Page 70 of The Do-Over

“Daddy, what does real state development mean?” Lilah asked, looking up from the book she was reading now that she’d finished eating. My mother had barely contained her comment when Nate had allowed it at the table. “I thought you worked at—”

Nate cut her off. “Lilah, what are you reading about?”

She held up a book about animals. “Did you know a blue whale’s tongue weighs as much as a whole elephant?”

“That’s fascinating,” Daddy said with a chuckle. “Tell me more.”

Mom had other plans.

“Girls, I was thinking we need to plan another dress shopping day. I know the perfect dress is out there.” She turned to me. “And we need to talk about bridesmaid dresses. Do you think if we got a dress two sizes smaller, you could fit into it in a year? If you really, really tried?”

“Mom!” Phee said, at the same time Mimi shouted, “Bobbie Jo!”

I choked on a bite of ham and grabbed for my water glass but managed to knock my napkin, a knife, and a dinner roll off the table instead. I pushed my chair back and bent over. The biscuit had rolled under the table farther than I could reach. Which is how I found myself sitting under the dinner table during Easter lunch with my family and fake boyfriend.

I covered my face with my hands. This could not be my life.

“Hey, you okay?” It was Nate. Sitting right next to me. Under the table. Anytime the floor wanted to swallow me whole, that would be great. “I usually have to have a lot more alcohol in my system before I end up under a table.”

I laughed despite the strong desire to burst into tears.

Mimi and Mom were now arguing about Mom’s name change.

“What a mess.” I sniffled.

“Come here.” Nate wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me to his side.

I sagged against him and took a steadying breath. Warmth radiated through his shirt. “You need to stop being so nice about this.” Seriously, my heart couldn’t take it.

Now Phee and Joel Allen were arguing about wedding venues.

“I don’t mind. Really.” He gave my shoulders another squeeze. “So, what’s the plan here? Do we grab Lilah and sneak out? I could distract them by throwing brussels sprouts across the room.”

I pulled my head away and smiled. Our faces were inches apart and even though the light was dim, I could see the spray of tiny lines at the corners of his eyes and how his eyelashes were thick and straight. How had I ever thought he was un-handsome?

Dad was now trying to calm Mom down.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

For just a split second, I swore his eyes dropped to my mouth. “No problem.”

Mimi’s head appeared under the table. “You two gonna get back up here anytime soon?”

We got back in our seats just in time for Lilah to say, “Did you know kangaroos can’t fart?”

TWENTY-SEVEN

“The truth hurts, but it’ll heal.

On the other hand, lies tend to cut to the white meat and leave a scar for life.”

—MIMI

Wednesday evenings soon became my favorite night of the week. Nate had class and needed someone to watch Lilah. I had a wide-open social calendar and, besides, I liked Lilah. We had fun together, baking, watching television, painting our nails, or discussing the many illustrious qualities of whatever bird-of-the-week had caught her eye.

One evening in May, Nate knocked on my door just after dinner to drop Lilah off. Except Lilah wasn’t with him.

I leaned out the door and peeked down the hallway. “Where is she?”