“Who’s standing up with you?”
“No one…unless you’re here.”
“What about your parents?” she asked.
I took a sip of the warm chocolate brew. “My mom forfeited any rights she had at that farce last week.”
“In her defense,” Vicki said, “she thought Phillip was Van.”
“Even so, she did what she always has done. She didn’t or wouldn’t listen to me. I told her I didn’t want to marry and what did she do? She invited one hundred people.”
“I get it,” she said. “I don’t know if Ana is capable of not going overboard.”
“That’s it in a nutshell. I don’t want overboard with Van.” I thought about what Paula had said. “Mom would find it impossible to let me have the wedding I want.”
“And what is that?”
“I told you about the cabin. That’s what I want. It’s simple. It’s without an aesthetician or expensive dress or any of the hoopla.”
“You know,” Vicki said, “when I was looking up stuff about Van, I saw where he was named most eligible bachelor.”
“That was a decade ago.”
“So now he’s more eligible, right?”
“No.” I smiled. “Now, he’s taken.”
Vicki laughed. “It’s funny that a man who can afford the moon and stars and one who other women have pined over is going to get married in a backwoods cabin without electricity.”
“I don’t think he minds.”
“I think it’s cool.”
“So can you be here?”
“I’ll try, Jules. Text me all the information, and I’ll get back to you.”
I tugged on my lip. “I really want you here.”
“I’m oh for two,” she said with a giggle. “I don’t want to miss the real one.”
“We have room for you to stay. Either tell me you need transportation or you get to Van’s house. I’ll send you his address.” I remembered the new gate. “Oh, there’s a gate. Let me know when you’re coming, and I’ll alert security.”
“Fancy.”
“No,” I replied, “a pain. But it makes Van happy, and if I were to be completely honest, I’m still freaked out about Phillip.”
“Yeah, I talked to him—when I thought he was Van—I agree he was off. It just seemed odd. I had no clue he wasn’t Van and neither did your mom.”
“I appreciate you sticking up for her, but not knowing Phillip from Van wasn’t as upsetting as things she did and said.” I thought about the conversation. “She said I’d prostituted myself for Wade.”
“She what?” Vicki gasped.
I looked around, lowering my voice. “I’m done letting her run my life.”
“Does she know about Saturday?”
“No,” I said, taking another chocolaty sip. “I’ll inform her and Dad after it’s done.”