Isobel P.O.V.

I made my way back upstairs to look for the ivory and gold "bride to be" sash. After finding it on top of her dresser, I stepped outside and closed the bedroom door.

"What the hell Whitley," I gasped, exhaling a surprised breath as my back hit the wall of the hallway.

Kade had pinned me down- his arm resting above my head, whilst the other pressed flat against the wall beside me. His large frame boxed me in, like an animal trapped in a cage.

"Do you have to be so damn flirtatious with them?" He growled.

"Oh please, Kade." I rolled my eyes. "Jacob's just being Jacob. You know what he's like. And Tobias has always been a close friend. What's it to you anyway?"

He narrowed his eyes, as he studied my face.

I sighed. "Seriously, what is it?"

"You're trying to kill me here," he groaned lowly, trailing his hand up my waist and back down to my hip, smoothing over the curve.

What?

I struggled to control my breathing as his touch burnt a hole through the fabric. His large hand travelled down towards the lace up split by my front thigh, brushing over the criss crosses. I was paralysed, the oxygen was depleting in my brain.

"Kade," I whispered breathlessly, as I placed one hand against his chest in a weak attempt to push him off, clutching the sash in the other.

"Hmm?" he murmured, dipping his head lower to mine. His face was so close, so much so our hot breaths mingled. He leaned into the side by my neck as I stood frozen.

"Your dress, and you... you look good tonight." He whispered just below my ear as his body pressed closer. "Too good."

I was a confused mess. "I um? Uh thankyou," I managed to spit out. "You do too..."

"I know," he smirked, finally pulling away to put some distance between us. "Thanks for the compliment Bels."

I inhaled a lungful of air as I managed to gain some feelings in my legs to move away.

"I'm going downstairs," I muttered, shaking my head. He came up here just to do that? For goodness sakes.

Back in the living room, the wedding party had started drinking and mingling away as music played in the background through a small speaker. Tobias was sitting by Casey, whom had a bright smile on her face as she giggled at something he said. Jacob, Jenny and Claudia stood around the snack table, chatting away as Remi (I think?), Sophie and Oliver stood in a nearby corner, engaged in their own little conversation. I made my way over to their little group.

"Heyyy Soph, here you go," I smiled as I slipped the sash over her head.

"Thanks Is! Oh have you met Remi here by the way?" she gestured over to the man standing by them. Oh so it was indeed Oliver's friend from work, who was the fourth groomsman.

"Hi," he smiled, extending one hand in greeting.

I took it in mine to give it a shake. "Hi, I'm Isobel," I smiled in return.

"That's a lovely name," he complimented, holding onto my hand for a second longer than what was considered friendly. I looked him over for a minute, taking in his features. He was moderately attractive and seemed very polished and put together.

"Hey Remi, how are you doing?" Kade slid into the group, planting himself right between myself and Remi as he went to shake Remi's hand.

I huffed as I glared at his back. Seriously, what the fuck? There it was again. Hot, cold, hot, cold, hot, cold. I decidedly took that as my cue to leave... I need another drink... and some pizza.

"Don't think that I didn't notice you and Kade disappearing upstairs before," Jenny smirked as she stopped beside me, popping a crisp into her mouth with a loud crunch.

I laughed. "No, I just went to get Sophie's sash and I don't know what he was doing up there."

"Huh..." she leaned against the table with a hand on her hip. "Really?"

"Yup," I nodded, taking a bite out of my pizza. "We're just helping Sophie and Oliver out. I haven't talked to him since Gramwood, and I've seen him like once, for a literal second like three years ago."

"Damn, girl. How can you live in the same house together, but not have any of that?! she widened her eyes. "You're on some extra strong willpower juice!"

"Well it's pretty easy when every second line that comes out of his mouth, and mine, is an insult," I laughed, pouring myself a drink to wash down the food.

"Aw, you guys are too funny," she chuckled. "I miss the days when we'd all go out and do this together. They were such fun memories."

