Page 257 of Things We Left Behind
“My mom is going to freak out,” Sloane predicted.
Karen:Welcome to the family, my favorite soon-to-be son-in-law!
Maeve:Don’t fuck things up.
Chloe:Uncle Lucian, as junior bridesmaid, here are a few of the designer dresses I think I would look best in for the ceremony and reception.
46
Books Save Lives
Sloane
Stop jiggling your leg,” Jeremiah ordered Lina, who looked as if she were about to bolt from his salon chair.
It was the perfect spring afternoon, and we were at Whiskey Clipper, Knockemout’s hip barber shop/salon, getting glammed for Lina and Nash’s wedding rehearsal that evening. The cool barber shop/salon was hopping on a Friday afternoon. Knox’s basset hound, Waylon, flattened himself on the floor with a chew bone while Knox was giving Vernon Quigg’s lustrous mustache a trim. Naomi was oohing and aahing over the sleek updo stylist Anastasia was assembling.
Knox’s business manager and Jeremiah’s sister, Fi, was huddled behind the front desk’s computer with Waylay as the twelve-year-old walked her through the new scheduling software.
Stef and I were on the leather couch under the front window, watching the chaos. My hair was done in a high, flirty ponytail that I gleefully knew my fiancé, Lucian Freaking Rollins, would wrap around his fist before the night was over.
The bride glared in the mirror at Jeremiah as he ruffled her short dark hair this way and that. “I’m not jiggling.You’rejiggling.”
“It’s kind of fun watching the calm, collected Lina tiptoe into a meltdown,” I mused.
Stef took a pensive sip of his whiskey and continued to frown.
“I’m not having a meltdown,” Lina said, taking obvious offense.
“Yeah, you are,” everyone in the shop except for Stef chorused.
“All of you can bite me,” she grumbled, crossing her arms under the cape.
“Are you okay?” I asked Stef. He was staring at Jeremiah and looking downright miserable.
“I’m great.” He got up, looking anything but great, and refilled his whiskey from one of the decanters on the shelf.
“Psst!”
I looked up.
Waylay nodded in Stef’s direction. “What’s his problem?” she mouthed.
I shrugged and made a face.
Jeremiah spun Lina’s chair around to face him. “Listen up, you fierce, beautiful badass. I don’t think you’re nervous about getting married. I think you’re nervous about the wedding.”
“Is there a difference?” Lina asked dryly.
“I’ve seen you with Nash. You’re excited aboutbeingmarried. About starting your lives together. Don’t let wedding day jitters make you doubt that.”
Lina opened her mouth, then shut it again. “Huh,” she said.
Naomi tiptoed her chair around to face the bride. “He’s right. Not everyone is excited about being a bride, the center of attention all day. But I know you. And I know you’re thrilled to be a wife.”
Lina’s shoulders relaxed. “Oh, thank God. I thought there was something wrong with me.”
“No, but there’s something wrong with me,” Stef said, knocking back the fresh whiskey and slamming the glass down.
