Page 31 of Love Over Easy

“What about the man that runs the ferry?” Jennifer asks.

“That’s Rod Murphy,” Sadie explains. “He’s Bode’s uncle. He’s a bit old for me, but he’s handsome in a Rob Lowe kinda way.”

Kimberly squeals, which doesn’t seem like something she would do. Maybe she has margarita tongue too. “Oh my! You’re right. I’ve always thought he looked familiar. That’s why. He does look like Rob Lowe with longer, windblown hair.”

“He was really sweet to my sister on the ride over,” Jennifer says over the top of her drink and I pick up a vibe that she may be thinking about him for more than simply a ride to the island.

Suzie raises a single brow. “Hmmm, I hear interest in what you’re not saying.”

Jennifer sighs and sits back in her seat. “What I am saying is I’m so over men. I’m happy with my pleasure coming from my nightstand and I don’t have to put up with all the complications that come with a relationship.”

Jennifer hiccups and holds her glass up for a silent “cheers” to that statement. By this time, I’m pretty sure we are all on our way to drunk.

Sadie sits up too quickly and almost upsets her drink. She makes a grab for it and says, “Oh, my God, y’all. I had a neighbor once that used an electric toothbrush as a vibrator.”

We all snicker and I ask, “Do I want to ask how you know that?”

Flailing arms like helicopter blades, she recounts the story. “It’s one of those that plays music while you brush. Our bedrooms were beside each other’s and I thought she was just very thorough in her brushing. She was always smiling when I saw her in the halls. But one night, she knocked on my door, asking for batteries. Right after she left, I heard the music playing again. It took her six repeats to, you know, get there. I always wondered why she moaned while she was brushing. I thought she really enjoyed clean teeth.”

We erupt with laughter. When we calm, Kimberly stumbles inside and comes back with another margarita pitcher. “Who wants a refill?”

“So, Kimberly, when’s the wedding?” Brandy asks as Kimberly goes around refilling our glasses.

Kimberly’s jaw tightens. “I have no idea and can we talk about something else.”

The group of us pause and our eyes seek each other’s in question. “What? I thought you couldn’t wait to marry Bode,” Melissa says.

Kimberly slumps in her chair. “I can’t. If I could marry him right this minute, I would.”

“So what’s the problem?” Suzie asks.

I can see the stress on Kimberly’s face. “My mother. Every time Bode and I come up with a date, she finds something wrong with it. It’s too close to a holiday or that’s a rainy time of the year, or do you really want to sweat at your wedding?”

“So have her come up with a date,” Brandy offers.

“I tried that. She said she’d have her assistant check the calendar and she’d get back to us. She says we need at least a year to plan a proper wedding and I don’t want to wait that long.”

Melissa quietly asks, “What does Bode say?”

“He’s been very sweet about it, but I can tell his patience is nearing its end. I try to keep my stress level to myself, but he picks up on it. He says we should just pick a date and stick to it.”

“I agree with Bode. You can’t let your mom make decisions about your wedding,” Sadie says.

Kimberly scoffs and takes a big sip of her drink. “She’s already picked out the venue, the caterers, and has my wedding party being fitted for dresses and tuxedos that I’ve never even seen.”

I don’t know much about weddings, but that sounds pretty drastic. I’ve never thought about getting married. Who would put up with my lifestyle? Exactly nobody.

Brandy says, “Wow. I didn’t know you were that far along with your plans.”

Kimberly’s eyes fill with frustrated tears. “I’m not. I don’t even know some of the bridesmaids. They are distant cousins she says would be highly insulted if they weren’t included.”

I’m not sure Kimberly realizes it, but the whole time she’s been talking, she’s been scratching her arms and neck. This is more upsetting to her than she thinks.

“What do you want for a wedding?” I ask.

She points toward the beach. “I’d like to get married out there on the sand by the sea. Just before dusk so the colors in the sky would reflect off the water. And it would be small. Less than twenty people, not over five hundred like my mom plans. Did I tell you she’s even sent me three designer wedding dresses to choose from? I hate all three. They’re big and pretentious and have millions of seed pearls, sequins, and yards of lace. I want something simple. In fact, I’d love to wear this vintage dress I found in the attic. I don’t know the story behind it but whoever owned it must have cherished it deeply because they’d wrapped and preserved the gown very carefully. It’s a sweet dress and would be beautiful, and I’d go barefoot so I could feel the sand under my toes.”

As Kimberly talks about the wedding of her dreams, her scratching slows and stops. She sighs with a content smile on her face. I hope she gets that wedding. It sounds incredible to me.

---