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PRESENT DAY
ALEXIS
“GOOD MORNING,” I CALL out as soon as I walk into the shop. As always, Naomi can be found behind the counter with her face hidden behind her laptop screen, while Vic is sitting on top of said counter, iPad in hand and a slew of material scraps laid out on either side of him. “I see I’m just in time with round two of coffees,” I affirm, taking in the sight.
“Lexi!” Naomi squeals, apparently only just noticing that I’m here. “Finally!”
My brow crinkles. “I’m like, twelve minutes early.”
“Yes,” Vic agrees, staying on his perch while Naomi rushes from her seat and scurries around the counter to meet me on the other side of it. “In regular work time, you’re early, but in Naomi-has-big-news-she’s-dying-to-share-with-you time, you’re totally late.”
I frown. “Okay, so, spit it out. What is it?”
Naomi purses her lips tightly, the way she always does when she has something she’s dying to say but wants you to guess instead. I hate that game, but she loves it, so we all play.
“Can I have my coffee, please?” she asks, waving her hand awkwardly at my tray of to-go cups.
“Okay,” I say slowly, holding the tray out toward her. “Did you need the jolt of caffeine to make your big announcement?”
“Something like that.” She smirks, taking her coffee and then lifting the cup and twisting it back and forth before my eyes.
“You’re being really weird.” I sigh. “Is there going to be a clue or something?”
Her eyes bug out at me, and her hand stops mid-motion. And I see it.
“Holy shit.”
“Finally!” She squeals with delight, moving her coffee to the right hand before she proceeds to wave the left one in my face. “Isn’t it gorgeous!?”
I gape at the Texas-sized rock on her finger, then up at her. “You’re engaged.” I’m struggling to wrap my brain around this. I shouldn’t. Logically, after two years of dating, this should come as a shock to no one. But it does. To me. And the next words from her lips are precisely the reason why.
“Jarren proposed last night at his parents’ holiday party,” she jibbers on, still using the same high pitch of her squeal. “In front of all of his relatives and friends and business connections. Lexi, there were at least a hundred people there and they all witnessed it.” She leans in, hooks her arm in mine and starts to walk me around the counter. It’s just as well, I probably wasn’t moving on my own anytime soon. “Can you believe it? I mean, isn’t that just the most romantic thing? I still can’t believe it and I was there! I heard him declare his love for me right there in front of all those people.”
“That’s amazing,” I say on auto-response. “Talk about a great Christmas present.”
“I know I wouldn’t mind finding a diamond that size under my tree.” Vic chuckles.
Meanwhile, Naomi takes it as an opportunity to whip out her ring-toting hand again, dangling it smack in my line of vision. “Did you get a good look at it? Because you didn’t really react to it.
“Um, I think I was just so stunned by the news,” I mumble, making an effort to take in the new accessory more appropriately. “Wow! I mean, wow! That is a stunning ring.”
Naomi brings her hand back around to her own line of vision, beaming at her sparkling rock. “I know! I think his sister helped him pick it out.”
“Yeah?” I’d personally prefer to think my future husband knew me well enough to find the perfect ring on his own, but if Naomi isn’t bothered by his sister tackling the most important pre-wedding task and setting the foundation of the rest of their lives, then I’m not either.
“So, you have to be a bridesmaid,” she rambles on, apparently content with my reaction to her ring this go around. “Vic will be maid of honor, well, mister slash maid of honor, but you will be just as important. You have to say yes!”
“Yes, of course.” Because how could I say no? In a million years, she’d never accept it. Not unless I explained to her that I’ve been in love with her groom-to-be for the last two years, and that all I can think ever since she flashed me her ring, is how I would be getting married right now if it hadn’t been for spoiled sushi and her sudden bout of amnesia regarding her boy cleanse the second she found out Jarren drove a Porsche. And I definitely can’t explain that. Even if I could get her to comprehend my feelings of betrayal, our friendship would never survive it.
Therefore, I stuff down my feelings and I focus on mirroring hers. “Did you set a date yet?”
She grins. “February fourteenth.”
“Of next year?” That’s less than two months from now.
“It’s perfect.”
Vic clears his throat, and she adds, “Okay, so it’ll be a bit of a crunch getting everything done. But come on, you guys! We’re an amazing team at everything we do. Throwing together my dream wedding in under sixty days will be a breeze.”
“So, to clarify when you said I would be important, you meant I would be busy. Planning your wedding.”
“That’s exactly what she meant,” Vic answers for her, smirking. “Why do you think I got highest honors in the lineup?”
Only one reason. “You’re going to make her a one-of-a-kind dress.”
“Bingo.” He laughs, but it sounds nervous. Because this is insane.
“And three bridesmaids’ gowns,” Naomi adds. “Well, two and whatever a mister of honor wears.”
Insane and impossible.
“Nae, you do remember we’re in the middle of finalizing the spring line, right?” I point out, what she surely does remember, because managing this business is her job. Vic designs. I brand and market. And Nae, she does all the organizing and finances required to keep our little boutique up and running.
“The new line doesn’t launch until March first and Vic has eighty percent of the designs completed. Trust me, we can do it. All of it,” she insists.
