Page 104 of Friend Me

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Headingthe party planning committee meant I was too busy to think—much—and too busy for self-pity. Mostly.

Asking me to rescue the party had been one of Jackson’s more brilliant ideas. Not that I’d admit it to him.

With all the calls I’d made, the food I’d tasted, the venues I’d visited, and the auditions I’d listened to, I hadn’t had time to mope about my first holiday alone in my new apartment without Dad.

But I didn’t spend Thanksgiving alone. Bayside Gardens had invited the residents’ families to a meal. And while Dad still wasn’t speaking to me over selling the house, throwing away his beloved recliner, and putting him into the nursing home, several times he’d gotten confused enough to be friendly. He’d called me Maggie and told me how nice I was to cook for all of his new friends. He looked healthy and well fed, and for that I was thankful.

After the meal, Alicia and Jackson picked me up and took me to their place for the long weekend, where I played video games with Sam and Noah. It was almost as good as having a family of my own.

And the week between the holiday and the party, I was definitely too busy to think about Tyler. I hadn’t seen him in twenty-five days—not that I was counting—since he’d stormed out of Jackson’s office. I hadn’t cuddled up inside Tyler’s sweater, which didn’t even smell much like him anymore, every time I’d felt lonely or sad. That would’ve been pathetic.

Which I totally was.

So I’d resolved to do something about it. My groveling had been ineffectual, and I’d figured out why: in romance novels, the groveling was always preceded by a grand gesture, performed by the character who’d most wronged the other. That was me for sure. I had to prove to Tyler I was sorry before he’d accept my grovel. You’d think someone who’d read as many novels and watched as many rom-coms as I had would’ve thought of this. But I’d had a lot on my mind.

I’d already asked Jackson for time off, and I was planning to fly down to Texas after Christmas. Like inWhen Harry Met Sally,I’d lay it all on the table and tell him I wanted to be more than his friend for the rest of our lives. If—and I knew it was a bigifafter how I’d treated him—he forgave me and still wanted me, we’d kiss on New Year’s Eve, and it’d seal us together forever.

Yes, I knew Texas was a big state, and I’d have to find him first, but I wasn’t above using Alicia for reconnaissance. Jackson would be no help; he was still pissed at Tyler for giving his official two weeks’ notice the day before the holiday party.

The night of the party, I smoothed the wrinkles from the flared skirt of my black cocktail dress.Not nervous at all.He probably wouldn’t even show. Most likely, he was still down in Texas. But a tiny hope burned under the draped neckline of my dress.

To distract myself, I surveyed the tables in the main room of the party boat we’d rented for the company holiday celebration. Once everyone was on board, we’d cruise the bay for a few hours while the employees and their guests ate dinner and danced. Somehow, the committee and I had made it look like we hadn’t thrown it together in only two weeks.

White linen draped the tables in the large function room. The darkened windows reflected a hundred tabletop candles. Vases of white roses and sprigs of blood-red berries topped each surface. Buffet tables stretched across the middle of the room, and soon they’d be loaded with hot food. The servers, holding trays of appetizers and glasses of wine, circulated among the early-arriving guests. I’d spent too much time planning the party to be hungry for the lettuce boats, crab beignets, and tiny avocado toasts I’d so carefully selected. It wasn’t because I was too anxious to eat.

After I’d finished approving the table settings and reviewing the schedule of activities, I stepped out onto the open deck. My stomach pitched like the waves below. Maybe it was because of the boat’s motion, or maybe it was nerves about possibly seeing Tyler again. Since we were still docked, I guessed the latter.

Alicia stepped off the gangway, stunning in her white evening gown. The beaded overlay on the bodice drew the eye from her bulging belly, draped in flowing fabric. She gripped Jackson’s sleeve—as usual, he looked delicious in a tuxedo—and dragged him toward me. Jackson’s sister Sam followed them. She wore a black sweater over black slacks. In the dark, she’d have been invisible except for her pale skin.

“Marlee, everything looks wonderful!”

I set down the tablet with my checklist and hugged Alicia.“Youlook wonderful. How are you feeling tonight?”

She hugged me tight and whispered in my ear, “I had my first Braxton-Hicks contractions today. But I’m keeping it on the down-low so Jackson doesn’t freak out. He’d make me pack my go-bag and practice racing to the hospital.”

I stepped back and beamed at her. “That’s great!” Seeing Jackson’s concerned look, I continued, “Great that you’re feeling so well. Jackson, you look fantastic as usual. Though, let me—” I rummaged in my bag and pulled out a lint roller. I squatted and rolled it over the bottoms of his pant legs. “I guess you were getting some love from Tigger before you left.”

He bent down to take the roller from me and whispered, “Have I got a surprise for you tonight.” He winked.

A surprise? Could it be Tyler? I watched Jackson run the roller over his ankles, hoping he’d enlighten me.

But he only straightened and said, “Tigger’s been a little anxious about all the changes for the baby. He and I bonded while we were waiting for Alicia to finish getting ready.”

Sam stepped into our circle. “Hey, Marlee, I haven’t seen you for a while. Just so you know, I emailed T—”

Jackson flung an arm over Sam’s shoulders, startling her into silence. “Remember what we said on the ride over. We’re not talking about that deserter tonight.”

I smiled weakly at Jackson. Saying Tyler’s name wouldn’t stop me from thinking about him. Though I appreciated the effort.

“But I thought she’d—”

“Don’t we all look nice.”

I hadn’t noticed Cooper’s approach. He shook Jackson’s hand and then Alicia’s. He extended a hand to me, and I shook it. For the first time in three years, I didn’t try to turn it into a hug or linger too long with his hand in mine. I didn’t pretend there were sparks. All my sparks were for the one person missing from our group tonight.

The ship’s captain’s voice crackled in my earpiece. “Ms. Rice, it’s time to push off. Is everyone on board?”

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