Rose and I were on our third round by the time Allen arrived. He strode into the bar, stopping to greet a few other tables before he made his way to us. I had never been completely keen on small group settings with Allen. In a larger contingent, his need to be the life of the party could be distilled against many, but the concentration of a trio was a bit much for my tastes.

“Hey now, look who finally crawled back to town.”

“Hi, Allen,” I said, reaching out my hand. He grabbed it and pulled me against his chest, slapping me hard on the back.

“Good to see you, brother. Been a while. Rose said you’ve lived basically everywhere by now.”

“I wouldn’t say everywhere. But I’ve done some traveling, yeah.”

“Looking for something?” Allen asked, his blue eyes sharp. “Or… someone?”

“Just the next adventure,” I said with a glare.

Allen opened his mouth, no doubt to share some quippy retort, but Miles sidled over, a fresh pint of beer in his hand.

“Allen,” he said with a nod, sliding the beer over. Allen reached across me to grab it.

“Thanks, man,” he said. He took a deep swig, downing nearly half the glass in one gulp. He saw my raised eyebrow and shrugged, grinning.

“You’re ahead, I’ve got to catch up,” he said, slinging an arm around Rose’s shoulders as he took another long swallow. I smothered my groan and took a comforting sip of my own drink. If nothing else, at least the beer in Wild Haven had improved.

“So, Rose said you’re going to help her out with wedding stuff while you’re here.”

“What kind of Man of Honor would I be if I didn’t help out?”

“I’m very grateful for the extra set of hands,” Rose said, patting my arm. “I mean, your mom is so great, Al, but I know how busy she is with planning the Anniversary, too.”

“What anniversary?” I said, looking between the two of them curiously.

“Allen’s family’s antique shop,” Rose answered. “This summer is the 100th anniversary. I thought I mentioned that.”

“I don’t think so,” I said, wracking my memory. “But, uh, sounds like cause for celebration.”

“It will be. That’s why we’re having the wedding the Thursday before, after all. To line up with the anniversary.”

Some of my incredulity must have shown on my face-- my best friend’s wedding was being planned around the date someone slapped a sign on a barn and launched an expensive yard sale?-- because Rose rushed to interject.

“When we started talking dates it made the most sense,” she said. “A lot of Allen’s family will want to come visit for both, so this way people only have to travel once. And who doesn’t love a summer wedding?”

“Anyone who has to wear a suit?” I replied with a smirk. She swatted my arm.

“Since you aren’t wearing one I don’t see why you’d care.”

“You aren’t wearing a suit?” Allen asked. “Going traditional with a bridesmaid’s dress?”

“I don’t have the legs to pull that off,” I said sadly. “I’ll be wearing suit pants and a button down, just no jacket. So I’m kind of still wearing a suit and therefore reserve my right to complain,” I said, sticking my tongue out at Rose.

“If it were up to me we’d all be in shorts and t-shirts,” Allen said. “But we’d never hear the end of it from my mother. Even you, Harper. She’d find your phone number and call you years from now to sigh about why couldn’t we all dress for the occasion.”

I gave a mock shudder. “Guess we’ll just have to grin and bear it, then. And I mean, I do look damn good in a suit. I’ll try not to outshine either of you but, like, no promises.” They both laughed and I found myself relaxing a little. Just because Allen and I hadn’t been each other's biggest fans five years ago didn’t mean that we couldn’t get along now. We both loved Rose, after all.

***

“Shots?” Allen asked several hours later, pointing his finger way too close to my face.

“Definitely not,” Rose sniffed, swatting him away and taking a long swig of her water. “I have to work tomorrow and someone has to actually drive us all home.”

At some point in the night we’d migrated over to one of the tables, which was now covered with empty glassware-- mostly Allen’s, but I’d kept up reasonably well.

“You’re no fun,” Allen whined into her ear. “Isn’t she no fun at all? Well, Harper will do a shot with me, won’t you? Harper only cares about fun.”

“I guess worse has been said about me?” I said, a little bemused by his commentary.

“Yeah, you’re all about it. Fun. You go wherever you want, do whatever you want, freeload off your friends and that’s it. No responsibilities. You’re living the dream, man!” He punctuated this with a jab to my shoulder; I think it was meant to be friendly but it, like his words, stung.

“Yeah OK, no shots for anyone,” Rose interjected, standing up. “I’m gonna go pay the tab, and then take your drunk butts out of here.”

“See, she’s like your sugar mama,” Allen said with a drunken wink.

“She’s paying for you too, dumbass,” I replied darkly. He laughed and waved a hand at me.

“We trade off. And I’m about to give her a house. So.”

“OK, Thing One, Thing Two, let’s get outta here,” Rose said, coming up behind us. Allen downed the rest of his drink then stood up, kissing her wetly on the cheek before following her out. As I scrambled into the backseat of her car I resisted (barely) the urge to kick at the passenger front seat. 

Welcome back to Wild Haven, to me.