Page 22 of Take Me to the Wedding

“Oh, honey, you’re welcome. I had the best time.”

How had Sam found the perfect compromise for my Walmart-loving mom? I didn’t know. But I was in awe.

I barely heard my mom ask me a question. “Where are you headed now, Caleb?”

“I’m going to walk Lilly back to her shop.” I turned to Lilly. “If that’s good with you.”

“Of course. Sure. We can catch up a little more.”

“Nice seeing you, Lilly,” my mom said with a wave.

“Great to finally meet you,” Sam added.

I gave a nod to both of them, making sure to barely look at Sam. I did not want Lilly thinking… well, anything. As we walked out of the dress shop and I held the door, Lilly said, “I thought Ani said you and Sam didn’t get along very well.”

“We’ve definitely had our moments,” I said. “But Sam’s all right.” She really wasn’t all right. She was stubborn and outspoken and a pain in the ass.

“That’s pretty funny that your mom found a dress there of all places.”

“My momisthe thrift queen.”

Lilly fell silent. I knew that she was most definitely not a thrifter. I didn’t know if her silence meant she was impressed or was thinking that thrift stores were not for the likes of her. Finally she spoke. “That orange color is really wild. Not many people could pull that off.”

She was talking, of course, about the dress Sam had on. “That must be a girl thing,” I said. “Guys don’t really notice that stuff.” The last thing I wanted to do was make her worried that I was noticing Sam.

Because I absolutely was not.

ChapterSeven

Samantha

As Mrs. D. collected our bags and her stuff, I perused a rack of extreme markdowns, my favorite thing. But I was distracted—I couldn’t help but notice Caleb and Lilly walk out together, laughing and talking in quiet tones. He opened the door and momentarily rested a hand on her back as they walked out of the shop and onto the street.

They were perfect together. A stunning couple, actually.

It threw me. Maybe because I’m so competitive. I guess I felt uncomfortable because my vexatious colleague was finding love and I wasn’t?

I realized that Mrs. D. was quietly standing there, assessing me. I took a random item off the rack and checked it out. Unfortunately, it was a neon green bodysuit with side cut-outs and rhinestones surrounding a deep V neck. Perfect for my next space adventure.

“Lilly’s very pretty,” I said to fill the silence. The last thing I wanted was for her to think I was—God forbid—jealous or something. Just because she was petite, blond and fair to my totally black hair and more ruddy complexion, polite and sweet to my sometimes brash outspokenness.

But I wasnotjealous. One did not get jealous of the would-be girlfriend of someone they disliked intensely.

“Yes, she is,” Mrs. D. agreed. Which told me zero about how she felt about Caleb wanting to get back with Lilly. Not that it was my business, but well, I couldn’t help but be curious.

“And she seems very nice,” I said politely. I went to hang up the jumpsuit, but the slinky fabric made it slide straight to the floor, so I had to stoop to pick it up. “Just the fact that she came over here with Caleb is a good thing, right? Maybe she’s really considering giving him another chance.” I used a bright tone to make my intentions crystal clear.

“Samantha, may I ask you a question?” Mrs. D. put a hand gently on my arm, which made me stop trying to adjust the dress as it once again slid down the hanger. “Why do you care if Caleb gets back together with Lilly when you two don’t even get along that well?”

Blood rushed in a hot flood to my cheeks. My stomach gave a nervous flop. “Um, I’m an altruist?” She stared at me as I shuffled nervously from one foot to the other. “A matchmaker at heart?” It was clear that she wasn’t buying that either. One look into her kind, concerned eyes and I was done for. It was as if she saw clear through everything deep inside me, the good, the bad, and the desperate.

At that moment, all kinds of buried feelings swelled up. Longing for someone to confide in, to confess, to accept me just as I was, faults and all. I’d never had a mother like that, so why should the yearning be so very primal? “Because I did something awful to Caleb regarding Lilly,” I blurted.

Frowning, Mrs. D. grabbed my arm and led me to a canary-yellow velvet-covered circa-1960s couch. I don’t know what I was expecting. A lecture? A scolding? But all she did was smile.

How can a smile alone make you want to tear up?

She grabbed my hand before I could mentally put up my guard. “Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad.” She squeezed my hand tight. “I mean, he and Lilly are walking around town together, right?”

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