Page 131 of Someone Like You

‘Hotter,’ says the bride.

I’m about to protest, but a laugh tumbles out of my mouth instead. ‘Okay, okay,’ I say, standing and smoothing out my silk slip dress.

I angle my face in the mirror, checking out Nicole’s incredible work. In a matter of minutes, she has evened out my complexion, given me a smoky eye, and made my cheekbones pop. I tousle my hair, zhuzhing it to give it more of a sexy, bed-hair look.

I’ll admit it: compared with how I normally look, Iamhot.

I pull my shoulders back and lift my chin, meeting my own gaze steadily in the mirror. I may not be a tall, buxom heiress but I’ve got professional-level makeup, a good hair day, and proximity on my side.

Raff had better look out. I may give my family that Christmas miracle after all.

The ceremony was short and (very) sweet, which made many guests dab at their eyes with tissues and Aunt Christine keen as if she were at a funeral.

Immediately after the bride and groom kissed, I switched back into wedding-planner mode, ably assisted by Issy. Now the formal photos have been taken, the buffet’s been served, and enough wine has been poured that the makeshift dancefloor is wall-to-wall people dancing to Maroon 5’s ‘Moves Like Jagger’ – including Dad, who (sadly) dancesexactlylike Mick Jagger. You wouldn’t know from his freestyle moves that the man’s salsa skills are next level.

I watch the dancefloor for a few more moments, loving seeingeveryone enjoying themselves, then seek out Raff. It’s been go, go, go since we got here and he and I keep missing each other.

He’s in the den chatting with a co-worker of Monica’s I met earlier, a plucky, round-faced girl with a lithe dancer’s body and a lusty look on her face. She’s twirling a lock of her hair with one hand and touching Raff’s forearm with the other. Everything about her screams, ‘Let’s get out of here and get naked.’

Before the night of the Forty Under Forty party, I would never have considered myself a jealous person. Now, envy seems to have made itself at home. I should start charging it rent.

‘Hey, guys,’ I say – casual, friendly,breezy.

Dancer gal, whose name I’ve forgotten, glowers at me. I’m clearly cutting her grass, but she doesn’t know she’s third in line behind me.

‘Hello, Gabs,’ says Raff, leaning down to kiss my cheek. His breath smells like toasted honey, which must be from the sparkling wine – his glass is almost empty. ‘I was just telling—’ He stops short. ‘I’m so sorry, I’ve forgotten your name.’

Dancer gal doesnotlike that. She looks between us, frowning, and says, ‘It’s Heidi.’

‘Sorry,Heidi,’ continues Raff, seemingly none the wiser that she’s calculating how to extricate herself from this conversation. ‘Anyway, I was telling Heidi here about how you practically pulled off this entire wedding by yours?—’

‘Excuse me,’ says Heidi, interrupting. ‘I need the bathroom.’

She pushes past me, huffing as she leaves.

‘That was a bit rude,’ says Raff, looking perplexed. He seriously has no idea.

‘Come on, you beautiful idiot,’ I say, taking his hand. ‘I want to dance.’

‘All right, but why am I an idiot?’ he asks, trailing behind me.

One dance turns into five – Raff may be sexy, but there’s room for improvement on his dancing skills – and then the DJ announces that it’s time to cut the cake.

Two of the college-student waiters wheel it in on a butcher’s block they appropriated from the kitchen, draped in a white tablecloth.

There’s a chorus of ooh from the wedding guests, which isn’t surprising. It’sspectacular, especially now the roses have been added, and with the way the silver glitter and edible paint picks up the light, it looks luminescent.

‘Before we cut the cake,’ says Brian, stepping forward, Monica’s hand resting on the crook of his arm, ‘my wife and I’ – the ooh turns into an aww and the newlyweds beam at each other – ‘would like to thank a few people…’

He mentions his parents, who only made it to Seattle a few hours ago and appear weary but happy, and his brother who arrived late last night from Idaho to be his best man. He also gives a special mention to Bear, who was an admirable stand-in ring bearer. Bear lifts his head at the sound of his name, dropping it back onto his paws when he realises there’s no treat on offer, sending a ripple of laughter around the room.

Brian then gives a shout-out to my parents and Issy for their help yesterday and this morning, and profusely thanks Aunt Christine and Uncle Marv for being such wonderful, generous in-laws and for welcoming him into their family.

‘Now I can say I have parents in WichitaandSeattle.’

‘Oh!’ Aunt Christine howls. She buries her head into Uncle Marv’s shoulder, breaking into another bout of sobbing, and he pats her on the back.

‘And my turn,’ says Monica. She turns to Nicole and gives aspeech about friendship and how having Nicole as a friend is like having a sister. ‘Ditto, queen,’ Nicole replies, blotting under her eyes with the pads of her ring fingers.

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