Page 26 of Third Time Lucky

‘Remember the wedding we imploded in Vegas?’ I ask.

‘Like I could ever forget. That might be the proudest I’ve ever been of you – standing up for some woman you barely know – doing the right thing even when it felt really,reallywrong. I still can’t believe you went through with it.’

It was easily the second scariest thing I’ve ever had to do. I was forced to listen to Kris – the ghost that connects us – and I had to save her. In honor of him, but also because she deserves so much better. It was sort of like an itch you have to scratch – you’ll excuse yourself from a crowded room to take care of it – and that’s what I did. I scratched the itch. And yeah, I felt better, at first – then I let my mind take over on the flight home and have pretty much worried about her ever since.

Never have I felt like that, besides the night I took her to her prom. She couldn’t sit at home, and no way was I letting her cry over Kris when she could be out making a memory that started her life over when grief made her feel like she had nothing left.

‘My gig is with the jolted bride, Lucy, and her wealthy grandmother.’

I can hear the phone shuffling as he probably drops it or stands up, giving his full attention to our conversation. Aaron is ADHD-positive. And he hates when I say it like that, which is why I do it. We’re brother’s, we razz one another, it’s fun. I can picture his hands in his hair right now.

‘Say what?’ he asks, his voice low and wary.

‘You heard me right.’

‘How do you feel about that?’ he asks as if I’m paying for his opinion.

‘I’m not disappointed.’

‘Interesting – why?’

‘No clue,’ I say honestly. ‘But I’m looking forward to it – and not entirely for the paycheck. It could be fun to catch up after all these years.’

‘In that case, holy shit! What’d she say when she saw you?’

‘At first, absolutely zero. It was terrifying. She just stood there, staring at me. I thought she’d died standing up.’

It was like she’d seen a ghost as she stared through me – glued to the floor at the sight of me – and for all I know, maybe she did. I know I do at times.

‘But then she started talking. At first awkwardly, then her grandmother got out the champagne and that helped. Though, I have a feeling she’s not handling this breakup as well as she pretends.’

I’ll never tell Aaron this, but I want to know why. Partly because I feel somewhat responsible for having thrown a live grenade into her wedding ceremony. But also because Lucy has had two serious relationships that I know of, and I’ve been there to witness the heartbreaking losses of both of them. Again, why?

‘Even I wish I had less details.’ He audibly shivers. ‘I hope you deleted that video.’

‘Was on my old phone.’

‘But is probably saved in the cloud,’ he says.

‘Then it’s safe, because I have no idea how to get to the cloud, so one day, my loved ones will find it and wonder.’

Aaron laughs. ‘That’s beautiful. You fuckin’ perv. Where you at?’

‘Home, and I’m not leaving. Where are you?’

‘Bar a block from my apartment.’

He goes there at least three times a week. If he eats one more of their loaded cheeseburgers, he’s going to need to get his cholesterol checked, and he’s barely twenty-six.

‘Bartenders know you by name in there yet?’

‘They have my drink ready by the time I reach the counter.’

‘Classy.’

‘Very.’

8

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