarpers Bazaar\u003cb\u003e’\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003es \u003cb\u003e“\u003c\/b\u003eNew January Must Reads\u003cb\u003e”\u003cb\u003e • \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eThe Fug Girls\u003cb\u003e’\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e“\u003c\/b\u003eBest Books of the Year\u003cb\u003e”\u003cb\u003e • \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eElle UK\u003cb\u003e’\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003es \u003cb\u003e“\u003c\/b\u003eBooks to Get You Through 2018\u003cb\u003e”\u003cb\u003e • \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eNylon\u003cb\u003e’\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003es \u003cb\u003e“\u003c\/b\u003eJanuary Must Reads\u003cb\u003e”\u003cb\u003e • \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eHello Giggles\u003cb\u003e’\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e“\u003c\/b\u003eNew Release Recs\u003cb\u003e”\u003cb\u003e • \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eElectric Lit\u003cb\u003e’\u003c\/b\u003es \u003cb\u003e“\u003c\/b\u003eBooks by WoC to Read in 2018\u003cb\u003e”\u003cb\u003e • \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eBitch Media\u003cb\u003e’\u003c\/b\u003es \u003cb\u003e“\u003c\/b\u003e2018 Must Reads\u003cb\u003e”\u003cb\u003e • \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eBookBub\u003cb\u003e’\u003c\/b\u003es \u003cb\u003e“\u003c\/b\u003e2018 Romance Must Reads\u003cb\u003e”\u003cb\u003e • \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eBookriot\u003cb\u003e’\u003c\/b\u003es \u003cb\u003e“\u003c\/b\u003eMust Read 2018 January Releases\u003cb\u003e”\u003cb\u003e • \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eRetailMeNot\u003cb\u003e’\u003c\/b\u003es \u003cb\u003e“\u003c\/b\u003e2018 Must Reads\u003cb\u003e”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eThe Wedding Date\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A swoony rom-com brimming with humor and charm.”—\u003ci\u003eEntertainment Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Guillory’s debut is as enchanting as her characters—bright, bold, warm and wonderful. Even better, there’s a proposal to rival any commercial that Madison Avenue can deliver.”—WashingtonPost.com \u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “This novel reads like a truly \u003ci\u003econtemporary\u003c\/i\u003e contemporary romance in that the hero and heroine grapple with issues anyone dating today will relate to.”—NPR.com\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Kudos to Guillory, whose lively dialogue is matched by her multifaceted characters.”—\u003ci\u003eEssence Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e“For those who need their comfort with a side of spice, look no further than the masterful Guillory.”—\u003ci\u003ePeople\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e “The novel is a light-hearted and quick read with fully drawn characters.”—Associated Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “A romance novel that will make you believe in happily ever afters.”—Nylon.com \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“What a charming, warm, sexy gem of a novel. I couldn’t put \u003ci\u003eThe Wedding Date\u003c\/i\u003e down. I love a good romance and this delivered from the first page to the last...One of the best books I’ve read in a while.”—Roxane Gay, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eHunger\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This much-needed dose of escapism charts an unexpected bond between two strangers brought together by a fateful elevator encounter.”—Harper's Bazaar\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“This romance novel promises to be the perfect beach read: rich, charming characters and a love story with substance. We recommend getting this one ASAP.”—Apartment Therapy\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Three cheers for an interracial relationship.”—HelloGiggles\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Jasmine Guillory’s \u003ci\u003eThe Wedding Date\u003c\/i\u003e is able to pull you in and keep you reading all the way to the end.”—Culturess\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Will charm rom-com fans.”—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eThe Wedding Date\u003c\/i\u003e brims with personality. It's funny, deeply honest, and above all, truly swoony—the kind of all-consuming romance where you hold your breath with delight as two wonderful people start to find each other, like the best possible version of real life. We can't wait to read more from Jasmine Guillory.”—Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan,\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003ebestselling authors of \u003ci\u003eThe Royal We\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“It has been a long time since a romance novel written by a Black woman that centers a Black heroine took my collective breath away, stopped me in our tracks, and helped me remember that Black women can fall in love outside of the pages of novels...\u003ci\u003eThe Wedding Date\u003c\/i\u003e ends that unnecessary drought.”—Bitch Media\u003cb\u003eJasmine Guillory\u003c\/b\u003e is a lawyer, a graduate of Wellesley College and Stanford Law School, and a Bay Area native who lives in Oakland, California. She has been published in The Toast and The Hairpin, has towering stacks of books in her living room, a cake for every occasion, and upward of fifty lipsticks. She is the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Wedding Date\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Proposal\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Wedding Party\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eRoyal Holiday\u003c\/i\u003e. Visit her online at jasmineguillory.com and twitter.com\/thebestjasmine.1\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Alexa Monroe walked into the Fairmont hotel in San Francisco that      Thursday night wearing her favorite red heels, jittery from      coffee, and with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne in her      purse. She took out her phone to text her sister, Olivia, upstairs      in one of the guest rooms.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Getting on the elevator!!!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e It was always good to give Olivia a little more advance warning      than most people. It didn't matter that Olivia had just made      partner at her New York law firm; some things didn't change.