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“They say you’re meant to get the cold feet before the wedding,” Hannah replies, tapping her chin, “but you’ve always marched to the beat of your own drum.”
“What if he breaks my heart?”
“Then you can take him to the cleaners,” Hannah says.
“Han!”
“That was a joke,” she says. “Kind of. Maybe. But if he breaks your heart, then I’ll ask Cash to break his arm in the next potluck wrestle-off.”
“You’re hilarious.”
It helps.
“Seriously, though, Marce, you’ve been through a lot, but he’s not going to break your heart. I’ve never seen Jesse like this with anyone before, and I’veneverknown him to be dishonest with women. Our father taught him better than that.”
She’s right about that.
“Okay,” I whisper. “Okay. I’m ready for that mimosa now.”
Hannah reaches into her tote and lifts two paperback books out.
“Great. Because I just got these babies and I’m ready to dive in.” She hands me one. “Remember, broken spines beget broken spines.”
“You scare me,” I say.
“But you love it,” she replies, and tucks her arm through mine.
She drags me toward the exit, and I feel lighter. Lighter after saying no to Billy, lighter after my realization, but still afraid.
Forty-Six
JESSE
The roads are slippery,the rain pelting down on the top of my squad. I park outside of Longhorn’s for the second time today, checking my phone with a frown.
Marci’s in there with my sister, and Hannah’s got to be involved in her sudden day-drinking. That or Marci’s angry with me for paying off her debt.
I leap out of the car and run inside, the rain soaking through my shirt.
Marci and Hannah are the only ones at the bar, both of them in hysterics, leaning on each other, with a bemused Luke in the background looking over them. He gives me a thumbs-up as I approach. He’s the one who called me when they started getting a little too loud. There’s soft music drifting from the speakers in the corners.
I place a hand on Marci’s arm, and she jerks away.
“Hey, watch it, buckaroo. I’m a married woman.”
And then she spots me, and her mouth drops open.
“I’m aware. Given that I’m the guy who put the ring on your finger.”
She blushes and wets her lips.
“What are you doing here, Taylor?” There’s a little slur to her speech, but it’s not too bad. “Can’t you see a girls’ day out when you hear one?”
“Shit,” I say. “How many mimosas, Han?”
My sister isn’t much of a drinker, but she’s partial to a mimosa. She winks at me.
“As many as it took, big bro. You seriously came to ruin our fun?”
