Page 79 of Cinderella Screwed Me Over
Tina invited the woman to look around, then walked up to Stephanie and me. “Come on back and I’ll show you the vases before we pack them up.”
“I can’t thank you enough for doing this last minute,” I said.
Stephanie and I followed Tina through a small door. The walk-in closet had that stuffy smell that comes from lack of fresh air. Various glass pieces dotted the shelves and the heart vases sat on a desk.
Steph picked one up and studied it. “They’re even prettier than the vases I special ordered.” The three of us started bubble wrapping and placing them into little square cardboard places in the box. “Do you have your maid of honor speech prepared yet?”
I ripped off a sheet of bubble wrap. “Not yet.”
“You’re not going to say anything anti-marriage or anti-love, right?”
“Do you really have to ask?”
Steph raised her eyebrows, answering by not answering.
I scowled at her. “I’m notthatbad. You know I want everything to go right for you on your big day. I’m sure I’ll find something great to say about love and the institution of marriage.”
Tina tucked the last vase inside the box, then straightened and stared at me. “I keep going back and forth on whether I should say something, but I can’t help myself. I’ve always been a loudmouth.”
I leaned against the table, waiting for whatever she was going to say.
“Jake could have his pick of nice girls, but for some reason, he always chooses girls who don’t appreciate him,” Tina said. “You know I like you. I think you’re funny, and you’ve been really great for my business. I just don’t think you’re good for Jake.”
Stunned would be an understatement. Stephanie stood there next to me, mouth hanging open, eyes wide, and I was sure my expression matched—if not surpassed—hers.
Tina lifted her chin, her jaw set. “Jake and I have been friends for a long time. He’s a great guy, and I feel like you’re messing with him. And he’ll let you because he likes you.”
I took a deep breath to steady my voice. “I’m not trying to mess with him. I told him from the beginning that I don’t do the big relationship thing. Maybe that doesn’t make sense to you or to him or to anyone. But this is who I am, and he says he’s okay with it.”
“He says that, but he’s lying. Lying to himself. I’m not going to give the whole ‘if you hurt him’ speech. All I’m saying is that if you really don’t think there’s something there, you shouldn’t waste any more of his time.”
Needless to say, things were a little weird after Tina’s speech. It was a relief when Steph and I finally made it back to my car. Steph stuck the box filled with her vases in the backseat, eased the door closed, and put a hand on my shoulder. “I totally get it. I’ve watched you get hurt over and over again.” Her eyes met mine. “But what if this time really is different? I don’t think you should dump him because of what Tina said. You’re not wasting his time.”
I bit my lip. “Despite my best efforts, I’m afraid I’m already too attached. I even tried to pull away, but it didn’t work. If I don’t have a good reason, I’ll just get sucked back in.” I leaned against my car, trying to figure out what I was going to do. “I need to find that thing that’ll eventually break us apart before I end up repeating all my past mistakes.”
“Just take him to meet Drew and Devin,” Stephanie said with a smile. “Those boys always cause fights between you and your boyfriends.”
I stared at her for a moment. Hadn’t I just rehashed how much conflict Robert and my clashing over our families had caused? “You’re right. I’ve got to put him through the real test before letting my guard down.”
Stephanie put her hands on my shoulders. “Darby, I was kidding. Don’t you have a rule about not taking a guy home until you absolutely have to?”
“I’ve already been breaking all the rules.” I shrugged. “What’s one more?”
…
Jake invited me to “come on in.”
His giant flat-screen TV was tuned to the Yankees game. One of the players spit, and with the hugeness and the high-defness, I saw—way too clearly—a leftover bubble of saliva on his lip.
“You’ve really got to be committed to be a baseball fan,” I said, sitting next to him on the couch. “There’s a game on, like, every night.”
“This one’s pretty much over.” Jake picked up the remote, hovered his finger over the power button, and watched the next play.
“Go ahead and watch it. You just owe me dessert afterward.”
Jake set his hand on my thigh and squeezed. “You’re awesome, you know that?”
I smiled at him. “I know.”
