Page 44 of The Plus One
Indira and Jude shot each other horrified looks, all sense of time darting out of their heads. How long had it been since they started this? Two days? Six months? Who was to know, being put on the spot like this?Dammit, Lauren.
Jude opened and closed his mouth a few times while Indira blinked.
“Great question,” Indira said, at last, turning to Lauren. “Remind me, how long have you and Chris been together? That helps me keep track. Minus a few weeks, I’m assuming.”
Lauren and Chris both had the decency to pale at that. Lizzie, gotta love her, gasped like she was watching a soap opera, smacking one hand to her mouth and using the other to dramatically grip Rake’s shoulder.
“Well, if things weren’t awkward before…” Thu said, shooting Indira a look.
“Sorry,” Indira said to the room at large, skin prickling and hot. “Excuse me.”
Indira made a beeline for the bathroom, locking the door behind her and propping her hands on the sink, staring at her flushed cheeks and wild hair.
What the hell was going on?
One touch should not undo her like this.
It was fake. All of it was fake.
So. Fake.
And getting very real… flutters… of the… pelvic region… wasnotsomething she should be experiencing from her older brother’s best friend. Satan himself. Indira needed to get her shit together.
She clapped her hands against her cheeks a few times before squeezing them together, making her lips pucker like a fish.
Shockingly, that didn’t do anything.
What’s wrong with you?she asked herself as she stared at her reflection. Like a bolt of lightning flashing across her brain, the thoughtI wish it weren’t fakejolted through her.
Indira slammed her eyes shut and shook her head like she was dislodging water. No. No, no, nope. That didn’t happen. No.
With a sigh, she washed her hands and left the bathroom.
Chatter punctuated with loud laughs filled the dining room as she returned. Everyone was seated around the table, cautiously dipping flower heads into the wax, no open seat in sight.
Lauren and Chris were seated at the nearest end of the table,holding flowers to each other’s noses as they gazed longingly at one another.
Gag.
Harper and Thu were near them, chatting away, while Lizzie kept reaching over and messing up Rake’s perfect arrangements, causing him to huff out defeated sighs mixed with indulgent smiles while she giggled and kissed his cheek.
Collin and Jeremy paced around the room, overseeing the progress with way too much intensity. Indira was tempted to trip Collin on his next pass.
Jude sat across from Chris, his spine curved and eyes darting around as different sudden noises battled for his attention. She took a moment to look at him, really look. Body like a rubber band. Dark hair. Long nose. Ears that stuck out and limbs that were endearingly gawky.
Her brain slowed down long enough to relearn his details—the freckle by his right temple. The subtle notch between his brows, marking his frequent frowns. The curl of his hair at the nape of his neck and the way his throat worked when he swallowed.
She’d known him her entire life, but this felt like the first time she was ever really seeing him.
He glanced at her, eyes shifting away then shooting back like he’d finally found a safe spot to dock. Indira walked to him.
“Okay?” she whispered into his ear, leaning down and pretending to inspect a maroon dahlia.
“Yeah. A bit, um…” Jude swallowed, then sucked in a deep breath.
Indira nodded. “I’ll bring over a chair. Sit tight, peanut.”
“Really don’t think the pet names are necessary.”
