Bridesmaid Undercover: An incredibly steamy, hilarious, friends to lovers, love triangle romantic comedy

HARDY

“Hardy, man!” I hear Ken say right before his arms wrap around me from behind as he pulls me into a tight hug.

I turn around and return the hug. “Ken Doll, congrats, dude.”

Ken’s face beams at me as he adjusts his tie. Ken, my best friend from college, has always felt uncomfortable in a suit—a tie especially—and it’s something we bonded over since I prefer a pair of jeans and a plaid shirt over a suit and tie just like him. But when we need to, we know how to clean up. Like for his swanky engagement party. Having gold-rimmed tumblers with custom ice cubes for whiskey seems a bit much, something my rich-as-shit father would do to impress the people around him.

“Can you believe she said yes?” Ken asks.

“I can.” I chuckle. “Polly loves you, man.”

“I know, but, fuck, that was nerve-wracking. I wish you could have been there.”

“I’m sorry.” I grip his shoulder. “I wish I was there too, but this bullshit happening with my father has really tied me up lately.”

Ken winces, knowing exactly what I’m talking about.

Let me lay it out for you.

My dad: Reginald Hopper, CEO and owner of Hopper Industries.

He’s put me and my two siblings, Hudson and Haisley, through a roller coaster of fatherhood.

Whether it’s a heavy dose of guilt for not performing the way he prefers, or a mountain of praise for making a cutthroat decision under his umbrella of employment, his feelings toward his children have been up and down, never satisfied.

And this past summer, everything imploded. Spectacularly.

You see, Haisley left the family business to pursue her own aspirations. Our prideful father wasn’t happy about it and has been gunning for her to bring her business to Hopper Industries, to the point that he was willing to walk over whoever he could to make that happen. Well, Hudson and I weren’t going to tolerate that. If our dad taught us one thing growing up, purposefully or not, it was that we siblings needed to stick together. So, we came up with a plan to part ways with Hopper Industries.

Since the company has multiple branches of business, one being Hopper Almonds—what I’m in charge of—I used my trust fund to buy it out, and my dad had no problem parting ways. Moron. It’s worth more than he realized, and Hudson and I joined forces with our dad’s competitor to do right in the world.

But it’s been a long-ass process.

It’s taken a toll on us.

On our personal lives.

And on our relationship with our dad.

Let’s just say he didn’t take the news well.

“Yeah, how’s everything going with your dad?” Ken asks.

I take a sip of my drink and say, “Well, Dad is furious, as you can imagine, and has a vendetta against us. Pretty sure he wants to file a lawsuit against his own children, but he doesn’t have any justification. So that’s where we stand.”

“Yikes. And how is the business going?”

I smirk at him. “Amazing.”

“Yeah?” Ken’s expression turns into excitement.

“Yeah, the farms are flourishing. We restructured a bit and increased pay, which has improved morale, made a better working environment, and has increased production. We’ve had some of the biggest harvests we’ve ever had and are growing with some purchases of other almond farms, but maintaining staff loyalty. We invested in a wedding business and are almost done with the storefront, which is⁠—”

“Wedding business?” Ken says with a raised brow. “How the hell did you go from almonds to a wedding business? That doesn’t seem like you.”

I chuckle. “I told you about Maggie, right?”

“Who’s Maggie?” Ken asks, elbowing me like an idiot.

“Nothing like that, dude. She’s engaged to Brody, one of our investors, who used to work for my dad. Maggie was a savior at Haisley’s wedding. Haisley’s maid of honor couldn’t be there because of her pregnancy, and during the welcome reception, Brody introduced Maggie to us. We quickly found out she’s a wedding planner, and, well, long story short, she filled in as a bridesmaid and helped out with the wedding. In the end, we wanted to help her expand her business, and we needed an event planner on staff for the charity and partner events we’re planning, so it all worked out.”

“Huh, interesting. She filled in as a bridesmaid?”

“Yeah. Maggie and her assistant Everly expanded on that idea and started a ‘Bridesmaid for Hire’ service that falls under the umbrella of their business.”

“Bridesmaid for hire?” I hear Polly say as she comes up next to Ken. “What’s that?”

Strapped into a flowy, sparkly gold dress, Polly, another one of my best friends from college, looks breathtaking and just as uncomfortable as Ken and me. There is no doubt in my mind that her mom picked out the dress and forced her to wear it since Polly is more of a casual girl. Either way, she looks stunning.