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Oh no, was just about to get in the shower.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Alexa got Olivia's text just as she stepped into the elevator. She      laughed out loud as she pushed the number of her sister's floor,      the laughter calming her nerves. Alexa couldn't wait to celebrate      with her older sister, despite . . . no, maybe because their      relationship was still tricky after all these years.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The elevator glided in the air, in that smooth, noiseless way      elevators in expensive hotels do, while Alexa checked her purse      for the third time to make sure she'd tossed the fancy crackers      and Brie in there. They would need a pre-dinner snack to soak up      all of that champagne, after all. She wished she'd found the time      to make brownies the night before. Olivia loved her brownies.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She spied the cheese and crackers in the corner of her purse,      tucked away from the heavy champagne bottle. Just then, the      elevator stopped with a jerk. A second later, the lights went out.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"What's going on?\" she said out loud to herself.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A few seconds later, a dim light came on, but the elevator stayed      motionless. She looked up and around, and jumped to see a man with      a suitcase in the opposite corner of the elevator.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Were you here this whole time?\" she asked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"What am I, a genie?\" He grinned back at her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I guess you don't really look like a genie.\" He was a tall white      guy, with tanned skin, rumpled dark brown hair, and about a day's      worth of scruff where a beard would be. She had a sudden urge to      rub her hand on his cheek to see how prickly it was. How exactly      had she missed seeing this man get on the elevator with her?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Thank you, I think. But isn't that what a genie would say?\" he      asked. \"You're not claustrophobic, are you?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Um, I don't think so. Why, were you going to bust us out of here      with your genie powers if I said I was?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He laughed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I guess you'll never know if I'm a genie now,\" he said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Well, there was that time I got an MRI,\" she said. \"Being inside      that tiny machine wasn't much fun. Maybe I am claustrophobic.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Sorry, you already lost your chance to see my powers.\" He moved      to the front of the elevator and picked up the emergency phone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Let's see if they can give us an ETA on getting out of here.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She tried not to stare at him in the dim lighting, but she      couldn't miss the opportunity to check out his butt in his      perfectly fitted jeans. It was as good as the rest of him. She      tried to wipe the grin off her face in case he turned around.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Stuff like this never happened to her. Not the      stuck-in-the-elevator thing-her life was full of minor crises like      that. No, it was being stuck in an elevator with a hot guy that      was the unusual part. She was always the one sitting on an      airplane next to a chatty toddler, or a knitting grandma, or a      bored college student; never a hot guy to be found.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e After about a minute of him saying, \"Okay . . . okay,\" in      progressively tenser tones, he hung up the phone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Well . . .\" He paused and smiled at her. \"Wait, I don't even know      your name, my new elevator friend.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Alexa, and you, Genie?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Drew. Nice to meet you, Alexa.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Drew, it's a pleasure, but . . .\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Right, these circumstances are not ideal. So, the bad news is      that there's a power outage in the whole hotel.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Her phone lit up just then with a text from Olivia.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e My power went out. Where are you??\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Ahhh, yes, I was just alerted to that.\" Alexa held her phone up      before she texted Olivia back.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Whole hotel, I'm stuck in the elevator.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"At least that means they were telling the truth,\" Drew said. \"The      good news, or so they tell me, is that they have generators, so      the elevators should start moving shortly.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She slid down to the floor, placing her purse gently beside her.      It would be a tragedy to break that champagne bottle.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We might as well wait in comfort,\" she said. Her favorite red      heels were relatively comfortable for the first five hours, but      she'd been wearing them for nine plus.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He shrugged off his leather jacket, gifting her a glimpse of his      stomach muscles as his gray T-shirt shifted. Mmmm. Hot, funny guy      who occasionally flashed his abs. Was it her birthday?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"So, are you a guest here, Drew? Where are you coming from?\" she      asked him so she wouldn't stare.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Just flew in from L.A. And you?\" He sat down next to her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Oh, I live here. Well, over in Berkeley, anyway. I'm just in the      hotel visiting someone.