Page 68 of Four Weddings to Fall in Love
I laugh as I step into the elevator and hold up a hand in goodbye.But as I head down to the lobby and walk to the station, I feel out of sorts.
Do I want to do this?Can I do it, after so many years of being alone?
Chapter 25
Max
Ireturntomyapartment and sit down at the table.
“Kim sends her apologies for leaving so quickly,” I tell my mother.“She lost track of time.She doesn’t want to be late to meet her friends and…” Does Mom believe that lie?I don’t know.“She’s had some bad experiences with her boyfriends’ mothers in the past.That’s why she was a bit flustered.”
Mom sips her coffee thoughtfully.“Is that why you switched the name cards at Isobel’s wedding so she’d sit next to Leo instead of me?”
“You noticed?”
“Yes.”She pauses.“When I realized what Gladys had done with the seating arrangements, I figured she was full of nonsense.I assumed that when she saw you two together, you’d merely been exchanging pleasantries, perhaps asking the way to the washroom.But I guess she knew what she was doing.”
“You’re admitting Auntie Gladys was right about something?”
Mom chuckles.“But she shouldnothave sat us all together.”
I nod in agreement.
“Before I forget,” she says, “you’re still planning to install our new ceiling fans, yes?”
“I can do it on Tuesday.”
“It’s not a rush—I know you have your own life—but if that works for you, we’ll be around.”
When my mother leaves twenty minutes later, I pick up my phone and enter her once-a-month Sunday visits into my calendar so this won’t happen again.How did I forget?Maybe it’s because I’ve been so preoccupied with Kim lately.
I’m about to set my phone down when it rings in my hand.
My brother.
Evan, that is.Leo would never call, just text—and he doesn’t do that often.Jon occasionally texts me, with the sole intention of pissing me off.Evan sometimes calls instead of texts because he’s the rare Millennial who actually likes talking on the phone.
I sit down on my couch and answer.“Hello.”
“How was your date?”he asks.
“Last night went well.Thank you for the restaurant recommendation.The food was excellent, and we were able to eat outside, despite the rain.”In fact, it was rather romantic, safe under the umbrella together, just the two of us.
“And this morning—oh, shit, is she still there?I shouldn’t have called before noon.”
“No, she left.Mom stopped by, Kim kinda freaked out…it was awkward.”I pause.“Don’t tell anyone else about that, okay?Kim’s afraid of gossip.”
“Oh, man.I can imagine that was uncomfortable, but it’s going fine otherwise?”
“I think so.”
I’m not sure I can do this, she said, but she didn’t end things.
I appreciate that her fears stem from believing she deserves good things and trying to avoid shitty people.Kim is confident in herself, and I like it—and I like how she knows what she wants in the bedroom.
Shit.I have to stop thinking about that.I’m on the phone with my brother.
“Are you ready for next weekend?”he asks.