We hug, and when I step away, I say, “Congrats, Polly. I’m really happy for the both of you.”

She rubs my arm. “Thanks, Hardy. We’re pretty excited. Only took a decade, but hey, sometimes the best things are worth waiting for.”

“Didn’t help that you broke up with me two years ago,” Ken says in a teasing tone.

“Maybe because you weren’t proposing, you moron,” I say, which causes Polly to laugh.

“And this is why you should always listen to your best friend.” Polly presses a kiss to Ken’s lips and for a moment, a strong moment, a bout of jealousy strikes me.

Fresh from witnessing my madly in love sister marry, to hearing about the romantic proposal between two of my best friends, and struggling with feelings of loneliness when I finish work and get home to my apartment every night…my mind has been swirling with thoughts recently.

Romantic thoughts.

Like maybe it’s about damn time I start thinking about the future of my personal life and not just my career.

The business is running well—I’m almost redundant if I’m honest—my bank account looks extremely healthy, and yet I have no one to share it with. Haisley and Hudson are both the epitome of success, and I’ve been feeling that familiar sense of unsettled again as of late. As if I don’t have a grand purpose.

Back in college, I enjoyed being in a relationship. But that relationship ran its course, and once Hudson and I started taking over certain aspects of Dad’s business—long before we parted ways with him—I just never found time to even consider dating someone else.

Now that I feel solid in my schedule and my job—despite the possible looming lawsuit—I feel the need to perhaps find a relationship of my own, especially now, being surrounded by couples.

Haisley and Jude.

Maggie and Brody.

Ken and Polly.

Fuck, if Hudson finds someone, I’m screwed.

“You okay over there, big man?” Ken asks. “You’re staring.”

“Oh, sorry,” I say, shaking my head. “Just, caught up in the love.”

Polly links her arm through Ken’s. “Wishing you had someone standing next to you?” she asks playfully. “Possibly a date?”

“Maybe,” I say as I sip my drink.

Polly chuckles. “You’ve always loved being in a relationship.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“I have,” I say as I look around the room, my thoughts falling to the one person who I shared a relationship with in college. It was sweet, stable. She has to be here—she’s Polly’s best friend.

“She’s not here,” Polly says, seeing right through me.

“What? Who? I wasn’t looking for anyone,” I say, feigning ignorance.

“Liar,” Ken says on a boisterous laugh.

“Don’t even think about it,” Polly says, pointing her finger at me. “She is off limits.”

I raise a brow. “Why…is she with someone?”

Polly shakes her head. “No, but she is my maid of honor, and she’s already worried about taking on the role—she doesn’t need to worry about you sniffing around with those hearts in your eyes. Which, by the way, did you ask him?” Polly nudges Ken.

“Oh, right.” Ken meets my gaze. “Want to be my best man?”

“Oh, my God, that’s how you’re going to ask him?” Polly jabs Ken in the arm.

He chuckles and shrugs. “I’m not about to propose to him like you did to Maple. This is how guys do it.” He looks at me again. “So, will you?”

I laugh and nod. “Would be honored, man.” And I am honored, despite feeling like a third wheel in the love. We share a quick bro hug and then I glance at Polly and say, “So, where is Maple, if she’s your maid of honor?”

Polly’s eyes narrow. “I told you. Do not even go near her.”

“She was my girlfriend for three years, Polly. I can at least say hi to her.”

“Is that all you’re going to do?” Polly asks, folding her arms now.

“I might ask how she’s doing, as that would be the polite thing to do. Maybe see if she wants to grab some coffee and catch up.”

“No,” Polly replies. “No coffee.”

“You’re acting like I was the one who broke up with her,” I reply.

“I know how it went down,” Polly says. “I was there. And you and I both know why she broke up with you.”

I sigh and tilt my head to the side. “We were both going our separate ways. It would have been too hard.”

“Yes, but this was after you told her that you’d follow her.”

I push my hand through my hair. I’d just felt so untethered back then. I needed to start my career, to prove to my dad that I was capable. Family focused. Business focused. Leaving my family to follow Maple to a job in Denver just didn’t make sense. And strangely, my life has felt a little like that lately. Untethered. “It was complicated, Polly. You know that.”

Ken puts his arm around his fiancée. “It was, babe.”

