Chocolate for Two (7 page)

I took a sip of my wine. “You really think I have such horrible taste?”

She shook her head. “It’s not you, it’s the dresses.
All
bridesmaids’ dresses are ugly. Just like all cab drivers are weird, and all musicians are good in bed. It comes with the territory.”

I laughed. “What was that last part?”

“You heard me.”

“All musicians are good in bed?”

She nodded.

“Why, exactly?”

She gave me a look. “Think about it.”

I thought about it.

Huh?

“You mean because they sleep with so many women?”

“No.”

I held my palms up. “Then what?”

She pretended to play a guitar. “They’re good with their
hands
.”

My eyes got big.

“We’ve never talked about this before?” she said.

I laughed and shook my head. “Definitely not. I would remember a conversation like this.”

She shrugged. “Well, it’s true. And it’s not just musicians.”

“It’s not?”

“Nope. Mechanics, surgeons, any guy who works with his hands.
Amazing
.”

“And to think I’ve made it this long without possessing this information.”

She shrugged. “Live and learn.”

“Andie, I never stop learning from you.”

“And you never will.”

I laughed and picked up my wineglass. “I’m glad. Anyhow, getting back on topic, I was actually thinking maybe I wouldn’t do the bridesmaids thing this time.”

“For real?”

I nodded. “I just feel like I’ve done it already, you know? I mean, even though I didn’t actually
get married
last time, I just…just don’t think I want to do it all again.”

“Are you afraid the same thing’s going to happen?”

I shook my head. “No, it’s not that. It’s almost…the opposite.”

She finished her drink and gestured to the bartender for another round. “How so?”

I slouched on the stool. “I hope I can explain it right…”

“Try me.”

“Because I’ve only just started to process it like this…I guess…as a comparison…so I don’t quite have my head wrapped around it yet…”

She made a
Keep talking
motion with her hand.

I sat up straight. “Okay, here’s the deal. With the benefit of
hindsight
, mind you…I now realize that once Aaron and I got engaged, from that moment on, so much of my life was about the
wedding
, you know? The ring part, the dress part, the
getting
married part. With Aaron, that eclipsed everything that was supposed to come after.”

“But…with Jake?”

I smiled, my heart doing a little flutter at the thought of him. “But with Jake…I know this may sound really sappy, but with Jake…what I really care about is the
being
married part. Does that…does that make sense?”

She slowly shook her head.

“It doesn’t?” I asked.

“That’s not why I’m shaking my head.”

“Then why are you shaking your head?”

“This is a
wow
head shake.”

“Huh?”

“As in
wow
, you really love that man.”

I blushed. “Is what I just said pathetic? Am I pathetic?”

She laughed. “Pathetic? No? Hopelessly romantic? Yes. Very much in love? Obviously. I’m just really happy for you.”

It took a while, but full drinks eventually appeared in front of us again. I picked up my glass and gave her a sheepish look. “So you don’t think it’s weird that I don’t want to do the whole traditional wedding thing again? I’m afraid people might think it’s weird. Especially Jake’s parents.”

She shook her head. “Definitely not. And who cares what they think, anyway? It’s your wedding, not theirs.”

I leaned toward her, probably speaking way louder than I thought I was. “Because I was thinking it would be cool to do something small—I mean,
really
small.” I sat back, a bit unsteadily, and tapped two fingers against my temple. “That’s as far as I’ve gotten, though.” I could feel myself transitioning from tipsy to very tipsy.

She laughed and put a hand over mine. “I hate to break it to you,
honey
, but that isn’t much of a plan. It sounds like an amazing start to me, though.”

I smiled. “Thanks. I’m glad you don’t think I’m a bad bride.”

“A bad bride? Please. As far as I’m concerned, not having bridesmaids makes you the most awesome bride in the history of time.”

I let out a little hiccup and reached for my purse. “Should I text Jake to tell him how much I love him?”

She laughed at me. “Good lord, girl, you are
whipped
.” She picked up a cocktail menu. “Now let’s order some fancy Wall
Street drinks. Maybe a little something with
whipped
cream on top.”

“So, what about you and Nick? Are things still…good?”

She shook her head. “Not tonight, dearie. Tonight we’re celebrating
you
.”

She was clearly deflecting my questions; there was no use in pretending otherwise. But even after multiple glasses of wine, I knew better than to press the issue with her. So instead I sent Jake a flurry of texts while she ordered us more drinks:

First text:
Hi hndsom

Second text:
Have I tolf you latly how hansome u are?

Third text:
Here a limtle somthing to get u in the trabel mood for tomroow

Fourth text:
Wht did Geronimo yell whn he jumpd out of the plane?

Fifth text:
Okay, waait for it….

Sixth text:
MEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Seventh text:
Ha ha ha I loooooooooooove u lots, xoxo

“I can’t believe we have to meet your parents for dinner in an hour.” I leaned across the hotel sink to study the unsightly dark circles under my eyes. “They’re totally going to know I was out late drinking last night. Can I wear dark sunglasses in the restaurant?”

Jake laughed from the bedroom. “I
knew
you two were going to get into trouble. Don’t pretend like I didn’t call this one.”

I frowned at the mirror. “I forgot how powerful that girl is. For such a tiny person, she’s like a Jedi Knight the way she can get me to do anything. It’s not fair.”

“Oh yes, it’s entirely
Andie’s
fault that you have a hangover.”

I poked my head out of the bathroom and pointed at him. “Hey now, we’re getting married. You have to support me in everything I do now.”

He laughed. “Where exactly does it say in the marriage handbook that I have to support your decision to get hammered the night before we have dinner with my parents?”

“I wasn’t hammered. I was…mildly intoxicated.”

He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Do you want me to show you the text messages?”