“Of course, we can.” I’m back to mirroring her emotions. Mine can’t keep up with this mess anymore. I take a deep breath and exhale. “Alright, where do we start?”
“Well,” Naomi grins slyly, sitting down in her chair and sliding it over to her computer. “I’m glad you asked.”
Turns out, I’m not. Which I realize around lunchtime when I’m finally released from my seat in front of her screen and set free to look upon things not related to her dream wedding Pinterest board. Apparently, she started it a while ago. There was a lot to take in and none of it was cohesive.
While technically free, from wedding business at least, we all decide I’m the best choice for making the lunch run since Vic is in the hotseat next to view her board of dream dresses. Yes, the two are completely separate.
“Any thoughts on what I should get?” I ask, heading for the door and passing several customers perusing the racks near the wall, Jasmine, our salesgirl, hovering nearby, ready to strike.
“Sushi,” Naomi suggests.
“No.” I don’t even offer a reason. “Vic?”
“I could go for Greek.”
“You know you won’t actually get to see Adrie if I go pick up takeout, right?” The son’s owner and head chef. Vic’s been hot for him ever since we stopped in for appetizers one night before heading out for drinks and dancing.
“Doesn’t matter,” Vic says, lifting his hands to gesture with flare. “His energy will be in the food. I’ll be able to taste him in every bite.”
I make a face. “Ugh. Now so will I.” But I’ll also get to see Nia, Adrie’s sister, and I could really do with hearing her voice of reason right now.
“No sauce on mine,” Naomi calls out just as I’m reaching for the handle.
“You don’t even know what I’m getting,” I point out.
“Doesn’t matter. Just no sauce. I have a wedding dress to fit in.”
Right. No sauce.
I let the door fall shut behind me and make a right. The restaurant is just a couple blocks up and I could do with a walk in the fresh air.
My mind wanders, speeding up with each step I take, moving me farther away from the shop and the possibility of being seen by Nae or Vic. By the time I’m standing in front of Skopelos, my mind is racing full-on.
“What’s up with you?” Nia asks as soon as I walk in. She bartends here on weekdays, part of supporting the family business, but that’s not how we know each other. Nia and I go way back. All the way back to high school and one fate-full drive in her father’s pickup truck when she was kind enough to give me a ride home so I didn’t have to peddle my bike all the way in the rain. We knew nothing about each other outside of having seen each other in passing for three years down the same crowded halls, and for some unknown reason, we’d chosen to break the awkward silence by exchanging secrets. Not any of our own. Secrets about people we both knew. Honestly, I think the whole thing was an attempt at establishing common ground through common connections gone completely awry. In a good way though. We’ve been friends ever since.
“Jarren proposed last night,” I tell her, staring blankly across the room trying to unsee the scene I’ve cooked up about the entire thing on my walk here. It involved a flash mob and a surprise performance by Maroon Five, Naomi’s favorite band, neither of which could have possibly happened, but I can’t unsee what I’ve seen in the wicked corners of my own imagination.
“I take it not to you,” Nia says dryly. Outside of Dinah, she’s the only other person who knows how I feel about him. A risky move one might say, given how we started our friendship, but as it turns out, we’re both pretty good at keeping secrets, except from each other. That part hasn’t changed.
“Would I be standing here all zombie-like if it had been me?” I ask, my attention yanked from the wall across the room and back to her.
“I don’t know. I think there’d be a fair amount of shock involved.” She shrugs. “I mean, fine, you’ve fantasized about it a million times, but if it really happened, I think even you would be a little dazed by it.”
“Fair enough.” I grab a menu from the counter. “That reminds me. I want to order everything doused in sauce you guys have to offer.” I sigh. “No, I don’t. What’s like the blandest, zero calorie item here?”
“I really don’t think going on some weird diet is going to change things,” Nia says in her usual snarky but otherwise void of emotions way.
“I’m not the one doing the weird diet.” I look up, flapping the back of the menu at her, the part listing the desserts. “Trust me, I’m loading up on carbs and sugar while I’m here.”
Nia laughs. “So, it’s Naomi who’s on a diet.”
I nod, rolling my eyes as I slide into the barstool beside me. “Apparently, she’s suddenly worried her model-like figure won’t hold up until February fourteenth without assistance.”
“Why Valentine’s Day?”
“Because it’s romantic.”
“No, why does she have to be skinny until then?”
“Because that’s the date she chose for her wedding.”
Nia doesn’t say anything for a moment. Then the moment drags on a little too long.
“What?”
“It’s just...that’s really soon. Like, less than three months away.”
I nod. I’ve established as much. “Less than two, actually.”
“Yes, but three is more significant.”
“Why?” I’m not following. My brain is too exhausted from the Pinterest trauma it so recently endured. I’m going to need more than hints from Nia.
“Because pregnant women tend to start showing after that,” she spells out what now seems shockingly obvious.
“No!”
“I kinda think maybe.” The corner of her mouth quirks. “I mean, think about it. Why else would she suddenly be worried about gaining weight? You said it yourself, Naomi’s built like a freaking runway model, and we all know she never eats anyway, why make a thing about food now?”
