After The One (The One Series Duet) (12 page)

Julian ambled over to me, a sexy smile on his face. His eyes were bright with adoration as he winked at me before looking at my friends. “I’m a lucky man.” He planted a soft kiss on my lips and with his back to them and his eyes on me, he told them, “She’s mine, and I’m lucky to have her. I’m not worried about anyone taking what’s mine.”

The feminist in me would’ve cringed at the reference to ownership if my panties weren’t completely soaked.

Well damn…
I exhaled.

Julian placed another sexy but swift kiss against my lips and then took a step back. Leaving me speechless and a little breathless, he turned and walked toward the music, leaving me alone in the foyer with two of my closest friends.

I stared wide eyed as he turned the corner, I couldn’t deny the truth in it.

I was his. I had never given myself as completely to anyone and I didn’t think it was possible to love someone as fully as I did. My mind was consumed with thoughts of him. My heart was full of love for him. My body only called out for him. As much as I hated the terminology, it was true. I was his in every way.

“Zoe…” Koko’s voice had a hint of exasperation as if she’d been calling my name for a while.

I shook my head and snapped out of it. I looked at them and we all started laughing at the same time.

“I’m a stone cold bitch and even I was a little into that,” Lenny joked, putting her hand on her hip. “And to think I wanted to fix you up on a blind date with my cousin.”

The music from the living room happened to turn off at the same time Koko laughed at Lennon’s statement. Her gasping giggles were high-pitched and shrill and somehow managed to echo throughout the house. It didn’t take long for me and Lenny to start laughing with her.

“Zoe!” Keisha greeted me as she sauntered over to me, leaving Omar and Scott salivating behind her.

My jaw dropped. With rich brown skin and large almond shaped eyes, Keisha had always been a gorgeous woman. She had a permanent glow about her that radiated through her pores. Over the last few years, with our strict study schedules and then crazy work schedules, Keisha and I never went out to a club or lounge together. Even in our undergraduate years, Keisha didn’t ever want to go to the club because she opted to study so seeing Keisha in club attire was shocking.

“Keisha, you look hot!” I exclaimed, forgoing a proper greeting. We embraced. “I mean, really hot.”

Wearing tight black cigarette pants and a black and sheer cropped corset, Keisha was definitely bringing sex appeal.

“I needed a night out so I went shopping and…here we are.”

I looked her up and down and then looked at Koko and Lenny. “Are you guys seeing this?” I gestured to her curvy body that was scantily clad. “Our little girl is growing up.”

My friends laughed.

“I was shocked she didn’t come in here with one of her power suits,” Koko chimed in.

We all laughed hysterically as she pointed to Scott. He was holding the jacket that matched her pants.

Keisha was a professional and while I prided myself on my business attire and professionalism, I liked to toe the line and let my personality shine through my clothes. Keisha kept it traditional and owned a ridiculous amount of pantsuits. They looked good on her and fit her body well, but it seemed like every single picture of her that would float down our newsfeed on the rare occasion she’d post on social media was of her in a pantsuit.

I greeted Julian’s best friends and then took a step back and looked around at our bridal party.

This is a good-looking bunch of bridesmaids and groomsmen.

I hugged Scott first because he was closest. With olive skin, hazel eyes, and short brown hair, Scott looked like he was a model for one of those name brand clothing stores where rich teens shopped. He had a charming, easy going smile and gave off a friendly, good guy vibe.

Next, I hugged James, the quintessential bad boy of the group. He had that sexy, bad boy look which he used to his advantage for the women who were into that sort of thing. Even though he looked the part, he was really a good guy. He had dark brown shoulder-length hair that he kept pulled back into a bun. He had a beard, mustache combo that added to his allure and gave him a mysterious vibe. His skin was the color of desert sand and his voice was deep, yet soft, especially when he spoke Farsi.

Last, but not least, I hugged Omar. Julian had grown up with him so out of the three, Omar was his best friend. He was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome. He had black hair that was cut close and he was always clean shaven when I saw him. His chocolate brown eyes and dark caramel skin tone added to why he was strikingly handsome.

