coming to life on the tip of her nose.
You’re devastating, Carmela confessed, if only to herself, before opening her mouth to accept a sliced strawberry. The reemerged dimple on Rhiannon’s cheek made Carmela’s breath catch in her chest. She couldn’t stop herself from leaning in and kissing it.
“What was that for?” she asked, her lips trembling as she searched Carmela’s face. If she was still acting, the girl could win an Academy Award.
Before Carmela could respond, there was a commotion as everyone around them stood.
“Here are your cards and pens,” the wedding planner said as she shoved two white cards in their faces, immediately quelling the desire that had been pulsating low in Carmela’s belly a moment before. “I don’t know if you heard me, but you can’t work together,” she said so sharply Carmela would’ve been o ended if she had in fact heard her. Which she hadn’t.
“What the hell are we supposed to do with these?”
Rhiannon whispered as soon as the planner left them to accost someone else.
“I have no idea,” she admitted, looking down at the grid printed on one side. It was like a bingo card, but instead of numbers there were facts like swam with hammerheads or speaks four languages. “I guess we’re supposed to talk to people and find out who belongs to what.”
“I don’t remember anyone asking me for a fact about me,” Rhiannon said as she scanned the card.
Carmela chuckled. “It’s Liz’s. You’ll have to pretend you went on a date with Robert Downey Jr., I suppose.”
“She went on a date with RDJ? Get out! When?” Rhiannon shrieked.
“You’ll have to ask her. She loves to tell the story. I’ll just say the 90s were a special time.”
“Okay, you’re not supposed to be getting to know each other,” the planner said without stopping as she whizzed passed them again. “Mingle!”
Laughing, they stood from the lounger. “I can’t wait to hear what story you make up,” Carmela whispered against the shell of her ear before they parted ways.
“Don’t miss me too much, Babe,” Rhiannon replied before planting a kiss on Carmela’s unsuspecting lips.
Frozen in place despite the hot day, Carmela was transfixed by the sight of her walking away. An unshakable smile clung to her tingling lips.
What are you doing to me?
Within fifteen minutes, Carmela checked a couple of people o her card after enduring some forced small talk.
She couldn’t help but keep an eye on Rhiannon as she circled the other side of the pool.
“Is it cheating that I already know you can hold your breath for four minutes underwater?” Jackie asked from behind Carmela, who’d just found the amateur ventriloquist after an excruciatingly boring guessing game.
“Well, I certainly wasn’t going to ask you about cli diving in Mexico,” she replied as she turned to face her.
Jackie’s dark eyes glistened in the sun. “Is that because you’re avoiding me?”
Carmela laughed dryly. “Why would I come to your wedding to avoid you?”
Pushing a strand of loose blonde hair out of her face before crossing her arms over her ample chest, Jackie shrugged. “To prove a point? Maybe to show what a magnanimous person you are.”
“Magnanimous? Really? Wow, what a compliment.”
Carmela caught sight of the future Mrs. Jackie staring at them from the corner. How she wished she could tell her she
was in for years of the anxiety etched in her face. Maybe even a lifetime if Jackie grew tired of looking for greener pastures.
“You know I wouldn’t have pegged you for the sort to have a midlife crisis.” Jackie glanced at Rhiannon, who was charming an elderly couple. “It’s a little tacky, don’t you think?”
Carmela laughed. “Maybe,” she agreed. “Do you think that’s more or less gauche than running o with your personal trainer? I can’t quite decide which one of us lacks the most imagination.”
With flared nostrils and clenched jaw, Jackie’s face hardened as her eyes darted toward Vera, who was walking toward them with two mimosas, a great excuse for interrupting them if Jackie’s glass wasn’t still full.