I cringed and held my hands up in a cross in front of my face. “No, thank you, I don’t need to see the evidence.”

“Come on now, they were cute.”

I shook my head and walked from the bathroom to the closet in my bra and underwear. “You are way too nice. We both know I was trashed and acting like an idiot.” I pulled out two dresses and held them up in front of me. “So, which one should I wear to dinner, black or red?”

He looked up at me. “Can you just wear what you have on now?”

“Your parents would love that. So which one?”

“Which one are you wearing to the party tomorrow?”

“Neither.”

“Then I’d go for the black. My mom might make a comment about the red being flashy or something.”

I tossed both dresses on the bed and put my hands on my waist. “Maybe I should just wear a flannel turtleneck dress. Would
that
make her happy?”

He stood up and put his arms around me. “Don’t worry so much about my mom. Besides, it’s like eighty degrees out. Flannel makes no one happy when it’s eighty degrees out.”

I hugged him tight. “I just want her to like me, Jake. Why doesn’t she like me?”

“She likes you fine.”

“Not as much as she likes Holly.” Holly was Jake’s pretty ex-girlfriend. I gathered Jake’s mom thought she was the embodiment of perfection, but Jake was too polite to go into any detail about it.

“That’s not true.”

“You’re such a bad liar.”

He smoothed my hair with his hand. “She’ll learn to love you. I know she will. She’s just…tough.”

I looked up at him and smiled. “Can you believe we’re really getting married?”

He put his chin on my head. “Yes, and I can’t wait.”

I took a step back. “Speaking of which, I guess we should probably pick a date at some point.”

“You tell me when and where to show up, and I’ll be there.”

“Hold it, mister, just because I’m the bride, that doesn’t mean I want to do all the planning. Maybe you should do it.”

“Maybe
I
should do it?”

I shrugged. “Why not?”

“You mean
all
of it?”

I shrugged again. “If you’d like. I’ve sort of got a lot on my plate right now, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

He laughed. “I’ve noticed. And I’m more than happy to plan the wedding
with
you.
With
being the operative word.”

“It would be nice just to enjoy being engaged for a while, don’t you think? I mean, what’s the rush to jump into the crazy planning phase? Even for just a simple wedding, it’s going to take work.”

He put his arms around me again. “You know what I think?”

“What?”

“I think that as long as you’re with me, I don’t care about anything else. That’s what I think.”

I buried my face in his chest. “It is impossible to stay annoyed with you.”

“If she brings up Holly, I’m going to lose it.”

Jake held the door open for me. “I’d say the odds are sixty-forty.”

I stopped walking and looked up at him. “Sixty-forty which way?”

He laughed and took my hand. “I don’t think you want to know the answer to that question.”

“I can still call it off, you know. Just watch me.”

“I dare you.”

We were meeting Jake’s parents at a restaurant called Café Boulud at the Brazilian Court Hotel in Palm Beach. The maître d’ said they’d already arrived and led us to a table outside to join them. I took in my surroundings as we walked. The place was undeniably posh, with a chic, expensive vibe that made me feel decidedly not chic. I hoped my discount dress was fancy enough.

As we approached the table, Jake’s dad smiled and stood up.

“Well, hello there!” He and Jake shook hands, and then he surprised me with a bear hug.

“Welcome to Florida, Waverly! Welcome to the McIntyre family! We’re just delighted about this, absolutely delighted.” He squeezed me with genuine affection.

I smiled at him. “Thanks, Mr. McIntyre. I’m pretty delighted too.”

“Please, call me Walt.”

“Okay,” I said, suddenly shy.

“Hi, Mom.” Jake leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. She smiled politely at both of us but remained seated.

“Hello, Jake. Hello, Waverly. It’s lovely to see you both.” The difference in tone between her greeting and her husband’s was impossible to ignore.

I mustered all the fake confidence I could, then forced a smile. “Hi, Mrs. McIntyre.” We both knew there was no way I’d be calling her
Ava.
“Thank you so much for sending me the gifts. I really appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome. I thought you might find them helpful.”

“First things first, let’s see that ring, young lady,” Jake’s dad said.

I kept smiling as I held up my hand.

He nodded and looked at Jake. “Nice work, son.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Jake said.

“It’s lovely,” Jake’s mom said.

“Please, have a seat.” Jake’s dad pulled out my chair for me. “How was the flight down?”

I was briefly tempted to tell him I felt ill the whole trip because I was so hungover, but I rapidly came to my senses when I saw the delicate strand of pearls draped around Mrs. McIntyre’s neck.

“Uneventful.” I squeezed Jake’s thigh under the table. He chuckled, understanding that the contact was a stern warning not to blab about my condition.

The waiter appeared out of nowhere with an open bottle of wine.

“Would you like a glass of pinot noir?” he asked us. Jake looked at me, and I kicked his foot under the table.

I covered my wineglass with my hand. “I think I’m good with water tonight, thanks.”

“I’d love some, thanks,” Jake said, kicking me back.

Mrs. McIntyre looked at me and smiled formally. “How do you like the Jupiter Beach Resort? Isn’t it charming?”

I hesitated, unsure how to respond. Call it the thrill of being on a mini-vacation, but Jake and I had pretty much beelined from the rental car place…right to our hotel room bed. I could feel myself blush and hoped what we’d just been doing wasn’t written all over my face.

I glanced at Jake, who was clearly trying not to laugh. Then I nodded enthusiastically at both his mom and his dad. “Oh yes, it’s gorgeous. I can’t wait to check out the pool tomorrow.”

“You and Holly stayed there after Tom and Susan Henderson’s wedding, didn’t you?” she said to Jake. “That was such a lovely reception.”

He ignored her. “Dad, do you think I should get the salmon or the snapper?”