“I mean,” I pause. “I guess it’s possible?” Though it seems like it shouldn’t be. Naomi pregnant. With Jarren’s baby. That would obviously be the nail in my ‘it’s never going to happen’ coffin. A baby. That just can’t be undone.
“Sorry, babe. I know that’s probably not what you wanted to hear.” Nia leans over the counter looking concerned. “But maybe it’s a good thing. Or will be. In the long run.”
“How?” Kind of seems like in the long run I’m never getting a happy ever after and I don’t really see how that’s a good thing.
“Because maybe now you’ll finally get some closure on this whole ‘what if’ thing with Jarren.”
“No, I won’t.” I cover my face with the palms of my hands, shaking my head before I resurface to look at her. “Don’t you see? Now I’ll never get closure. Now there will never be a chance to find out if the connection I’ve felt to him all this time is real. I’ll just never know. And if I never know, how do I get closure?”
She makes a face. “Lexi, you’re just going to have to decide to let it go. Accept that you did all you could. Waited as long as possible. In the end, it just wasn’t meant to be. That’s your closure.”
I’m sure she’s right. She’s the sensible one of us two, so it’s more than likely. Still, it doesn’t feel like she is.
“Can you pick food for me?” I ask, waving the menu at her listlessly. “I’ve lost my appetite.”
“I can do that.” She smiles, taking the menu from my hand. “So, nothing for you?”
“Oh, no,” I correct her. “A lot for me. Plus, dessert. As soon as I’m done feeling numb from the shock of it all, I’m going to have a lot of emotions to eat.”
“I’m going to go ahead and roll with that today but remind me next time we’re hanging out to explain to you why that’s not healthy.” She makes a face at me and turns away, heading for the kitchen, hopefully to place a massive takeout order with Adrie.
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DAVI
“TELL ME AGAIN WHAT the urgent urgency is,” I ask Jarren for the fourth or fifth time. I’ve stopped counting. I just keep asking until I get an answer I like. So far, they’re all vague and fall too easily into what I consider the bullshit category of answers.
He stops searching through the box of pictures I had to help him drag out of the attic and down to his parents’ living room, to look up at me. “I don’t know man, I already told you. Naomi wants it, so that’s what we’re doing.”
“It just seems so unlike her to rush something so major.”
He frowns. “Since when do you know what is and isn’t unlike her?”
I shrug leaning back into the sofa cushions, trying to appear nonchalant. “I’m just saying, she runs a business. She’s very organized. Planning a wedding seems like the sort of thing she would want to devote more than two months to.”
Jarren shakes his head and returns his attention to the open box on the coffee table. He’s searching for baby pictures Naomi requested from him for this wedding mess. Something about their engagement announcement or send the dates, or I don’t know. I was only half listening. Kind of like Jarren seems to be doing with me right now. “I don’t get why you care so much anyway? It’s not your wedding. It’s not like you have to do anything except show up.”
“Yeah, well, that’s the thing.” It’s not the thing. I’m making it the thing because I can’t tell him what the real thing is. “I have a big shoot that week in Paris. I’m supposed to capture the most romantic day of the year in the most romantic city in the world. Going to be a little hard if I’m also a groomsman in your wedding that same day. So now I’m going to have to let that job go and find another one to squeeze in without it throwing off my entire schedule.” It’s not really that big of a deal. But it’s a far better excuse than explaining to him that I was hoping Naomi would see reason and break up with him before he ever got around to proposing to her, let alone marrying her.
“You’re seriously giving me shit about your job because of my wedding?” He abandons the box again. “Come on, man. I’m getting married! Screw the most romantic city in the world, the most romantic day of the year is going to be most romantic right here. Take pictures of that! Actually, while we’re on that, expect to get a call from Naomi about her plans for you and your camera and our wedding. You know, the once-in-a-lifetime-day we’re super stoked to get to share with everyone we care about.”
It takes everything I have not to scowl in response. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” I sigh. “You know I get a little weird about work.” That much at least is true. All these years of throwing every waking second into my work and creating and the workaholic tendencies have gotten a little out of hand.
“Yeah, well, Naomi plans to deal with that too.” He grins. “You know, on top of planning our wedding on such short notice.”
“Excuse me?” I suddenly find it very necessary to sit upright again. “How is she going to deal with...what exactly is she dealing with?”
He smirks, going back to his box. “She says your life is too empty, that’s why you’re so obsessed with work. She’s going to get you a woman.”
“Um, no.”
“Yes.” He pulls a stack of pictures from the box and sets them on the table. “That’s actually the real reason I asked you to come by. We’re all having dinner tomorrow night. It’s like a double date thing.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“’fraid not.” He holds up a picture of the two of us when we were eight or nine. I’m frowning in it. Much like I am right now. “Were you ever happy?”
I snatch the photo from his hand and set it on the table face down. “Never mind if I like to smile or not. Who am I being set up with?”
“I don’t know. Naomi won’t tell me.”
That can’t be a good sign.
“Look, Davi. All I know, is we have reservations for four at Mi Cocina’s at seven thirty and your ass better be sitting in a chair at that table at seven thirty-one.”