Page 4 of It's Complicated

Ah.

“Thank you, Denzel.”

A heartbeat later, three quick knocks come from the other side of the door.

When I open it, Lori storms into my apartment, cheeks red from the cold, chestnut hair tousled and falling in her face, beige coat billowing behind her. The scent of Chanel Coco Mademoiselle follows her, delivering the usual punch to my gut.

“Lori.” I close the door with a sigh and turn to her. “What’s—”

“Did you see this?” She brandishes an ivory envelope identical to the one lying unopened in my kitchen, flapping it back and forth.

I jerk my chin toward the counter. “Got mine today, too.”

Lori shoves one hand through her hair and huffs. “Why did he blindside us like this? We saw him, what, less than two hours ago at work, and he couldn’t have bothered telling us our invitations were coming in today, or that they’d picked a date?” Next, she points an accusing finger at me. “Did you know they’d set a date?”

“No, Lola, I didn’t. Maybe Aiden didn’t tell us we’d get the save-the-date cards tonight because he wasn’t sure when they’d be delivered. And I wouldn’t call this being blindsided. You knew this wedding was happening. The proposal and engagement party should’ve been strong enough clues. Hasn’t Kirsten already picked a dress?”

Lori waves me off dismissively as she paces around my living room. “Insignificant details. Twenty per cent of all engagements get called off—I checked the statistics.”

I follow her into the living room. “Which means the other 80 per cent don’t.”

Lori stops and faces me, her eyes wide as she throws up her arms in exasperation. “I always try to see the glass half full.”

“The optimistic part being Aiden’s engagement falling apart?”

“Or at least not being the shortest in history. Some engagements last for years. What’s the rush? I bet she’s the one pushing to move the date forward.” Lori grabs her chin as if pondering Kirsten being pushy, then she takes in my sporty clothes and asks, “Were you about to work out?”

“No, just ready to chill at home,” I lie, pointing at the invitation in her hands. “Have you opened it yet?” I can’t see if the seal is torn.

“No, have you?”

“Nope.”

“Should we do it together?”

I nod.

Lori drops her invitation and bag on the coffee table and takes off her coat, draping it on the backrest of the couch.

I grab the coat and make to hang it in the closet by the door. An unforgivable move, apparently.

“Can you pause your neat-freak habits for a second?” Lori scolds me. “I’m dying here.”

I put the coat away all the same and come back into the living room. “Sorry, Lola, not all of us thrive among clutter.”

And I must’ve said the wrong thing because her brown eyes widen and her lower lip trembles. “Do you think that’s why Aiden never liked me that way? Because I’m such a mess?”

Before she can start to full-on cry, I pull her into one of the rare hugs I allow myself to give her. “You’re not a mess, Lola, just a littlemessy.”

She hangs on to me like a stranded baby koala. I drop a kiss on top of her head and hate myself when I can’t resist smelling her hair. Coconut and shea butter. “Any guy would be lucky to have you.”

Lori pulls back with a glint in her eyes and a little smirk. “Even neat freaks like you?”

“Totally,” I say.

“So you wouldn’t mind me hogging the bathroom counter, or leaving dirty dishes in the sink to wash later, or forgetting food in the fridge until it rots?”

I struggle not to shiver at the list of capital offenses. “Nope, not a problem.” For her, I could overlook anything.

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