Page 71 of Gin and Lava

“He has a job,” I point out. Ialsohave a job, but I had to take the week off for all thisfun.

“Right! Tiki bar man!” Shauri chirps. “Do you think he can hook us up with some Pina Colada?”

“Probably,” I admit. Though I refrain from telling her what a Pina Colada is actually called at the Gin n’ Lava. I’ll let her wait to find out just how dirty—and blatant—Mason can be.

“How long have you two been dating?” Shauri pries, grabbing my elbow and walking me to the porch where she thinks we can gossip about my new man in a space that’s more secluded, but she effectively positions us in full earshot of the entire house. “Is it new? Is it serious? Is he good in bed? How’d you meet? Tell me everything!”

“Uh, Mason is—” I look at my ring finger. It’s empty, still waiting for the ring I need to design. Right now is not the time to drop the fake fiancé line. Instead, I take Mason’s advice and just be me. I tell her tiny truths. “He’s surprising,” I admit. “You’ll understand when you meet him. He’s nothing like who I normally date.”

Shauri frowns. “You’ve had your dream man planned since you were in college,” Shauri points out. “I mean, Sam’s a damn dream boat and everything you ever wanted.”

“Well, Sam broke up with me,” I say tersely, causing Shauri to flinch. A shadow shoots through her gaze and I’m not sure if she feels bad for bringing up Sam, or if she’s about to defend him. She defended him plenty when we broke up, obviously enough that he’s in her wedding party. “Mason is the opposite of Sam,” I press on, steering the energy back in my favor. “He’s unrefined, sure, but … he’s been everything I need lately.”

“Good,” Shauri says noncommittally, a muscle in her cheek tugging to reveal the fakeness of her smile. “That sounds really good, Naomi. We all knew you and Sam …” She trails off and doesn’t finish her sentence, and man, it rubs me the wrong way. My brain starts ticking off things she could have said: We all knew you and Sam … weren’t right for each other … because you’re not worthy of a doctor … because you’re too needy.

Because, God forbid, I wanted someone I loved to love me back.

“Yes, Sam was everything I dreamed of … at one point,” I admit. “But we obviously had our problems.”

“I didn’t mean it like that!” Shauri back pedals, her fake smile getting more tight. “Look, your new boyfriend sounds wonderful, and you deserve someone great.”

“But notSamgreat?” I press.

“I didn’t say that!” she squirms. “Sam and I are friends now, you know that, and—look, I love you both. I want you both to be happy. And it sounds like this new guy makes you happy. That’s what matters, right?”

“Sure.”

“Of course!” Shauri covers. “I can’t wait to meet him. He’s coming to the dinner tonight, right?” I nod. “Right. Perfect! Of course, Sam will be there too, but he’s not bringing a date or anything. Not that it’s weird that you’re bringing one. It’s fine.”

“You said that already.”

“Did I?” Shauri shrugs. “That’s because I want you to be happy.”

I refrain from pointing out that she said that too. I can’t help but feel like she’s hiding something from me—something that will make me feel like a shmuck, like Sam has cancer and didn’t want to tell me. Of course, that’s me being dramatic. What’s really going on is Shauri and I never talk anymore—not about anything important—and this is awkward.

“I should go pick up the air mattresses,” I say, pointing over my shoulder to my truck. “Why don’t you guys get settled in, sleep off the jet lag, and I’ll see you this evening for dinner? Sound good?”

“Perfect!” Shauri exclaims. “Absolutely perfect. Perfect.”

In the back of my mind, I hear Mason quotingThe Princess Bride:You keep saying that word, but I don’t think it means what you think it means.

“Yes, perfect,” I echo, and despite how much I’m always striving for perfection, it only feels sour.

22

NAOMI

On my way out of the store, air mattresses in hand, I text Esme, asking her when she’s arriving. She hasn’t sent me her flight info yet. Tossing the air mattresses in the truck bed, my phone buzzes with Esme’s response.

Esme:Did you get my package?

Naomi:What package?

Esme:The one I had overnighted to your apartment.

Naomi:I’ve been shuttling the wedding party all day.

Esme:Oh, right. Have you seen Sam yet?

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