They were all tall, and very attractive, each with a very unique style, but tonight all of them were wearing their own spin on pretty much the same outfit.

I’d never tell them that though. I wouldn’t hear the end of it.

“Are we finally ready?” I asked jokingly since I was the reason we were late.

Groans and laughter mixed as we streamed out the door and all the way down the driveway. After passing through the gate, we piled into the spacious stretch Hummer limousine. Once we’d gotten on the highway, I passed a bottle of champagne around as I took a bottle of water.

“I’d like to make a toast,” I started, lifting my water bottle up.

“With water?” Omar asked skeptically.

“Empty calories. I have a wedding dress to squeeze into.”

They hooted and hollered as I tried not to laugh. I waited until everyone finished their cheers and joined me in the toast.

“First and foremost, to Julian who proposed to me two weeks ago today, I love you with every fiber of my being.”

I grinned as everyone took a sip of the expensive bubbly. I turned to Julian just as he was attempting to give me a kiss on the cheek. Since I was facing him, his lips landed on mine and I couldn’t resist kissing him back.

Even though they were just two little pecks, I could still feel Julian’s amaretto soaked lips against mine. I licked my lips and closed my eyes.

“So do you think they forgot we were here? Or…more probably, Zoe forgot what she was going to say?” Lenny asked loudly, bringing my mind back to our friends.

My eyes flew open. I tried to look serious, but I could feel the love-struck smile on my face.

“I’m assuming there’s a second of all. You can’t say first of all without a second of all.” Koko giggled from directly in front of me.

I looked around the limo as the amusement loudly bounced around the vehicle. “He’s been gone for two months and his kisses are distracting,” I explained, looking around. “Sorry!”

Everyone groaned again as the teasing revved up.

“Okay, okay, okay.” I tried to corral everyone’s attention back toward me as I suppressed the giggle that lodged in my throat. Once everyone was quiet and had their glasses back up, I continued, “When Julian and I called you all last weekend to tell you about the conversation with the creator of
The One
and the contractual obligation, we knew there was a chance you wouldn’t want to take part in the wedding. But you all still did and that means everything to us. When we asked if you would be interested in coming down for dress shopping and tux fitting, we were sure some of you wouldn’t be able to make it, but you rearranged your schedules to come into town tonight so we could make a night out of this and then handle wedding business tomorrow. Everything is happening so fast and we appreciate you rolling with it.” I felt myself getting choked up and it took me by surprise. I cleared my throat. “I just want to say that I love you, we love you and we thank you. Now let’s get crazy tonight!”

Everyone cheered and someone turned the music up as a Julian Winters-produced track thumped through the speakers.

Forty-five minutes later, we arrived at Lux Lounge. The Los Angeles club was a celebrity hotspot due to the strict no cell phone policy. Stories about famous hookups at the club littered gossip magazines, but with no photo evidence, the stories died quickly.

“Don’t forget to leave your phone in here,” Julian reminded us just as we rolled to a stop at the side of the building.

The limo driver opened the door and as soon as I stepped out, the flash of a paparazzi photographer taking a picture surprised me. When Julian stepped out of the car behind me, the onslaught of photos and questions commenced.

“Julian! Zoe! Over here!”

“Pose for a picture!”

“Let us see the ring!”

“Are the wedding rumors true?”

“Why the rush?”

“What took so long?”

It was overwhelming so I kept my head down and walked toward the building. I felt Julian’s hand on the small of my back and it filled me with a sense of safety and security.

As each of the rest of our friends ducked out, the questions were directed toward them.

“Who are you? Are you musicians?”

“Why are they rushing down the aisle?”

“Are you going to the wedding?”

“Do you know when the wedding is?”

After finding Julian’s name on the list, security let us in the VIP entrance and we waited in the mirrored hallway. One by one, our friends rushed in.

“Don’t worry about it, Lenny,” James said as he followed her in. They were the last to enter. “He’s an asshole.”

“Who’s an asshole?” I asked, taking note of Lennon’s flushed face.

“Some idiot out there told me I was pretty for a big girl.” Lenny shrugged.

“What?” Koko and I exclaimed in outraged unison.