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He glanced at her phone, her shoes, and back up at her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"A pretty special someone, with those shoes on, and all of that      smiling you were doing when you didn't even notice someone else      got on the elevator with you.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"A very special someone,\" she said, and his grin got wider. \"Wait,      no, not that kind of special someone! My older sister! She's in      town from New York for work.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Yep, this was how she usually acted around hot guys. Scared to      make eye contact, stared at his abs, said something awkward.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Ahhhh.\" He laughed. \"Okay, yes, I did think it was that kind of      special someone. Do you two have a hot night in the city planned?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She crossed her legs and adjusted her black wrap dress so she      didn't accidentally flash her underwear at this dude on top of      everything else.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Sort of. We're celebrating. She just made partner at her law      firm!\" Alexa smiled down at her purse full of treats before      looking back up at him. Not even cheese could compete with this      dude.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He narrowed his eyes at her. Light brown eyes, with a really dark      rim around them. His eyes were so pretty that she looked away      again. Thank God her brown skin meant her cheeks couldn't get too      pink, otherwise he'd be able to see them glow in the dark.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Okay, I'm happy for your sister, but what is in that bag? You      keep looking at it like it holds the Holy Grail.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She laughed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Just champagne and a few snacks. The plan is to drink the      champagne here and then go out to dinner . . . Well, that was the      plan, but we'll see how long we're stuck in this elevator.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Drew scooted closer to her and looked in her purse. Alexa pushed      it toward him, so he could see better in the dim light. She never      let people poke around in her purse, but hey, this was a cute guy      and a weird situation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Okay good, we have sustenance if we're stuck here for hours.      Champagne is so convenient because no corkscrew is needed, and      then we've got . . . Oh, look at that, cheese and crackers, the      perfect stuck-in-an-elevator snack.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She leaned back against the wood-paneled wall.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Have you been stuck in an elevator before with a variety of      snacks and been able to determine which ones are best for this      situation?\" she asked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"No, but come on, cheese and crackers are obviously the best      possible option here. First of all, you had the foresight to bring      a soft cheese, so we won't need a knife to cut it; we can just use      the crackers to pull off bits and spread it with our fingers. And      second, have you ever not enjoyed cheese and crackers? Ever not      thought, 'Oh boy, these cheese and crackers are exactly what I      need right now'?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She considered for a moment.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Stop, no, stop even thinking about it,\" he said. \"You know the      answer is no. Cheese and crackers are objectively the perfect      snack.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She laughed and pried his fingers away from the box of crackers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Okay, fine, you're right. But you didn't manage to talk me into      sharing Olivia's you-made-partner cheese and crackers with you,      you know.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He stretched his legs out along the floor and took another glance      into her purse.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I was afraid of that. Well, I can only hope we'll be here so long      that you'll take pity on me.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She slipped her shoes halfway off, just enough to relieve the      pressure on her toes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"No offense, Drew, but my goal is not to be stuck in this elevator      with you all night.\" Although those abs . . . No, remember Olivia?      Her sister? Right, Olivia, okay, yes, Olivia. Time to ask him      another question so she'd stop staring. \"Don't you have plans      tonight? What are you doing here in San Francisco for the weekend      anyway?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He made a face.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Wedding.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She made a face back at him.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Don't say it like it's a prison sentence.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He slumped against the wall.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"If prison sentences lasted for a weekend, this one would qualify.      Okay, fine, a prison in a cushy hotel, but still.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She looked around at the dim, still elevator.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Not so cushy right now. What's so terrible about this wedding?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He threw his hands in the air.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Let me count the ways.\" He held up one finger. \"One: it's my      ex-girlfriend's wedding.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Alexa winced. She'd been there. Exes' weddings were always a      trial, even in the best circumstances.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Second finger. \"Two: she's marrying one of my best friends from      med school.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Alexa covered her eyes. Okay, he maybe had a point.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Were they . . .\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"No, she wasn't cheating on me with him, but . . . let's just say      I wasn't particularly pleased about how it all happened, shall      we?