Page 61 of When We Had Forever
I laugh. “Yeah, because you look like Gisele Bündchen. Not because he cares about the hidden sugar content of tonic water.”
“Well...” Kate’s expression turns speculative. “Now that you mention it, Ididcatch him peeking down my cleavage. Which I’m blaming on you. Did you really have to pick something this low-cut?”
I give her a once-over. She looks stunning, in a violet A-line bridesmaid dress I chose specifically with her in mind. “I absolutely did. Because it’s my wedding, and I get to be upstaged by my maid of honor if I want. Now do me a favor and disappear this booze, will you?”
She snorts, then drains an entire flute in one go. “You say that like you’re trying to get rid of a body.”
I shrug. “Just about.”
“The things I do for you.” Kate goes to work on the second drink, then makes a shooing motion. “Now go on. Dance with your shiny new husband.”
I should do exactly that, but I linger. By this time tomorrow, my best friend will be back in Seagrove, and who knows when I’ll see her again. “In a second. It’s just so good to have you here. It’s been way too long.”
“It really has. Let’s never go this long again, okay?” Kate sets her empties on a nearby table and wraps me in a hug. “And thanks for making me part of your special day. And congratulations. And I love you. And have a kick-ass honeymoon, wherever you’re going.”
The grin I bury in her shoulder might actually qualify as shit eating. “Oh, trust me. That’s not going to be a problem.”
Outside the banquet room windows, dusk deepens, turning Lake Washington a rich shade of indigo. On the far shore, the suburbs of Seattle glimmer.
Inside, we dance and eat and cut cake, but Michael glances at his watch with increasing frequency. Shortly after nine, he takes my hand and steers me through the party, bidding our guests good night. My father hugs us. My mother cries. Once everyone is sufficiently thanked, Michael leads me out to the Audi.
When we get on the freeway heading south, toward Sea-Tac, an entire flock of butterflies hatches inside my belly. By unspoken agreement, we haven’t broached the subject of travel since I chose him. We’ve contented ourselves with a life of promotions and paychecks and all the necessary practicalities of adulthood.
But the daydreams have never strayed far from my mind. I’ve kept them near, like lit stars tucked in my back pocket. Old friends I might someday see again.
Michael grips the steering wheel, never straying from his customary ten-and-two. He sneaks a sidelong glance at me. “I’ve never seen you this excited before.”
I giggle. I’m about to make an oblique reference to Europe when my cell phone rings. I fish around in my clutch purse. It’s probably someone we missed on our way out, calling to see us off. But when I free the phone, the screen displays a bizarrely long string of numbers.
I frown. Someone’s calling me from...Mongolia?
“What?” Michael scans my expression. “Who is it?”
“I don’t know. A telemarketer, maybe? It says Mongolia. Are there call centers in Mongolia?”
“Mongolia?” His knuckles tighten around the wheel. “Really?”
I hesitate, momentarily thrown by the brittle edge in his tone. “That’s what it says.”
“Cancel it.”
“Why?”
“Because.” A muscle ticks in his jaw. “We don’t need some salesman ruining our evening.”
I nod and hit the red button, but a moment later, the phone rings again. This time, Michael grimaces and holds out his hand. I pass over the cell for him to answer.
“What?” he says.
I wince. Nohello. Just a single word, flat and hostile, and even though I also detest cold calls with the fire of a thousand suns, pity flares when I consider the poor soul on the line. Whoever he is, he’s probably just trying to feed his family. It’s not his fault that we have no need for foreign-sourced prescription drugs or whatever telemarketers are peddling these days.
“Yes,” Michael says, his voice cut from steel.
My frown deepens. Yes? Yes, what?Dowe need foreign-sourced prescription drugs?
“Yep. Yes, of course.” He glances over at me and pauses, then grimly announces, “Absolutely not.”
I raise my eyebrows in question.
