Page 82 of The Plus Ones

Page List

Font Size:

“I think it’s safe to say I’m falling in love with her,” I say to Chase and Matt as we’re walking down to the resort’s nightclub. “Hard.”

Chase pats me on the back. “How’s she treating you?”

I exhale slowly as I stare at the ground and shove my hands into my pockets. “Pretty much how you’d expect. And also in the most surprising ways imaginable.”

“You should tryconverge-satingwith her,” Matt offers.

“What?”

“It’s this thing that Bernie’s parents do, and we’ve done it a few times. It’s where you both talk about your shit until you sort of merge with the other person. It’s not as bad as it sounds.”

“I’m not doing that.”

“Fair enough.”

20

Roxy

“I’m falling for him. Hard,” I mutter to Aimee and Bernadette. We’re walking twenty paces behind the guys as we make our way down to the nightclub. “It’s insane. It’s so hopelessly crazy.” And I can’t believe I’m having this conversation on Valentine’s Day—the dumbest day of the year.

Aimee squeezes my arm. “Dude. If there’s a zombie apocalypse, Keaton would totally pay someone to protect you.”

“He’s such a good guy now. What are you afraid of?” Bernadette asks.

“It’s not Keaton I’m afraid of, so much as who I’ll be if I’m with him.”

Bernadette screws up her face. “Mrs. Bridges?”

“A mess.”

“Being vulnerable is not the same as being a mess,” Aimee insists.

“It is the way I do it. Don’t you remember?”

She shakes her head slowly. Of course she doesn’t remember. Why would she? She’s had a career and a husband and a kid since then.

“It’s not that I don’t remember the way you were, Rox, it’s that I see who you are now. And I see who Keaton is now. And I can’t even stand the thought of the two of you not really being together anymore.”

I place my hands on my butterfly-filled belly. “Me neither. It’s all happening so fast.”

“Is it? Or has it been happening incredibly slowly for years and years?” Bernadette says.

“That’s kind of what he said.”

“I wonder if we should tell Chase now,” Aimee whispers.

As soon as she says it, Chase pats Keaton on the back and turns to walk toward us, looking at me. I stop in my tracks, likeoh shit, Dad found out I had sex—hide me!

“Can I talk to you for a second, Rox?” he asks while pulling his wallet out from his back pocket.

“I would like to request your wife’s presence.”

He rolls his eyes. “I’m not mad or anything. I know about you and Keaton—I’m happy for you.”

“Aww.” Aimee rubs her husband’s shoulder. “See you guys inside.”

Chase pulls a small faded-yellow card out of his wallet and stares down at it while sliding the wallet back into his pocket. “This is from the Zoltar Speaks machine in Coney Island.” He holds it up and then hands it over to me.