"Yeah, it's nice to have everyone back together."

"Hey Is," Sophie joined us by the snack table. "Should we start some of the games?"

"Ooh!" Jenny exclaimed excitedly. "What have you guys got?"

"You'll see!" Sophie grinned.

Sophie and I thought it would be a good idea to do some joint party games together in order to bond. Hopefully it'd help us become more comfortable with each other, since we'll all be spending a lot of time together at the wedding. It gives us a chance to eliminate some of that first-time meeting awkwardness so that we can actually have fun on the day.

Of course, some of us were already familiar with one another... but at least half of us rarely interacted, and hadn't met each other ever before, because Sophie and Oliver didn't have an engagement party. They decided not to have one, so that they could save up for a large, beautiful wedding. Instead, they opted for a small, intimate dinner celebration with their immediate families. I was invited, but I couldn't make the trip out. I had just been promoted as a writer and we were absolutely jam-packed, I couldn't take any leave. I felt so guilty I couldn't be there, but she assured it was totally fine and that we could celebrate the next time I came to visit. That was like her, though. Always super supportive of my career and decisions. 

I went and collected the little printout sheets with questions on the couple's relationship, as well as superlatives game between Sophie and Oliver. Sophie and I were rolling in fits of laughter at some of the questions we put on there. I handed out the sheets with a pen, and sat down on the couch before Sophie explained the game to everyone.

"Hey ya cheater!" I snatched my sheet to my chest, as I caught Kade peering over my shoulder.

"I'm not! Just double checking my answers," he laughed. "They totally had their first kiss on their first date, by the way."

"No! It was after the football game, after their first date." I retorted. I swear Sophie had told me that it didn't happen on their first date, and I distinctively remember watching on the sideline as Oliver ran over to her after the Gramwood Groupers won, and planted a smooch right on her lips.

"Nah, definitely on their first date," he said adamantly.

"Nah ah," I shook my head. "It was after."

"Watch me get it right," he shrugged, leaning back on the couch confidently, spreading his arms out above the backrest. He's so damn cocky.

"Watch me get it right!" I challenged, finishing up with my answers.

"Okay! Is everyone done? Pass your sheets to the right so that they can be marked." Sophie announced as she sat on Oliver's lap, with their version of answers in her hand. "First Q. Who made the first move?"

"It was me," Oliver smiled. "I asked her out first."

"Geddit boy," Jacob winked, causing us to laugh out loud.

"When and where did we have our first kiss?" Sophie continued, wrapping an arm around Oliver's neck as she smiled down at him.

"On the docks, on our first date." Oliver answered the question with a grin, pecking her lips.

"WHAT!" I choked on my drink. "Noooooooooo!"

Kade burst into laughter beside me. "Told ya."

"No way it was on the football field! After a game," I said confusedly.

Sophie had the nerve to wince as she looked at me. "Oh yeah... about that. It was actually on our first date," she chuckled. "I was trying to play it cool so I said that nothing happened... but then, Oliver smacked one right on me at the game, so that's what you saw first..."

"SOPH!!!!! You played meeeee," I cried.

"Sorry Is, I was a a dumb teenager," she laughed as the group looked on amusedly at my melodrama.

I saw Kade mark a big fat X on my sheet, with an evil looking smiley face and the word "loser" beside it. Asshole. I huffed and crossed my arms over as he sniggered.

We continued with questions like "who said I love you first?" and "where did Oliver propose?" etc. before finishing up. I got a 10 out of 12. Smashed it! I internally cheered, my only other competition would maybe be Casey. I quickly checked over to see if Kade had marked me fairly (what can I say? I can't trust him), before peeking over to see how many he had gotten right. He was holding the sheet far away from me with a sly grin.

"Anyone get 12?" Sophie asked. Everyone shook their heads. "Well how about 11?"

"ME." Kade's grin widened. No one else spoke up.

My jaw dropped. No freaking way.

"Yeahhh! Best man." Oliver nodded with a grin, raising his beer in a cheers motion from across the room.

