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At the bar, I notice Valerie wink at the cute bartender, and he flashes a dimple as he smiles back. She’s a shameless flirt and I’m happy to see nothing has changed.
Raina lifts her glass of red wine. “To Olivia - her happiness, her health, and her poor, poor husband.” With a grin she glances over her shoulder at our friend who seems to have forgotten the world exists as she and her new husband talk, laugh, and dote on one another.
“What do you think of the groom?” Valerie asks before sipping at her margarita.
“I think she's going to be bored to tears, married to a lawyer who can never tell her anything he works on because of confidentiality. Do you remember when she dated that therapist?” I ask, studying my friends.
Raina inhales a hissing breath through her teeth and Valerie nods.
“I forgot about that.” Raina almost seems concerned as she glances at our friend again.
“I didn’t.” Valerie seems annoyed as she takes another deep drink of her margarita. “I mean, we all have to know it won't last.”
Raina doesn't seem convinced. “Who knows, maybe it's real this time.” Still, there's something dismissive in her tone that tells me she's just being hopeful for our friend's sake.
“I feel like she's just settling for him. It's that puppy love infatuation right now, but soon enough, she's going to hate him.” Valerie almost sounds jaded. No wonder, if she knows more about their whole relationship than she's letting on.
“That's oddly specific.” I say, studying her with interest.
She avoids my gaze. “I think she deserves better, that's all.”
I want to press her for more details, but I know she’s as locked down as Fort Knox. So I turn my attention back to Olivia, as if I will find some answers with her. I catch sight of her dancing with her husband.
She looks radiant and happy, but I can't help but feel sorry for her because I know she is making a mistake - Valerie knows something, and I want to know what I’m missing. But I know for sure that nagging feeling in my gut says something’s not right, and my friend’s heart is going to get broken by the end of this.
“She's always been a hopeless romantic. How many times has she been in love now?” I ask, not really looking for an answer because the truth is, this isn’t a new move for her. Well, getting married is, but not relationships.
“Yeah, but this is too much. She barely knows this guy. For all she knows, he could be a serial killer.”
Raina chuckles. “Given how much she loves true crime, I'm not sure that'd be a problem.”
“It would be if she doesn't get to enjoy the true crime because she's the victim.” Valerie doesn't sound amused, and I’m bothered by them so nonchalantly joking about our friend being murdered. Sure, I’m not above jokes, but what if they turn out to be right and he’s dangerous?
“How long have they been dating? Six months?” I ask, feeling more uncomfortable by the second.
Raina nods.
“You can't know who someone really is in six months.” Valorie finishes her drink and gestures at the bartender for another.
“Exactly. What if he’s a narcissist? Or a cheater? Or just a jerk?” I can’t help but be concerned for my friend. Sure, maybe he’s just a good guy, but my own experience has taught me that the odds of that outcome are very low.
“Or worse?” Valerie’s response again gives me the feeling she knows more than she’s letting on.
“So what are you up to lately?” Raina asks me. “Meet any hot guys?”
The tension breaks and we all laugh. As we catch up on our lives, gossip about other people at the wedding, and joke around, I realize how much I’ve missed my friends, and promise myself I’ll do better about getting together with them. Of course, I know that’ll last all of about a month following the wedding, but a girl can dream about change, even if she’s terrible at actually making change happen, right?
Finally, Valerie stands up. “I think I need another,” she says, eyeing the cute bartender, who’s been smiling her direction far too often.
“Go for it, girl,” Raina says, obviously reading the situation the same way I did.
Valerie rolls her eyes and heads for the bar as the guy watches her approach.
“She deserves some fun,” I say, watching her go.
“How did you get more beautiful?” Raina asks, eyeing me, and I make a face at her.
“Same way you did, I bet.” I lean in close, unable to pass up the opportunity to tease her. “Or you’re just so thirsty anything’s looking good right about now,” I say softly, and she laughs.
