Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 69858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
“Only because I’m not good at multi-tasking,” I say, pulling my hand away before I lose my head. “Tonight and tomorrow, I’m maid of honor first and foremost. Then, I’m all yours.”
It’s true. I’m determined that Collette’s wedding weekend goes off without a hitch, and I won’t be able to do that as well if I’m constantly thinking about a quickie with Thomas.
Let me amend. I am constantly thinking about a quickie with Thomas, but thinking about it is different than acting on it.
However, it’s not the whole truth.
I’m also uncomfortably aware of being in the presence of his entire family tonight, and tomorrow at the wedding as well.
I’ll confess to being mildly curious about them, but wildly terrified. His other brother—the California start-up guy—seems harmless enough. A lot lanky, a little dorky, and quick to laugh.
His parents though—let’s just say Mary and Dean Decker are everything I’d feared when I’d imagined Thomas’s parents. They’re both incredibly attractive, in the expensive, perfectly groomed kind of way. His father looks like he should be giving a speech in Congress or dashing in an ER to perform heart surgery on the president.
And Mary—ah yes, Mary. The Mary. The woman who has inadvertently become an inside joke between Thomas and myself, a metaphorical ghost of our relationship.
But she’s not a ghost tonight, she’s here and she’s Mary. She’s a young sixty, if that, and looks better than most of the women here in a black sheath dress and really great heels. I’d sort of thought she’d have a “mom” haircut, a bob, or something, but her hair is just past her shoulders, thick and blonde, and if I had to guess from her toned calves, she’s a runner like her son, or has a personal trainer.
I snort at the thought, because it was a personal trainer that actually brought Thomas and I together when Kris stood me up that fateful night.
“What’s funny?” he asks, looking around the room.
“Nothing. This is a pretty great party. Your parents did an incredible job, especially considering they don’t live in the city.”
“My mom put in a lot of work,” he says with no small amount of pride. “Apparently she chatted with Collette’s wedding planner on a daily basis.” He leans forward and whispers, “I think she might think this night is more important than the actual wedding.”
I smile but I don’t really feel it, because I’m too distracted by a thought that I never thought would make me as glum as it does:
Thomas hasn’t introduced me. He hasn’t even mentioned introducing me.
Collette hasn’t either, but she’s understandably busy. And I could introduce myself, of course, and under any other circumstances, I probably would, because I’m the maid of honor, and saying thank you for the party is the polite thing to do.
But these aren’t just Jon’s parents, not just the groom’s parents, they’re Thomas’s parents.
And apparently he doesn’t want me to meet them.
For that matter, he hasn’t quite avoided me all night—we’ve both been busy—but it almost seems like he’s waiting until everyone is busy and a few glasses of wine in before seeking me out.
What’s that about?
“You going to eat all that?” Thomas asks, reaching for a peanut butter bar.
I smack his hand. “This is Collette’s plate. And actually, would you mind taking this over to her? I have to use the ladies’ room.”
“Sure,” he says, taking the plate, then gently grabbing my elbow with his other when I turn. “You okay?”
“Of course!” I smile, and his eyes narrow, but I pull away before he can study me in that way he has that sees straight to my soul.
It hadn’t been a line. I really do have to use the bathroom. I’m adjusting my dress—a cute, strapless blue number—when I come out of the stall and come up short when I see a woman standing at the sinks, reapplying lipstick.
Of course. Of course it would be Thomas’s mother. Apparently the universe seems determined to throw me in the path of all Deckers, not just Thomas.
“Hello there,” Thomas’s mother says, as she drops the lipstick back into her clutch and gives me a curious smile. “You’re Mac, right? Collette’s maid of honor?”
“Right, yes!” I say, stepping forward with a bright smile I usually reserve for meetings with my boss’s bosses. “And you’re the mother of the groom. I’ve been meaning to come over all night and tell you thank you so much for an amazing party.”
White half-lie. No big.
“Is it?” She laughs and puts a hand to her stomach, as though nervous. “I’ve been in knots about it for months. Dean thinks I’m being ridiculous, that Jon and Collette would have been happy to celebrate with family in our backyard, but I wanted it to be special.”
“Mission accomplished,” I say, liking her more than I expected to. Up close there’s a warmth about her that isn’t immediately apparent from afar.