Chapter Text
The Ritz Hotel Paris, France - Tuesday: 11:13pm
The heavy card with gold, embossed calligraphy on the table is difficult to miss.
Allie's spent the day shooting an advertising campaign on the Left Bank only to return to her hotel and find it sitting amongst a stack of unopened envelopes. Given how far and often she travels it's easier to forward her mail so she doesn’t miss anything important like bills or, in today's case, the notice of her best friends’ upcoming nuptials.
Of course, Allie knows Hannah and Garrett are engaged but this invite is the official wedding announcement and given the planning is all her friend can talk about during their weekly calls with Grace, it would be difficult to not know it's happening.
Allie's happy for her friends. Given they started dating in junior year of college, it's been almost seven years and they've grown into their relationship and are more in love than ever.
They both had dreams after college; Hannah in music and Garrett in hockey and they'd both made them a reality. Hannah is currently one of the most talented film composers in the States and Garrett's coaching hockey at the Bruins.
But now it's time to celebrate them and their relationship.
Given her erratic work schedule, not to mention the thousands of miles she travels around the globe, Allie uses it as the perfect excuse not to attend significant events back home. Hannah and Garrett's engagement party last September being one of those. Although, given she's maid of honour, Allie knows Hannah won't let another absence slide.
Also, she'll never admit it to anyone but Allie misses home and is looking forward to taking in the familiar sights, sounds, and smells she's committed to memory.
Allie was discovered by a talent agent in her senior year of college. At first she booked some theatre gigs but, as she'd discover, it was a competitive field and the roles dried up soon after.
What she wasn't expecting was for the head of IMG Models to see her photos and offer her a lucrative contract to sign with their agency. The one thing Allie never imagined when she was younger was becoming a fashion model but it was where the work was at the time.
She initially turned it down, Allie knew she wanted to act. But after hearing what modelling could do for her public profile she begrudgingly changed her mind.
Is modelling her dream job? Not at all. But Allie figures it's not a bad way to make a living either.
Although, she's recently starting to wonder if what she's doing is really fulfilling her personally. These days she spends more time doing runway shows and photo shoots than any acting auditions.
She does like that it keeps her moving around the world because Allie's scared what will happen when she stops still for too long. She knows those thoughts about a certain guy will invade her mind and she just can't go there again.
Allie runs her finger underneath the envelope flap distractedly even though she knows exactly what the invite inside will reveal.
She needs to be in Cape Cod in exactly six weeks to coincide with the start of pre-wedding festivities.
Forty-two days until bridesmaid dresses, bachelorette parties, bouquets of flowers, cakes, rings, and bomboniere.
Oh and Dean Di Laurentis.
Not only is he Garrett's best man he's also her ex-friend with benefits. Their arrangement ended six and half years earlier and, besides a chance encounter in the Bahamas three years earlier, not a day has passed that she hasn't thought about the idiot.
Does he still have that unruly blonde hair she used to run her fingers through? Or those bright, blue eyes, and that dimpled smile he uses when he's trying to be cute?
Allie shakes her head, determined to push those particular memories deep down inside. So deep, they'll be practically impossible to retrieve no matter how much she wants to immerse herself in them again.
This trip is about her friends' wedding, not the boy with the dimples and what they could have had or what they could have been. Allie repeatedly tells herself that their story is destined to be captured like a snapshot in time, nothing more.
After all, some of the greatest movies of all time were never made.
Allie largely keeps her world Dean Di Laurentis spoiler-free. Although given he's the star defenseman of the New York Rangers it's a little difficult. Any time Hannah or Grace mention his name she changes the subject or suddenly has to be somewhere else.
Anywhere else.
She had no interest in where he is and what he's doing and she has absolutely no interest in who he's dating... Well, until she does.
The one thing Allie knew from their time together was that Dean was focused and determined. After college he was drafted by the Rangers and the rest was history. Allie was proud of Dean and how far he'd come, how could she not be?
Although, the influencer girlfriend clinging onto him in her Instagram story? Not so much.
She doesn't seem his type but, at the same time, he does have a new high-flying, celebrity life. Obviously, the person Allie left behind at college has changed.
First crushes are supposed to be just that but why does Allie still care so much?
Why is the thought of seeing him again causing knots to form in her stomach?
The one thing Allie does know is that this wedding is going to be interesting and probably not the good kind given the way she's feeling.
MSG Training Centre, Tarrytown, NYC - Wednesday: 10:36am
“Just don’t do a Dean,” his friend warns over the phone while Dean rolls his eyes at his best friend’s lack of confidence in him.
