Page 28
“Seems fast. Must have a hell of a romance.”
I spread my hands out wide like the air in front of me sparkles. “Stuff of legend and we have the friends to lovers lie built in so it doesn’t seem too weird. It’s only for a weekend so our friends don’t have to cover for us. We can tell them later for a good laugh and we can go back to a joint disgust and dislike of each other as fast as possible.
She crosses her arms and nods her head pursing her lips. She wets them quickly and seems settled a bit.
“And as for fast, let’s not forget our best friends knew each other three days before they got married.”
She covers her hand with her heart and speaks in a dramatic voice, “One day we looked at each other and thought, there you are, the epic once in a lifetime love of my life, what have I been so afraid of?” Then she cackles and I join her in laughing very hard.
“Something like that. And no one even needs to know about Chad. Why would it really come up? They’re more likely to bring up Suzanna the ex-wife.”
“I’ll just shut convo about Suz down. She’s old news. I’m the headline, baby.” I laugh.
“She’s the farthest thing from a ‘Suz’ that’s ever existed.” I stop myself from, “Not sure why I’m this comfortable telling you all of this.”
She shrugs, “Your best friend screws my best friend on the regular.”
“Tell me three rebellious things.” I say.
She blurts out, “One, I never finished a tennis lesson because the instructor and I were either too high or too busy lifting my tiny tennis skirt. Two, I stopped wearing underwear in 10th grade to freak my mom out when she did the laundry. Three, I had a secret punk wardrobe in my locker.”
She changes the mood by yelling, “Your turn!”
“One, I slept with three and a half bridesmaids at my sister’s wedding...”
“Half?”
“Blowjob.”
“Makes sense. Go on.”
“Two I ran a gambling parlor in our pool house for three years in high school and blew the cash on the house my ex-wife now owns. Three, I started stealing my trust fund a month ago by pretending I was already engaged.”
She laughs and then says through a yawn, “Do you really need all that money?”
“I do. And it’s complicated.”
I wake up a couple hours later, and she’s covered me up with a throw. I stand up and grab her blanket that’s fallen and return the favor. She’s not too bad when she’s asleep.
Chapter 12
As In Roll?
KAT
Maui
The warm sweet air rushes around us clinging to everything like a big hug as we get out of the car at the Fairmont. It’s comforting that a place you’ve never been looks like you dreamed it would.
I rub at the back of my hand as we wait in line to check in. It’s probably where my parents would have stayed. I rub harder. Anna shouldn’t trust me with lipstain. I got a fleck on my hand and it’s going to be there for like two days looking like a crimson freckle. Someone will ask me to get it checked out.
I pull down my t-shirt to cover the top of my jeans I changed into.
He turns to me and says, “Three reasons you got on that plane. In return, I’ll give you three to stay.”
I don’t hesitate. “One, the gallant and handsome way you looked standing on the plane steps. Two, iridology. Three, I think I get you. Your turn.”
“One, I do think you get me. Two, I have presents. Three, you’re stunning and charming enough to pull this shit off.”