“Who was it?” Keisha added. It was at that moment I realized that she had put her fitted jacket back on.

Julian looked pissed. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. It’s the most ass backwards ‘compliment’ and unfortunately, I get it all the time, but never with so many cameras recording it,” she explained. She gestured to James with her bright red lips turned upward into a smile. “But James here went straight knight in shining armor and threatened the guy.”

James ran his hand over his beard as he looked at her. “If I’m the knight, does that make you a damsel in distress?”

“I don’t need a knight,” Lenny returned. Her eyes narrowed, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips.

James smirked. “That’s because you haven’t experienced this knight before.”

“Oh shit!” Omar laughed.

“Ohhhh!” Julian and Scott called out, hyping the situation up.

Koko and Keisha fanned themselves.

The door opened, interrupting our ridiculousness.

Oh. My. God.

Three of the four members of the pop-rock group Burgundy Four walked in. They offered polite greetings and then saw Julian.

“Julian!” The lead singer, Adam Dean, gave Julian a handshake, one-armed hug greeting. “I’ve been meaning to get in touch with you. How are you?”

“I’m good, man. I’m good,” Julian replied as he slipped his arm around me. “Life is good.”

Adam looked at me and replied, “I see that it is.” Taking my hand, Adam kissed it. “Very nice to meet you.”

Julian pushed his shoulder good-naturedly. “Okay Mr. Sexiest Man of the Year, keep it moving. This is my fiancé you’re flirting with.”

After the other members of the group greeted and congratulated Julian and Julian offered a quick introduction to all of us, Adam said, “I’m sorry, man. I’ll keep my flirting to myself. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that you are engaged.” He looked at me. “You must be something because this is the pickiest man I’ve ever met.”

“Okay, okay, you can go now,” Julian joked, while his best friends howled with laughter.

There must be some truth to that,
I considered silently as
I grinned.

“I’m going to get in touch with you Monday. We’re looking for a certain sound and we think you can give it to us.”

“Call me and we can set something up.”

After the Burgundy Four continued down the long hallway, Julian turned and looked us. “Before we go inside, I just want to say that the bullshit with the paparazzi will die down after the wedding airs. For a couple of months after the show aired, Zoe and I didn’t really go out in L.A. We didn’t really go out much at all, now that I think about it. Then the summer show with Bailey premiered and it was safe to live our lives again. It may be like this for the next month or so, and not just for us, for you too. If it’s too much for you and you want to back out, we will understand. We know we’re asking for a lot from you.”

“How much liquor did you put in those drinks Scott?” Omar asked. “You have Julian over here being emotional and shit.” The guys laughed as Omar came over and slapped Julian on the back. “I’ve been your boy since you moved to Cali. I didn’t stop having your back when you wore suspenders in eighth grade. I didn’t stop having your back when you almost got us kicked out of the dorm because you played your music too loud. I didn’t stop having your back when you put every penny into your studio and didn’t have enough money to eat. I didn’t stop having your back when you started succeeding. So don’t think a couple cameras and a few write-ups in the media will stop me from having your back. And that goes for all of us. Now we came here to party so get your sappy ass together and let’s do this shit!”

Everyone cheered and I gave Omar the biggest hug. When I looked back up at Julian, I saw the worry in his eyes had dissipated completely and I was happy about that.

I glanced at my best friends and realized that while Julian’s best friends may have grown used to this life, my friends were new to it.

“I’m going to talk to the ladies for a second,” I whispered to Julian. “You guys go ahead. We’ll be right behind you.”

The guys headed down the hallway and I turned to my best friends.

“To piggyback off what Julian said, are you okay with all this? It’s crazy and inconvenient, but it should die down soon after the wedding. If it makes you uncomfortable in any way, please don’t feel like you have to do this.”

“It’s fine,” Koko said, waving her hand in the air. “I’m supporting my best friend in the entire world. Period.”

“Yeah, it’s a few pictures. Don’t worry about us,” Keisha added, touching my arm comfortingly.

“Exactly. We can handle it. And that guy outside was nothing compared to the Friday night crowd at Breakers. Don’t tell me you’ve been in the law office for so long you’ve forgotten?”