"Relationship guru at your service," Kade chuckled, waving the sheet in a dramatic flourish of his hands.

I snatched the sheet from his grip in disbelief.

"Nice Kade!" Sophie smiled. "Who's in second place, anyone get 10?"

Damn. Him. He actually got them right. His big, dumb head actually listens and stores information. I slumped back into the couch defeatedly.

"Oh me!" Casey chirped up happily. I raised my hand glumly as well.

"Aw good job guys, love you," Sophie blew us a kiss.

"Loser," he coughed into my ear. I shoved my shoulder into him and sat there with a pout. I don't care if I was being a sore loser, he was being a sore winner.

Screw this game. I need to redeem myself in the next one.

We got started on the second sheet, where we had to circle a black moustache for Oliver or red lips for Sophie in the "who's more likely to?" game.

"Who's more likely to spend money on random shit?" Oliver.

"Who's more likely to get arrested?" Oliver, if he's with Kade. Lol.

"Who's more likely to breakout into song in the car?" Sophie.

"Who's more likely to fall asleep during sexual activities 😏?" Hm... agh neither? Both? 😂

"Who's more likely to say sorry first?" Oliver.

"Who's less likely to poison one another with their cooking?" Sophie.

"Who's a better dancer?" Sophie.

"Who's a better driver? (👉🏼Sophie 👈🏼)" Sophie, I chuckled, circling her.

"Who hogs the bed?" Oliver, he's a giant.

"Who's always spoiling the other?" Oliver. He's a sweetheart.

"Who's the messiest lil piggy?" Sophie. I chuckled.

"Who's the weirdest?" Sophie. We're pretty weird together.

"Who takes the longest to get ready?" Probably Sophie.

"Who loves the other the most?💞" Both.

I folded my sheet up after I was done, and hid it away from Kade. I glanced over as Sophie and Oliver were bickering lightly about some of their choices, before they finally agreed on something. She cleared her throat to announce the answers.

I mentally marked my answers off in my head. I'm gonna win! Right, right, right, wrong- they went for neither damn, wrong, again- both of them said sorry equally as much, and right, right, right, the rest was right!

"IN YOUR FACEEEE!" I shot up with a loud cheer, doing a little happy dance in the centre of the lounge as we finished marking the sheets. 12/14. Woot woottttt.

"You go Glen Coco!" Sophie shot me a conspiratorial wink.

Kade shook his head in amusement. "I won the last one, anyway. So we're equal."

"Loser," I mouthed over to him as I made an L-shape with my hand over my forehead, like I was 8 years old as I continued to whip out my victory dance moves.

"Okay, settle down." He huffed, grabbing me by the hips and pulled me back down to the couch roughly.

"Just celebrating my win." I grinned smugly, as he rolled his eyes. Victory feels good.

"Next game everyone. We're doing team charades!" Sophie cheered excitedly. "So go sit next to your partner; maid of honour and best man, Tobias and Casey, Jenny and Jacob, and lastly Claudia and Remi. Then me and Oliver, of course," she smiled. "Oh and it's dirty charades," she winked, whipping out a bowl full of paper slips to pass around.

"Hope your awful bad luck doesn't affect us, teammate." Kade said.

I snorted. "I don't have bad luck, you do."

"Impossible. Not with a face like mine," he smirked.

I grabbed a red licorice stick and whacked him on the face. "Congratulations, you've just been hit with the ugly stick."

"Ow, so violent."

I snapped the candy stick between my jaws and pulled away at it a little aggressively. I chewed on the sweetness as I wiggled my eyebrows at him.

He snorted, snatching the red licorice from my hands before turning his attention towards the game.

"You wanna go first, babe?" Oliver asked. Sophie nodded eagerly as she stood up.

"Set the timer for 45 seconds. Our team gets a point if Oliver gets it right. If he doesn't, the first person who says the right answer gets the point for their team," she explained. "Oh and you can use another human as a prop!" she chuckled, looking straight at me. Oh god. We were all a couple of drinks deep, this should be fun I guess.

