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Cassie nodsI know. "Maybe that was an excuse. Him letting her down easy. Maybe it was something else. I don't know. She's barely said anything to me. Rome either. It was his girlfriend, actually." She taps her chin. "I think he was trying to bond with me, because she knew about my whole plan to make Frederick jealous, and she thought I'd see the error in that."
Yes, Cassie asked my brother to play her boyfriend, to win a coveted dealandto make her ex jealous. At the time, she acted as if the latter was a fringe benefit, but I knew it was a primary motive. I nod.
"I think she's the one who's jealous, though. She thinks he still holds a candle for her." Cassie looks to me. "But we should really stick with your news. How's married life?"
"Confusing," I say.
"You seem happier than you did this morning. Or maybe that's the honeymoon sex. No details, please. But no need to deny it either," she says.
"Probably the honeymoon sex, yeah." I motion to the makeupshould we?
Cassie nods, sure, and picks a concealer for under my eyes. "Close please."
I close my eyes.
She talks as she applies cream. "Do you want to talk about it?" She dabs cream under my left eye. "Not the sex. The rest of it… anything. I won't judge or freak out, I promise."
I keep my eyes closed. It's easier not looking at her, even though she is close. Too close. There are so many things I haven't said. So many things I need to say. "We talked about it and we're on the same page." I think.
"What page is that?" She finishes with my left eye, then she moves on to shadow.
"We're going to play house for a few weeks. For long enough for him to impress his boss."
"And then?"
My eyes open right as her jaw drops.
"Oh. Of course. Then you start your residency." She presses her palm into her forehead in aduhgesture, then she shakes her head at herself. "It's coming up so fast." She stares into my eyes with equal parts nostalgia and pride. "I'm going to miss you so much. I know you're only in Irvine, but… it's too far. And you'll be working all the time. Shit. I'm a bad friend. I haven't asked enough. Did you find a place near school yet?"
"Not yet." That's true. I haven't found a place in New York yet. I really need to find a place in New York. Because I start in three weeks. And, yes, one of Dad's work friends offered a spare bedroom, but I don't want to live with one of Dad's work friends.
"Do you need any help?" she asks. "We can drive down next weekend. Or anytime next week, really. After we turn in this song on Tuesday, I don't have any deadlines, so I'm flexible."
We can't. Because there's nowhere for me in Orange County. That's not where I'm doing my residency. "I think we're spending the weekend with Jackson's boss."
"And you want a week of wedded bliss. Say no more. Really. No details." She smiles. "Okay. The week after next, I'm yours."
Sure. The week after next, she can help me look online. The week after next, I tell her. I nod. "Perfect."
"So, three weeks of married life, huh?" she asks. "What do you have planned."
"Mostly details you don't want."
She mimes covering her ears. "Damon had the idea to bake and decorate a cake for you."
"He can't bake," I say.
"Or decorate." She nods. "He said you two did it for your parents once. For an anniversary. It was your idea."
"And I did most of it." Not that I can bake. We made a very messy, very imperfect cake, and we left the kitchen a disaster zone. But our parents still loved the gesture. We could do that again. Only the funfetti we used to celebrate Mom and Dad doesn't suit Jackson and me. What would? "Mocha with chocolate frosting. No. Wait. Jackson doesn't really like coffee. What flavors does he like?"
"He likes rich boy flavors. Lemon. Lavender. Orange spice. That kind of thing."
"You know my husband's taste better than I do," I say.
"He's been my brother for my entire life. You'll catch up." She motions for me to close my eyes. When I do, she swipes shadow over them. "Do you really need to remember that? For your three weeks?"
"I guess not."
