Page 34 of Seeing You

“Didn’t Iris look beautiful?”

“Those flowers must have cost a fortune!”

“I heard her parents took out a second mortgage to pay for this wedding!”

“I never would have gone for something this elaborate. Small and intimate is much more romantic!”

Billie sipped her wine and smiled and nodded. She didn’t have strong feelings about any of it. She was just happy for her friend.

“Did you do the cake, Billie?” her friend Susan asked.

“I did,” she replied proudly. “It has four tiers with buttercream icing, and each tier has a different filling—strawberry, chocolate ganache, bananas, and cannoli. Plus, there are two cupcake towers, so there is something for everyone.”

“I don’t know how you do it,” her other friend Simone commented. “You must never get any sleep! How on earth do you have time to bake all the things you do during the week, plus everything you made for the wedding?”

“Well…I have helpers with all the baking. Plus, after all these years of doing it, I have it down to a science.”

“Yeah, but…maybe you should spend a little less time baking and more time…you know…finding someone and settling down,” Susan quietly said.

Well…shit.

“Susan!” her third friend, Caitlyn, hissed. “That was incredibly rude! Just because we’re all married with kids doesn’t mean that’s what everyone wants! Shame on you.” Then she reached for Billie’s free hand. “You do whatever makes you happy, Billie. And if that means baking and being single, then good for you!”

This so wasn’t the conversation she wanted to be having.

“Simone, how’s your daughter doing with her ballet? The last time I saw you, she was preparing for her recital!” Caitlyn asked.

It was the perfect change of subject and after that, each of her friends updated her on what their kids were doing. Billie wantedto ask where all of their husbands were, but she kept that catty question to herself.

After about an hour, the doors on the far side of the room opened and it looked like people were heading into the second reception hall. Suddenly, all the husbands joined them, and she felt like the odd man out.

“Billie, hey!” Caitlyn’s husband, Steve, said. “It’s good to see you!”

“Thanks, Steve! We haven’t seen you at the coffee shop in a while.”

“My doctor told me I needed to lose some weight so I’m trying to stay away from temptation,” he joked, but he moved in almost inappropriately close and whispered for her ears only, “Listen, I wanted to give you a heads-up because…well…Marcus is here. I don’t think anyone’s noticed, but I was talking to him out in the hall and…”

“Oh my God! Is that Marcus?” Simone whispered, and the next thing Billie knew, everyone was commenting and turning to look and see if it was him.

“Thanks, Steve,” she murmured before tossing back the last of her wine.

This was supposed to be her night, dammit—her night to feel a little sexy, a little wild, and to forget aboutthe kiss.

Look at him, she thought, standing there in his expensive Italian suit. Doesn’t he realize most of their friends weren’t impressed with flashy displays of wealth?

“That suit looks like it was custom-made for him,” Caitlyn said as she nudged Billie’s shoulder. “It should be illegal for a man to look that good. Yum.”

“Don’t you have a husband?” Billie snapped, shocking them both.

“I…I mean…I was just making a harmless observation. Steve knows I love him, but it’s perfectly normal to…you know…appreciate an attractive member of the opposite sex. Hell, right before the ceremony, Steve commented on how fit you looked.”

It certainly was noyum, but she supposed she’d take it.

“I just think it’s weird,” Billie murmured. “And disrespectful to your spouse.”

Beside her, Caitlyn snorted. “Please, we’ve been married for fifteen years. We haven’t been out by ourselves in months. Would you believe we actually got a hotel room for the night?” She laughed softly. “Trust me when I say the only man I’m interested in is Steve—no matter how good-looking any other man is, he’s the only one I want.”

That was sweet, but…

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