"Ready and go!" Casey shouted, holding her phone on timer.

Silently, Sophie raised two fingers up.

"Two words?" Oliver guessed.

She nodded. Quickly, she ran over to me and grabbed my hand, pulling me up, before pushing me down to get on all fours on the ground. This is such an undignified position. I obliged however, it's all for a good laugh.

"Doggy style?" Oliver called out, laughing as the rest of us were giggling. Sophie crawled over the top of my back and sat, raising one hand in the air in a whipping motion.

"Cowgirl!" Oliver shouted. Sophie nodded with a big smile and began to roll her hand in a motion to continue. She spun herself around so now that she was facing backwards. I think I was about to cry with laughter.

"Reverse cowgirl!" Oliver yelled with a big grin as the rest of us doubled over in hysterics.

"WOOOO!!!!" Sophie stood up with a cheer and gave her fiancé a high-five. "Good job baby!"

I got up from my position, before straightening out my dress and hair.

"Thanks for that, Is," Sophie chuckled.

I gave her a salute. "I guess that's what I'm here for," I joked, making my way back to sit down.

"Well that was a sight." Kade bit his lip with a mischievous smile.

"Don't even start," I shook my head at him.

Next up it was Tobias and Casey's turn. Tobias got up and also held up the sign for two words. First word. He then sat on the ground and spread his legs out and began to make whooshing movements with his arms. We all watched on with a mixture of confusion amusement. What on earth? He then began to hold onto his stomach and breathe heavily as we chortled.

"Pregnant?" Casey guessed.

"Labour?"

"Birth?"

He motioned for her to continue guessing.

"Birthing?"

"Birthday!"

He grinned and nodded, before standing up. Second word. He waved his arms down over his outfit, and pretended to slide on a jacket and straighten his tie.

"Birthday suit!" Casey shouted.

"Yeah, you got it!" Tobias grinned.

"That was so good Tobias," I chuckled. "I wouldn't have thought of doing that."

"Thanks Is," he laughed. "Gotta say that was the first time I've given birth."

"You did great, you'll be a wonderful mother," I teased.

It was now our turn. Kade picked out a paper slip from the bowl.

"I know it must be hard for you, but try to do your best, okay sweetie?" I pat him on the head condescendingly.

Kade pressed his lips into a flat line, before unfolding the slip to read what he had to be. A smirk spread across his face. "You try your best to guess now, okay, sweetie?" he mocked.

He stood up, switched the song to Right Thurr by Chingy as Sophie started the timer. With a sly grin, he began to strut forward with the beat, doing an over the top spin on the spot. The audience doubled over in laughter.

I snorted as I watched him, what the fuck? He stepped closer and pulled me so I was sitting on the edge of the couch.

"How many words Whitley?" I called over the music.

He raised one finger, before he began to hover and grind his hips above me, giving me some sort of lap dance.

"What the hell?" I laughed, as heat rushed to my cheeks. This gorgeous heart-throb of a man was currently doing some sort of dirty dance on me. Jacob whipped out his phone to start recording, letting out a large guffaw at the scene.

Kade pulled me up so that I was standing, before he unbuttoned his shirt and swung it off, revealing his glorious tanned abs. Every fibre of my being was aware as he moved down and around my body. He swung the shirt in the air, earning a wolf-whistle from Jenny as the rest of the group cheered on with applause. I covered my face in embarrassment, giggling at what the hell was happening. I was so flustered I couldn't think. He picked up the bowl of paper slips before tipping it over himself dramatically.

"Stripper?!" I finally guessed.

"Fuck yeah!" he cheered, "Finally. I was about to get fully naked."

I shook my head, before picking up his shirt and threw it over to him. He's killing me over here.

"Just letting ya'll know, I am retiring from being a human prop, so don't you dare!" I announced jokingly, waggling my finger as I made my way back to sit down.