Page 34 of It's Complicated

“What?” Kirsten intervenes. “No, you have to call him back and have him change it.”

“No, no,” I insist. “It really doesn’t matter.”

Aiden cleans his mouth with his napkin before saying, “Lori hates calling out servers when they make mistakes.”

“Ever since she spent four years in college part-time waitressing,” Jace concludes. He knows the full, couldn’t-talk-until-she-was-ten sob story, but I never told Aiden because I didn’t want to look lame in his eyes, so Jace is covering for me, at least in part. Because it’s also true that being a server for four years made me sensitive to how hard the job is, especially when dealing with complaints.

I shoot him a glance of gratitude before saying, “Aww, look how cute you are, finishing each other’s sentences.”

“Excuse me.” Kirsten has her arm up in the air, ignoring the entire conversation.

Our server hurries to our table immediately. “Yes, ma’am, how can I help?”

“My friend had ordered a different side,” Kirsten says.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. What did you have?”

Mortified, I look up at him. “The mushroom rice hot pot.”

The equally mortified server takes the cremini mushrooms away, saying, “I’ll be right back with the correct order on the house.”

“Thank you.” My voice comes out sort of strangled.

Kirsten smiles. “See, that wasn’t so bad.”

“No,” I agree, still wishing she’d kept quiet.

Jace leans into me. “Don’t worry, I’ll tip him 30 per cent.”

The promise makes me smile for two reasons. First, because it’s exactly what I would do, and second, because he’s just offered to pay. As if we were on a proper date. And I know we’re supposed to keep up appearances, but the gesture still makes me feel all ridiculously warm and fuzzy.

The warm sensation crashes as Kirsten opens her mouth again. “Why would you tip him so generously for bringing the wrong order?”

I could point out that now he has to give us my side for free, the total check will be lower and that to compensate we’re going to increase the tip, but I’m not sure Kirsten would get it. Her first job probably started the day she joined her father’s law firm with no student loans on her shoulders. So, there’d really be no point in trying to explain how a few bucks could make a lot of a difference to someone for whom every dollar counts.

Instead, I shift the conversation back to the only topic sure to distract her. “You said you’re going to have your tasting menu for the wedding reception tomorrow?”

“Oh, yes, what a nightmare. Can you believe they’re only letting us choose three appetizers?”

I take another sip of wine to hide my incredulity. Trying to keep a serious face, I ask, “Why? How many did you want?”

“At least five, but in smaller portions.”

I smirk at Aiden from across the table. He must hate this entire process.

Unfazed, he raises an eyebrow and asks, “But enough about us old, quasi-married folks. Let’s talk about you young people falling in love.”

My cheeks flame red and I glare at him. “Last time I checked, you were the baby of the group.”

“Only according to the registry office, Jace is clearly the least mature of the three of us.”

Jace theatrically puts his hands over his ears. “LALALALALALALALALALALA CAN’T HEAR YOU, DUDE.”

“You guys are hilarious,” Kirsten butts in.

No matter how hard I try to like her, Aiden’s fiancée makes the job really difficult. We don’t click. Kirsten is like this foreign body, trying to force herself into our previously perfectly balanced ecosystem. Well maybe not perfectly balanced, seeing how I’ve been spinning on my unrequited-love axis for fifteen years, but at least we had a certain harmony, until she showed up. Kirsten just isn’t one of us.

“Have you guys picked a honeymoon destination yet?” Jace asks, switching subject again after probably noticing how I’m staring daggers at the bride-to-be.

---