“Hell no, it’s not too early!” Mara said. “You know what they say about the hair of the dog, and the best cure for a hangover, don’t you?” She wiggled her eyebrows and smiled. As much as I didn’t want to, I was starting to like this girl.

“What about Rosalee and Tinsley?” I asked.

Mara frowned and glanced out across the causeway, as though she could see the women from here. “I’m not too worried about them. Let’s give the cousins time to catch up today. We’ll meet back up with them at the house later. Sound good?”

“Sounds perfect,” I smiled.

Chapter Fourteen

Georgia

The groom’s friend

When I opened my eyes, I was in a bright white room. I blinked the sun away, yawned, and sat up in the four-poster bed.

I was still wearing my jeans and T-shirt from last night. The material stuck to my chest and waist; my whole body was drenched in sweat. I turned my hand over and frowned at the band on my wrist. The hospital. The coconut. My damn allergic reaction…

Groaning, I climbed out of bed and stripped off my clothes. My head felt heavy and foggy, all the antihistamines still lingering in my system. I knew for sure that I’d told Mara I was allergic to coconut. Had she forgotten to tell the cooking staff, or did someone give me the coconut on purpose?

It was obvious that Mara and Rosalee didn’t trust me, considering my relationship with Asher. But trying to send me into anaphylactic shock on purpose? That seemed a little extreme…

For a brief moment I considered something worse—what if this was somehow related to the messages I’d been receiving? Could they be behind this somehow?

My skin felt itchy and hot, my blood pressure rising as my daily anxious existence came floating back to me as it did most mornings.

I went to the window and threw open the balcony doors to let a beam of sunlight stream in. Despite the immediate warmth, I could see dark clouds gathering over the pool and courtyard. The smell of storms in the air…

Most mornings, I started my day with a simple ten-minute yoga sequence to de-stress and I shared it with my online followers so they could follow along at home if they wanted to.

But lately, I’d found it harder and harder to concentrate, and even stretching out my daily routines wasn’t having the calming effects they used to.

I’d discovered yoga and fitness while in college and it had become such a necessary part of my daily life, almost like a drug—my body needed the tension and relief it provided. I’d also grown accustomed to the praise, support, and community I received from my followers online, which was one of the main reasons I decided to open the gym.