ChapterEleven
As it turned out,I didn't tell Andrew about Nicole's wedding for almost a week, which meant there were only three left before we were supposed to leave.I meant to.There just never seemed to be a good time.And the more time that went by without me saying anything just made it harder to tell him.It should have been exciting.I should have been excited.And I was.
Except, I wasn't.I had gone to bed with the idea that a trip would be just what we needed, but when I'd woken, all I could think of was Leo.Being there with Andrew might destroy my memories of him.I couldn't take the risk.Memories were all I had and I wasn't ready to let it go.Not yet.
I knew that the longer I waited to tell Andrew about the trip, the harder it would be for him to get time off work.He would need time to organize and make arrangements.I knew that.Was that the point?Yet, day after day went by and I still couldn't find the words.I resolved to tell him the next chance I got.
"Hey, hon," Andrew said and gave me a kiss on the cheek when he came in the kitchen."You have a good day?"
"It was pretty good, nothing exciting," I said, instead of my rehearsed speech.I was such a coward.
"Mine was insane," Andrew said and launched into the details of whatever account he was working on.The details of what he did every day were often lost on me, so I listened with half an ear and went back to stirring the tomato sauce, trying to prevent the spaghetti water from boiling over and simultaneously searching for the salad tongs.
When I'd told Ben that Daddy would be home for dinner, he insisted I make their shared favorite, spaghetti and meatballs.
"The next few weeks will be crazy," he was saying, "until this account is closed."
"Hey," I said before I chickened out."I have some—"
The phone rang.
"Can you grab it?"I asked and gestured to the phone.
Andrew leaned back in the kitchen chair to grab the cordless receiver."It's Nicole," he said, looking at the caller ID.
"Take a message.I'll call her back after dinner."
"Gotcha," he said and clicked on the phone."Hi, Nicole."
I located the salad tongs in the back of a drawer and put them in the bowl right as the water I'd been so carefully watching started to bubble over the edge of the pot.
As I turned down the flame, I heard Andrew say, "Well, congratulations.It must have slipped her mind."
I froze.
"Well...I have been working late a lot lately."
I turned around and offered him a sheepish smile.Well, I guess that solved that problem.
"Of course I will," he said into the phone."Bye, Nicole."He pushed the power button and set the phone on the table.
"Anything you forgot to mention?"he asked.The smile on his face was huge.I'm sure he thought it was hilarious that I could forget something so important.
"I know," I said."It's been crazy around here and we haven't really had a chance to talk.I was going to tell you as soon as—"
"Don't worry about it."He laughed and stood up."It happens.At any rate, I think it's great news.I didn't think Ryan was ever going to pop the question.Oh, and she called to tell you that there's a seat sale on right now.What's that about?"
"She didn't tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"The wedding's in Vegas," I blurted.
The smile on Andrew's face grew even larger.I knew he'd be excited.He'd wanted to go to Las Vegas for years."I'm assuming you need to be there?"he asked cautiously.
I nodded.
"Excellent!When do we leave?I'll have to take a few days off.And of course I'll need to brush up on my blackjack skills, not that I have any.Hey, maybe we can—"