Page 56 of The One I Love
So much for being stealth.
“Don’t worry about it,” I say, putting away my phone.
“It was!” Simon says as he moves to sit on the literal edge of his seat. “Bring her Friday. That will help ease the awkward.”
“I’m not bringing her,” I say. “Friday is about Oliver and Izzy.”
Wes clears his throat aggressively. “Again, I’d like to ask, who the hell is Mary?”
“Shane’s secret girlfriend,” Simon says. “He went out with her last week and had me get him reservations and he let me buy him dark wash jeans.”
This makes Wes’s jaw actually drop. “No fucking way.”
“Fucking way,” Simon says. “But he won’t tell me her name, so I call her Mary.”
“Wow,” Wes says, shaking his head a bit. “Oliver married? Shane in a relationship? I didn’t get the memo that the pigs started flying. Next thing we know, Simon will settle down.”
“Whoa! Watch it,” Simon says. “Let’s not get crazy. Plus, this is about Shane and Mary and us getting to meet her.”
I deflect their attempts to get me to bring “Mary” on Friday, all the while laughing my ass off on the inside that she’ll be there. I know Amelia wanted to keep this a secret as to not rock the boat. But now I have an added bonus—screwing with Simon.
“Beers all around,” Oliver announces as he and Betsy return, which is coincidentally when my phone vibrates again.
Amelia: You noticed I had on new lipstick?
Shane: Of course. It made me want to kiss you even more.
Amelia: When are you leaving?
Shane: Oliver just brought us another beer. Why?
Amelia: Because I want to kiss you.
Shane: What about the kids?
Amelia: I didn’t go home yet. I’m sitting at the end of Oliver’s street, because I was thirty seconds out of the driveway when I realized I wanted to kiss you and that was before you noticed I had on lipstick.
Shane: Don’t go anywhere.
I basically jump off Oliver’s couch.
“All right, I’m out of here.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Yup. Gotta go.”
“Yeah, you do,” Simon says. “Tell Mary we said hi.”
“Will do.”
“Yes! Get it, my man! Don’t forget to wrap it!”
“Who’s Mary?”
Oliver’s question is the last thing I hear as I nearly run out the door. I know they’re probably having a few jokes at my expense, and having to deal with twenty questions from Oliver, but I don’t give two shits right now.
I’ve got to go kiss my girl.