She sighs. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I just…She’s moving back here, finally, after ten years away. She’s nervous, she’s not accustomed to the city life anymore, and she’s starting a new job. I don’t want anything to scare her off and, unfortunately, I think you coming back in her life would do that.”

Now, it’s my turn to be surprised. “She’s moving back to San Francisco?”

Polly slowly nods. “She is, and she’s very wary. She lived in a hut in the wetlands of Peru for several years while studying animal patterns. Returning to San Francisco means she’ll be living in a big city with trolleys, and cars, and tourists. She’s nervous and scared and, now that I asked her to be my maid of honor, she’s overwhelmed. The last thing she wants is an ex coming back into her life.”

“She said that to you?”

“Yes,” Polly replies while crossing her arms.

Holy shit though. Maple’s going to be back in San Francisco. I was thinking about just reconnecting—I didn’t know she was going to be back here for good. That changes everything.

“But, maybe…maybe I’m supposed to come back into her life,” I say, hope lifting in my chest.

“Oh, Jesus,” Ken mutters.

“Shut up, man. I’m serious.” I let out a deep sigh. “Listen, I’m…I’m ready to start dating. To find someone to settle down with. I’ve realized that after watching Haisley and you guys. I’m missing something in my life, and I think that something is…well…a someone. Maple and I were great together. Don’t you think we should give it another shot? I mean, you guys got back together after breaking up, so why can’t I have that with Maple?”

“He has a point,” Ken says.

Polly looks between the two of us and then points her finger at me. “No.”

“Come on, Polly,” I drag out.

“I said no, and what the bride says, goes. Understood?”

“Yes,” I grumble even though in the back of my mind I don’t agree with that one bit, but that’s a bridge I can cross later.

“Now…back to what you first said. What is this ‘bridesmaid for hire’ thing you were talking about?” She looks over my shoulder and adds, “And hurry up because my mom is eyeing me, and I know she wants me to go say hi and thank you to her friends, not actually enjoy myself with my friends.”

I chuckle. “Bridesmaid for Hire is a business we invested in. Maggie Mitchell owns Magical Moments by Maggie, and she’s an event planner. One of the branches of her business is offering bridesmaid services. For instance, Haisley’s best friend found out before her wedding that she couldn’t fly because she was pregnant, and Maggie filled in for her. They also help with planning, bachelorette parties, wedding day tasks, anything a bridesmaid might have to do, they’re there for it.”

Polly taps her chin. “So, I might be looking for someone to mentor Maple, possibly take over the responsibilities, or even guide her so she’s not so overwhelmed. Since you two are the only ones in the wedding party, holding the responsibilities on your own can be difficult. So, would they do that?”

“They would,” I say.

“Well, isn’t that perfect?” She walks up to me and pats me on the chest. “I’ll need an introduction because the wedding party consists of you and Maple, so this would be perfect to have help and take some of the stress off Maple’s shoulders. So, if you could orchestrate that intro, that would be great. Thank you, Hardy.” And then she takes off.

I glance behind me and then back at Ken whose eyes are fixed on her backside. “Why does it feel like she’s always controlled us?” I ask.

Ken sighs and smiles up at me. “I don’t know, but she’s had me by the balls since day one.”

“Ken,” she calls out. “Come here.”

“And she beckons…” Ken says.

“And you follow.”

“Always,” he replies and then shakes my hand. “Stick around, man, I want to catch up some more, but let me make the rounds first.”

“Not a problem,” I say and then he jogs up to Polly where he places his hand on her lower back and kisses her cheek.

She smiles brightly up at him, and everyone around them nearly melts from the suffocating love in the room.

Fuck me, I want that.

I want to put my hand on a lower back, as odd as that sounds.

I want to look down at my girl and see her eyes sparkle, knowing I’m her man.

I don’t want to be alone at a freaking engagement party, sipping on whiskey that’s cooled by a fancy piece of ice.

I want someone I can whisper to about the radishes in the vegetable crudités, which no one is going to eat because who really bites into a radish willingly?

No one.

I’ve finally shed the bitter weight of my father’s demanding pressure from my shoulders. I feel comfortable with where I am professionally, and I’m ready to take that success and dedicate myself to someone.

And not just anyone, but possibly the girl I was once in love with.

Maple Baker.

The only question is, how can I go about this without pissing off the bride?

And better yet, how can I possibly get close to Maple if her guard is already up?

There has to be a way. I just need to think of it.