They looked at each other and shrugged, then Dad asked, “What time?”
“They’re having dinner at seven, and the flash mob starts at eight,” I replied.
Dad checked his watch. “Why is it on a Wednesday night, anyway? Doesn’t Paul leave for work at like six in the morning?”
“It’s the anniversary of when they officially became official,” I explained.
My parents nodded in understanding, which amused me. I didn’t know why I’d expected to have to explain the significance of that to them. They’d been working with high schoolers for over thirty years.
“Do you think Aria will plan their wedding, then?” Mom asked, excitement sparkling in her brown eyes. “I swear, every time someone gets engaged in this town, I pray that Aria will get to host their wedding in that old house. It’s just gorgeous.”
“It really is,” I agreed, working hard to keep the longing out of my tone.
Paul’s family owned a big old Southern mansion on the edge of town. Their father bought it as an investment property years ago, since the family of four had lived in the same quaint, suburban neighborhood that I’d lived in. But Aria had always been obsessed with the grounds and the B&B that operated there. When she graduated with her business degree and a focus in hospitality management, she pitched her parents to working alongside the current B&B management to turn the place into a full-service wedding venue, too.
Now, Aria Bristol was responsible for some of the most gorgeous weddings in all of South Carolina, and had been featured in basically every bridal magazine I could think of. Of course she would want to plan and host her big brother’s wedding. Since we were close friends, I knew she was already planning it in her mind, just waiting to be unleashed after this proposal. And that was great. Wonderful. Amazing. There was absolutely no part of me that hated that I’d be standing next to Paul as his best woman and not the bride. No part, whatsoever.
“I have a lot of work to catch up on this evening, but if we can make it down there to watch Paul dance, we will,” Dad joked.
“Oh yes, that will be a sight,” Mom agreed with a laugh.
My parents have always loved Paul. They knew how important he was to me and also totally respected the fact that I had never wanted to make it more than that. They also knew him well enough to know he would not be dancing tonight.
“Ha-ha. Be discreet if you decide to show up later. It’s happening in Old Town, outside the tea room.” I leaned over and kissed my mom’s cheek, waved at my dad, then headed back out to say goodbye to Maude, too.
I walked toward the gym, straightening my shoulders in an effort to buck up. But that brief little visit with my parents had stirred up all kinds of stuff. And not only where Paul and the wedding were concerned. I’d already been in a bit of a funk this week, but whatever was going on with Jaycee definitely made it worse. I hoped it resolved quickly for her so she could get back to doing what she loved.
“Shel,” a female voice called from behind me.
I turned to find Layla, one of my longtime friends and an English teacher here at the high school, jogging up to me. “Hey, girl.”
Layla was my age, and her sister, Lyndi, was Aria’s age. The three of them had been thick as thieves growing up, but it wasn’t until Paul joined the Marines that they kind of pulled me into their group and never let me go. Which was good, because I didn’t think Paul would ever understand the hole he’d left in my life when he up and left. And that was because I would probably never tell him.
“Headed to dance?” Layla asked as she fell into stride next to me.
“Yep.”
“Is the proposal still on?”
I nodded once. “Yep.”
“Are you okay?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, playing it cool.
“I mean, are you okay with Paul and Roxy getting engaged?” she clarified, lowering her voice as if any of the random students still milling about actually knew who they were. Well, itwasa small town. Maybe they did.
“Of course I am. Paul loves Roxy. She loves him.”
Layla nodded, her long brown curls bobbing with the movement. “Maybe so. But so do you.”
At this, my head snapped back. “Layla, what in the world?”
“Oh, come on, Shel. Own it, already. Everyone knows. Well, maybe everyone but Paul, since if he did, I highly doubt he’d be proposing to Roxy tonight.”
I grabbed my friend’s hand and tugged her into an alcove. “Layla Robinson, the things said in confidence on girls’ nights are not to be repeated and used against us later, remember?”
“I know, I know, but this is important.”