Page 52 of January

Melinda laughed and said, “Let’s go check in and get ready. We’re already running late, and I’m not getting to this wedding while the bride is about to walk down the aisle.”

“Fine. I’ll let it go for now, but not forever.”

“By the time you bring it up again, though, she’ll likely be back home, so it’ll be irrelevant.”

They got out of the car and took their overnight bags into the lobby with them to check in. They’d saved money by getting one room with two beds, and since neither of them had any plans on hooking up with someone tonight, it wasn’t a problem. Getting ready with only one bathroom, on the other hand, was. They had to share the one outlet and sink and try to make their hair look as decent as they could, given the likely humidity they’d face from the walk to the car and into the church. Truthfully, though, Melinda didn’t care about how she looked today. She could only really think aboutKyle and that face, that disappointed face, and how much Melinda wished she could wipe that all away and start over.

Bridgette and Jill were both right: she could at least try. But Melinda knew herself, so she was worried. She didn’t want a long-distance relationship. She didn’t want to do the back and forth and wasn’t sure she could even get away as often as Kyle could because of work and the expense of it, which meant that if something did become real between the two of them, it would inevitably end in a fight after fight about Melinda not being able to visit or not wanting to leave New Orleans.

“Are you with me?” Bridgette asked her as they took the stairs into the church.

“I’m here,” she replied.

“You’re still thinking about her, aren’t you?”

“I’m thinking about everything,” Melinda told her.

The ceremony had been nice and short, which was a very good thing because there had been no air conditioning in the small church, and it had been crowded. Old-school hand fans had been on offer as wedding favors, but she hadn’t been smart enough to grab one before the ceremony, so when it ended, she was really happy to leave, with Bridgette in tow, and get out into the slightly cooler fresh air. Thankfully, the cardidhave air conditioning, and she blasted it as they drove to the site of the reception, which was a park and, therefore, outdoors.

“Hey, pretend you at least want to be here, okay? For me?” Bridgette said as they stood in line for their first drink of the night.

“Idowant to be here,” she argued.

“You’ve checked your phone about ten times since we left the church. You told her you’d be at this wedding. She’s not going to text you, Mel.”

“I know,” she replied. “I just… It doesn’t matter. Let’s get drinks and have some fun.”

A few minutes later, they got their drinks and sat down, talking to some people neither of them knew until it was timefor the meal. Then, they ate, talked to more people, drank some more, and they danced. When it was time for the bride and groom to head out, Melinda helped celebrate them with bubbles before she looked at Bridgette and silently asked if they could go back to their hotel now. Bridgette was talking to a friend of hers, though, and not paying attention, so Melinda went back to the bar, ordered another drink, and sat down at a round table. As she watched a few remaining couples on the dance floor, she thought about how much she’d like to dance with Kyle but that she’d never get the chance now.

She hadn’t checked her phone for over two hours, and even though she knew Kyle wouldn’t text, she was bored and figured she’d scroll social media until Bridgette was ready to go. She nearly spat out her drink when she saw that she had not one but two texts from Kyle from over an hour ago.

Kyle Schafer: Hey. I know you’re busy, but can we talk when you get a chance?

Kyle Schafer: It can be when you get back. Tomorrow, maybe. I don’t want to bother you.

Melinda smiled because she could picture Kyle typing those messages and probably looking all concerned and nervous, and it made her want to reach out and take Kyle’s hands to tell her that she had nothing to be worried about.

“Hi,” Melinda said when Kyle picked up the phone.

“Hey,” Kyle replied. “I didn’t expect to hear from you tonight.”

“I’m still at the reception, but it’s winding down. I hadn’t checked my phone in a while, or I would’ve texted you back, so I thought I’d just call to see if you were still up.”

“It’s only midnight,” Kyle said.

“And you’re such a party animal,” Melinda teased.

“I’m at the house. I checked out of the hotel, so I’m just going to stay here now. I’ve been going through things all day.”

“Is Jolie helping?”

“She is, but she passed out a while ago.” Kyle paused for a moment and then added, “She’s leaving, actually.”

“Oh?” Melinda moved the phone to her other ear.

“Yeah. She told me she wanted to go home. She’s done with being a tourist, I guess.”

Melinda bit her lower lip and asked, “And you? Are you done, too?”

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