Page 14 of Like It's 1999

“Right. She loved it for exactly one day… until they went out for dinner with their so-called friends and my mom came home in tears, yelling at my dad.”

“Because?”

“I guess her friend also got a fur from her husband, but it cost twice what my dad paid.”

“Like, they talked about how much it cost?”

“Tacky, right? And also, never enough.” She claps her hands. “Unlike pranking people. Because even though you know there’s always another prank coming, it’s always fun coming up with the next one.” She wiggles in her seat. “Kate is going to be so impressed.”

“I hope you’re right.”

She winces. “I just hope Will has a sense of humor.”

I nod. “As long as you’re not making fun of Shakespeare, he does.”

She gasps. “Oh my god. That just gave me an idea. I need to talk to these friends of Laura’s.”

ALICE

“I thought you said this bridesmaid thing was going to be a lot of work.” Steve’s sitting next to me in the nail salon, but he leans in even closer to say this, sending a little shiver down my spine.

He smells so good that I’m wondering if all the guys I’ve dated are missing out on some essential step in the bathing process. “Well, it’s Kate. I knew things would be different with her, but she’s exceeded my expectations.”

The woman buffing Steve’s nails tugs on his hand. “You sure you don’t want polish?” She’s got to be kidding. Guys get manicures, but they don’t paint their nails.

Steve tips his head at me. “I’ll have what she’s having.”

His manicurist laughs. “For real?” I doubt it’s that she got theWhen Harry Met Sallyreference because she looks like she wishes she hadn’t opened her mouth. Shaking her head, she holds up the bottle of polish I brought in that’s the exact shade of my dress. This ain’t my first rodeo, y’all.

When Steve hesitates, I sing-song, “It’ll match your vest.”

He grins as he holds out his hands for the woman to paint, and my reaction is Pavlovian. I don’t drool exactly, but I do want to just dive in and swim around in those baby blues of his. If only my parents would deal with me dating a white guy.

Whoa, whoa, whoa Alice.Down, girl.You don’t fall for guys—no matter how delicious, no matter how many movies he’s devoured, no matter how perfect he seems. Falling leads to things that will never work out. No guy on earth that isn’t Korean will ever be accepted by my family. Not to mention, Steve is as commitment-phobic as I am.

So I batten down the hatches on my vagina and steer us to safer waters. “Is there anything else that’s not on Kate’s list that we need to finalize?” I whisper.

Steve leans close again, instantly undoing my efforts to keep things under control. “All players are cast,” he says out of the side of his mouth in a way that makes me laugh, damn him. “We just have to hope that the show works without a rehearsal since the stars have to be kept in the dark.”

“I can’t wait.” I beam an innocent smile at Kate, who looks like she’s got my number. Meanwhile, my mouth just keeps talking without any direction from my brain. “But maybe we should have one last meetup to go over it all before the rehearsal dinner?”

“Just name the time and place, and I’ll be there.”

All I can think about now is the time and place I’dliketo tell Steve to meet me: my hotel room, as soon as possible. My manicurist taps the back of my hands. “I need you to be still now, honey.”

Oops. Guess I was squirming. “Um, want to go for a run with me after this?” That’d be safe. No one looks good when they’re running.

He frowns. “Like… jogging?”

I make a face, but this is good. Finally, something I can hate him for. “No, Steve, likerunning.”

“Uh, I don’t run. I play sports. Like tennis and golf. With clients.”

“Running is a sport. Kate and I competed all through high school and college.”

He nods. “Yeah. Track. I get that. But it’s not a sport if you’re just by yourself.”

I shake my head. “It’s not my fault that there isn’t a race I can compete in every weekend like there are tennis and golf tournaments.”

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