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Ouch. Well, I understand why you-\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He held up a third finger. \"THREE.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She sat up straight.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"There's another one? A third finger?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Oh yes.\" He waved his middle finger in the air. \"As a matter of      fact, this is the worst of the fingers. Three: I am a groomsman.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She swung around and faced him, mouth wide open.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Are you kidding me? A groomsman? What? Why? How?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Yes, you are asking the important questions. The ones that Josh,      Molly, and I all should have asked before this nightmare of a      wedding weekend started. What and why indeed. What could have      possibly inspired him to ask me to be a groomsman? Why would he do      that? Why would she allow it? WHY would I say yes? How did this      happen? All of those questions should have been asked, and yet,      here we all are.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Oh my God, Drew. That's almost enough for me to give you some      cheese.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He patted her shoulder. Cheese? Hell, if he'd let his hand linger      there for a few more seconds, she would have given him a lot more      than cheese.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Alexa, I'm touched. I truly am. And then\"-he waved another finger      in the air-\"there's four.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Oh good Lord, what could four possibly be? Are your divorced      parents coming to the wedding with their spouses, too, or      something?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He laughed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"No, but good guess. What a nightmare that would be. No, four is      that I am not only a groomsman in the wedding of my ex-girlfriend      and former best friend, but I am a dateless groomsman in the      wedding of my ex-girlfriend and former best friend. My date bailed      on me at the last minute, so I'm going to look pathetic, and I'll      probably get drunk and hit on a bridesmaid-the whole thing is      going to be a nightmare.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She brushed that off with a wave of her hand.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Oh please, you'll be fine. Weddings are great places to meet      people. It's better that you're without a date. As my friend      Colleen always says, 'Don't bring a sandwich to a buffet.'\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He let out a bark of laughter.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'm definitely going to steal that saying. And while in most      situations I would say that your friend Colleen is totally right,      this is that five percent of situations where a sandwich would      save me from all of the food poisoning in the buffet. I'm going to      get so many pitying looks, you have no idea. And the worst part is      that I RSVP'd with a plus-one, so there's going to be an empty      seat at the head table. And lots of 'What happened to your      girlfriend, Drew, couldn't make it?' And I'm going to have to      smile and take it, but there's like a thirty percent possibility      I'm going to have one too many glasses of bourbon and go rogue.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She touched his hand and tried not to linger there.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Okay, yes, sometimes a sandwich is a necessary security blanket.      I'm sorry that yours bailed on you.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He looked down into her purse again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Alexa, I'm going to need you to stop talking about sandwiches if      you don't want me to steal that cheese.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She grabbed her purse and moved it to her other side.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Now temptation is farther away. Isn't that better?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He looked at her, at the purse, back at her. She smiled and kept      her hand on the strap.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"So, Drew. What happened to your girlfriend?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He narrowed his eyes at her, and she laughed again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Okay, first of all, Emma wasn't my girlfriend. We were just      hanging out, that's all.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Alexa frowned at him. This guy had to be in his thirties like her.      Hadn't people stopped \"just hanging out\" with people by their      thirties?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Don't look at me like that! I'm not a girlfriend kind of guy! And      when I could tell that she might want something more serious, I      ended it. I was nice about it! I don't do girlfriends. I haven't      had a girlfriend since . . .\" He sighed. \"Molly. Anyway. Except I      forgot that I needed a date for this damn wedding.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Alexa pointed to the fourth finger that he'd raised in the air.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Wait,\" she said. \"How, exactly, is that your date 'bailing' on      you?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He shook the finger at her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Don't do that! Don't blame this on me. It's not my fault. It's      not her fault, either-she was going to come to the wedding with me      anyway, but her dad's having surgery tomorrow, so she couldn't      come.\" Those ab muscles moved in a lovely way when he sighed.      \"And, of course, I'm sorry about her dad. I don't blame her for      that at all. I do, however, think this is just more evidence that      I've been cursed when it comes to this wedding.\"","brand":"Berkley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46304869351653,"sku":"NP9780399587665","price":19.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780399587665.jpg?v=1767742174","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/the-wedding-date-isbn-9780399587665","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}