Page 22 of Save the Date

“I know that probably sounds a bit intense.”

“Not necessarily. Weddings are expensive. And if you already have the venue…” Rob gazed at her with what appeared to be excitement. “When’s the date?”

“August 29. Of this year.”

Rob looked at his Apple watch and seemed to do a quick calculation. “That should be more than enough time to get my family out here. That is—” he leaned in and cupped his giant hand under her chin in what she guessed was supposed to be a romantic gesture, but ultimately felt infantilizing “—if you’re askingmeto marry you.”

Emma felt her stomach turn as she jumped up from the couch. “I have to go!”

“What?”

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I thought… I don’t know what I thought but this isn’t going to work out.”

Rob’s eyes flashed with hurt. “Then why did you just ask me to marry you?”

Emma searched around for her purse, located it and made her way toward the door. “I didn’t mean to! I thought if I told you my plan in the bluntest way possible you would be freaked out by it and ask me to leave. But I can see now that was misguided.”

“Why do you want to leave? And what do you mean your ‘plan’? Are you really trying to find a replacement groom or not?”

“Sort of. Not a replacement though. More of an upgrade.”

Rob followed her to the door. Emma was quickly learning that all her professional training on delicate delivery of tough information went away the moment she was the one in crisis.

“I see. And I’m not an upgrade so you were trying to get rid of me?” Rob appeared on the verge of tears.

Emma took a deep breath and tried to regain some control over the deteriorating situation. She reached for his hand as a rush of thoughts shot through her. “Rob, I swear this isn’t about you. I’m a mess right now. I came up with this completely delusional idea that if I could find a different groom in time for my original wedding, I could avoid all the hurt and pain that comes with being left.” Emma barked out a laugh. “I even let myself think I could be an inspiration to other people. I thought I could reinvent marriage, for Christ’s sake! But saying it all out loud to you just now made me realize how bananas the whole idea is. I clearly need to take a break from dating and get back to healing. I hope you can understand.”

A moment passed and then Rob squeezed her hand three times as if they had some sort of secret signal. “I understand. Thank you for being honest. And if you ever feel ready to get back out there, you know where to find me.” He opened the door, and she looked back at him one more time.

“Thank you. For everything.”

He nodded solemnly before blowing her a kiss.

As Emma walked toward the elevator, she sent a mental thank you to her high school drama teacher whose years-old guidance had just allowed her to give the performance of a lifetime. It had been so convincing she’d almost believed it herself.

As the elevator descended, Emma opened Hinge and sent Will a quick message officially asking him out.

She was ready to meet. And she was ready to marry.

Ten

EMMA DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH HER ARMS.Normally she was on her phone or holding client notes or gesticulating wildly as she told a story. But now that she was standing alone on a sidewalk waiting to meet Will, she felt the burden of having to look calm and casual. She didn’t want his first image of her to be her head buried in Instagram, because she didn’t want it to be extremely obvious that she needed constant stimulation to avoid an overwhelming sense of dread. He could learn that about her later.

Emma decided to try holding and stroking her own hand. It was a self-soothing technique that worked more often than she expected. As her right thumb caressed the stretch of skin between her left thumb and index finger, she felt the pounding in her chest start to calm down. Emma tried to remember that she was physically safe. Even if her body wanted her to flee and never go on a first date ever again.

“Laura?”

Emma turned and found a guy who looked exactly like Will staring at her. He was dressed in a fashionably understated lightsweater and jeans. His combo of blond hair and blue eyes looked like it was right out of a J.Crew catalog.

“Are you Laura? Because I got this mysterious letter in the mail that said if I showed up here on this day and time and met a girl named Laura, I might be able to save the world.”

“No, sorry.” Emma smiled, catching on. “I’m actually here todestroythe world.”

“Just my luck! Have a good one. And please spare my family.” The guy took off down the street and for a very brief moment, Emma wondered if that actually was Will’s doppelgänger on some sort of magical quest. But then Will spun around and grinned at her.

“I got you for a second.”

“No way. I was just going along with the bit.”

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