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I watched Nicole and the delivery guy wheel the food and drink onto the boat. The flower guy started unloading. The guests would be here soon. Behind the flower van, a Prius pulled up. A guy got out.
“Finn?” I asked. “Who’s the guy with the shaved head and gold earrings, wearing sunglasses on a gloomy Seattle night that’s about to rain?”
“Oh, I forgot to mention. That’s the DJ.”
I closed my eyes. “I swear to god, I’m going to do the dirtiest fucking things to you the next time I see you. You thought last time was wild? I hope you’re ready for a repeat. It’s going to be filthy.”
When I hung up, Finn was laughing.
TWENTY-SIX
Juliet
Tina, Mom’s boss, was one of those ageless women who was possibly sixty but could easily pass for thirty, and none of it was fake. She was simply born with firm, light brown skin that would never wrinkle and hair that only had a few distinguished strands of gray. She wore a dress that fit her so flawlessly, and in such an understated style, that it was obviously more expensive than anything I’d ever owned. Even her makeup looked expensive. I was suddenly, fiercely glad of the catered food, classy alcohol, and flowers that adorned this party.
Thank you, Finn Wiley.
We had pulled out of the harbor, and a brisk, cool breeze came up over the water. Aside from the women of the wedding party, Vicki had invited a handful of her other friends. The DJ was spinning music, and everyone seemed to be having a good time.
I stood on the deck, leaning against the railing, my arms crossed over my chest. I was too anxious to drink. With my luck, I’d have one too many and ruin the whole evening by saying the wrong thing or starting a fight with either Vicki or Mom. For once, if this party was going to be ruined, it wouldn’t be by me.
Tina joined me at the rail. We stood watching the others for a moment, and I let the cool wind lift my hair as I tried to look calmer than I felt.
“They’re enjoying themselves,” Tina said. “This is a lovely party.”
I glanced at her. Tina was the CEO of her own company, and Mom had been her executive assistant for years. From what Mom said, Tina was a good boss, and it wasn’t a Devil Wears Prada situation. Still, her calmness, poise, and effortless good looks made her immediately terrifying. She was just so together. “I’m glad you like it,” I said.
Tina nodded. “Josie is very excited about this wedding. She’s been talking for months about having both her daughters in one place.”
“She has?”
“Oh, yes.” Tina’s voice was calm as she watched everyone drinking and talking. A couple of the guests had started bumping to the DJ’s beats as the alcohol flowed. “She would be so happy if you two got along. So would Vicki, I think. It’s why this wedding turned into a bigger affair than it was in the beginning.”
I frowned. That didn’t make sense. The wedding had expanded because Vicki wanted to include her other friends, not because of me. Also, Vicki and I had done nothing but argue.
“You don’t believe it?” Tina asked. I turned to see her watching me with understated amusement.
I shook my head. “They didn’t throw this wedding for me. I was planning to come when it was just a date at City Hall.”
“But that would have been an afternoon,” Tina pointed out. She gestured around her. “This is an occasion. Tell me, what are the men doing tonight?”
“Alistair and Finn are seeing a movie,” I said.
“Exactly. The men aren’t the ones in this family with complicated problems. But the women…” She looked around. “Sometimes, we women express ourselves by making things a very big deal. It’s how we communicate.”
“Vicki has barely spoken to me,” I said.
Tina nodded. “Maybe not. But she’s been talking to you all this time.”
I gazed closely at her, thinking. Vicki had wanted me to be the maid of honor. She could have fired me anytime and put one of the others in charge, but she hadn’t. Having me do this mattered to her in a way I couldn’t figure out, and yet she hadn’t talked to me. Sisterhood was fucking confusing.
“Are you a CEO or a therapist?” I asked Tina.
That made her laugh, and even her laugh was classy. “Maybe I’m a little of both.”
“You’re pretty perceptive about people.”
“I can be, yes. But I’ve also worked with Josie a long time, and I know her well. I’m not this perceptive about just anyone, I promise.”