“And what exactly does that mean, Graham?”
“It means don’t flee before I’ve said I do at least,” he jokes, his familiar laugh reverberating in his ear.
“I’ve had your wedding invite for exactly two hours and you’re already calling to warn me about not coming,” he notes, glancing down at the invite in question. “And last time I checked, I'm the best man, Garrett, and with that comes the right to completely embarrass you in my speech. As if I'd give up that opportunity.”
“As long as you don’t mention that time we got really drunk and I lost my pants…”
“I hate to tell you but that’s pretty much every story, dude.”
“You know it’s not too late to ask Logan or Tucker..”
“Says the guy calling specifically to make me attend his wedding?”
“You have a point, man,” he concedes. “I just wanted to check given, well you know...”
Of course, Dean knows what that means. It's something all his friends like to do when they don't want to address Allie by name and no matter how many times he's told them it's okay it just makes things that much more awkward.
When college ended and Allie followed her career to Los Angeles and Dean to New York, he figured they'd probably never see each other again or not much anyway. Given they'd managed to keep their distance all through senior year, Dean knew it was possible to go without seeing her for long periods of time.
Not that he liked it but that was the reality.
Dean decided to put everything he had into his hockey because he honestly felt like it was all he had. But, as time went on, and the praise and success followed it became more about spending time away from his friends and the looks on their faces.
Dean was proud of the career he’d built and all he’d achieved at such a young age.
His other reason and motivation for wanting to do well was seeing how well Allie was doing. He was happy for her, he always would be, but his usual insecurities had returned and Dean told himself that even though they’d probably never be together again he still wanted to be enough for her.
You know, just in case.
Then he happened upon a copy of Vogue a teammate had left in the locker room and there she was. Allie Hayes was a cover girl and the discovery felt like a fast and unrelenting punch to the gut.
The fact she was modelling was no surprise given Dean knew how beautiful she looked first thing in the morning fresh-faced, wrapped up in nothing but a sheet while curled up in his arms as the morning sun streamed through the window.
Although, unlike those times, she didn't seem as happy in those magazine photos behind the smile or maybe that's what he was telling himself to feel better. Of course, people changed over time but it didn't make it any easier to comprehend just how much she seemed to have moved on.
Dean knew how beautiful she was, inside and out, but now so would others, and the unresolved feelings and jealousy he felt were suddenly very real.
Everybody wants you…Everybody wonders what it would be like to love you.
"You still there?" Dean's broken out of his thoughts by his friend's concerned voice.
"Yeah, of course," he replies quickly. "I just need to get going, this hockey practice won't start itself. But don't worry I'll be at the wedding and on my best behaviour, I might even brush my hair and use cutlery at the table if you're really lucky."
"Funny," Garrett shoots back. "Hannah has your tux at the tailors for a final fitting and, before you ask, yes the tie is mandatory."
"Can't wait," he jokes, even though Dean is looking forward to seeing his best friends happily married. Garrett is his oldest friend and Wellsy the bossy sister he never had.
For as long as Dean can remember Hannah and Garrett along with Grace, Logan, Tucker and even Allie are his family, and as much as he's avoided them for various reasons it's time to go back even if it means an awkward reunion with the girl he still loves.
"Hannah also wanted me to ask if your blonde friend would prefer the chicken or fish."
Blonde friend? As bad as it sounds, Dean can't remember one particular blonde because there's been a few lately. Just because he isn't interested in finding love doesn't mean he's celibate, he does have needs after all.
Also, it may have coincided with him reading an item on Page Six last month - something also conveniently left in the locker room or at least that's what he'll tell people - about Allie spotted court side at a New York Knick's game supporting her rumoured new boyfriend.
Needless to say, he hadn't bothered to read the rest and find out who it was.
My mind turns your life into folklore, I can't dare to dream about you anymore
"You can tell Wellsy that if she wants to know about my love life it's going to take a lot more than a not-so-subtle question about menu choices."
He wonders if Hannah is going to ask Allie's mystery basketball player boyfriend the same question but decides not to ask given he isn't supposed to care if Lebron prefers poultry or seafood.
"Well, it was worth a try, I'll catch you later, Dean."
"Later, man."
He disconnects the call and tucks the wedding invitation in his locker for safekeeping. Knowing Wellsy she'll ask him to present it on the day as proof he's actually invited.
Dean has no idea how he's going to get through this wedding. He just hopes Hannah's made sure there's a fully stocked bar because Dean is sure going to need all the liquid courage he can get.