Page 9 of Not the Plan

“I wasn’t gonna say anything,” she said. “But you look like shit.”

His jaw dropped, revealing a chocolate-smudged tooth.

“Eww!” she said, glancing at him. “Un-styled hair, bags under your eyes, and now you look like you’re missing a tooth.”

“You are such an asshole,” he said. He flipped his visor down to assess the damage, running a hand through his bangs and scrubbing at the offending chocolate with the tip of his tongue.

“Willing-to-be-honest-with-you asshole.” She shrugged. “That’s why you love me.”

“Guess I must.” He folded the chocolate box shut, then flicked the back of her arm, chuckling at her shriek. “There. Even.” She caught his grin before he turned his attention out the passenger-side window.

“Slumber party?” she asked, rubbing the sore spot on her arm once she’d stopped at a red light. “Or home in your own bed?”

“Slumber party,” he said, as the light turned green.

—

An insistent ringtone pulled Isadora awake. A quick glance at the clock confirmed it was far too early for her phone to be ringing. Especially since she’d had to drag herself to bed in the middle of the night, having fallen asleep on the couch with RJ after emptying a bottle of wine between the two of them. The phone ringing again and again could only be one person.

“Hello, Mother,” she sighed into the phone.

“Brace yourself, Izzy. I have some news.”

“Okay.”

“Try not to get too upset.”

“ ’K.”

Her mother sighed. “I don’t want you to take this too hard being so far away.”

Isadora ran a hand down her face. “Take what hard, Mother?”

“It really is a shame you’re so far away. I just don’t understand why you—”

“Mother,” Isadora groaned. “Is someone dead?”

“What? Oh no. Nothing like that. Although, you might feel quite bad when I tell you, but I don’t want you to give up hope.”

Isadora didn’t trust herself to say anything else.

“Sharee is getting married.”

“I’m sorry?” She clamped her hand over her mouth. Her voicehad been much louder than she’d intended. RJ groaned in the living room and the couch leather creaked.

“I know, honey, I know. It must be hard for you to hear—”

“In most families, a phone call before fivea.m.means someone has died.”

“Well, honey, for you it might feel like a death because now Sharee has someone and you are all alone.”

That was a backhand Isadora hadn’t seen coming, so her mouth was hanging open when RJ appeared in her doorway, half asleep.

“You called this early, woke me up, because a cousin I never talk to is getting married?”

“I just found out. I thought it was important to let you know as soon as possible. Especially since it should have been you walking down the aisle first. Your priorities are all wrong.”

Isadora rolled her eyes and sighed. “Getting married was such a mistake for you, why are you so hell-bent on me doing it?” The words had barely passed her lips before she was cursing herself for being too honest.

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