“Okay, I’m ready,” she says breathlessly, then looks at Myles. “Are you sure you’re okay with Charlie?” she asks him.
“It’s all good.” He kisses her softly. “Now go relax. We’ve got this.”
She cups his cheeks and nods. Their eyes catch and something I can’t quite understand goes on between them.
And then she pulls away and grabs her purse. We say goodbye, which involves more hugs, and then somehow I find myself in front of Liam again. He towers over me even when I’m in heels.
I wish he wasn’t so good looking. And that we hadn’t spent the night together. It would be much easier to ignore him then. At least he’s only here for the christening. When he’s in New York it’s much easier to imagine him as being something close to the devil.
His full lips twitch. “Try to not make anybody cry live on air today.”
So he knows about that.
“Can’t promise anything,” I say lightly, refusing to be ruffled by him. Because that’s what he wants, to get a reaction.
Ava slides her arm through mine. “Stop upsetting my friends,” she chides him. Then she turns to me. “Let’s go.”
And as we walk out of her beautiful, stupidly large house, and away from her stupidly handsome brother-in-law the tension in my body melts away.
Now I just need to get through tomorrow without killing him.
* * *
“Three glasses of champagne please,” Lauren says when the waitress offers us drinks. “In fact, just bring the whole bottle.”
“I’m not drinking,” Ava reminds her.
“And I’m driving,” I say to Lauren. “Sorry.”
She shakes her head. “It’s okay. I wasn’t ordering for you. The drinks are for me.” She drops her head into her hands. “I’ve had the morning from hell. Who breeds these bridezillas anyway? I swear I almost killed today’s one.”
Lauren owns a bakery in the historical district. She’s known as the best cake designer in town. My dad’s a mere beginner compared to her amazing creations, but this time of year is always the worst for her.
She only takes on two or three cakes per week. And she tells us the hardest work isn’t in baking or decorating, it’s in appeasing the bride and groom who can never agree on a thing.
In short, she has the patience of a saint.
While we eat a light meal, she regales us with the tales of today’s wedding, in a beautiful pagoda overlooking the Kanawha River. We listen, rapt, because Lauren’s descriptions of these events is like watching a reality TV show but better, because these people live in our city.
The three of us have been best friends since our college days. We were roommates freshman year, and from the moment we met it was pretty much a love match. After college we all ended up working here in Charleston, where Ava and I grew up, and I don’t know what I’d do without them.
After eating we change and head into the steam room, sitting on the wooden slatted benches with towels wrapped around our bodies. Ava lets out a sigh and Lauren and I exchange a glance because she looks so tired.
“How’s it going with Myles’ brothers at your place?” Lauren asks her.
Ava sighs again. “I love them to death but they’re so noisy,” Ava tells her. “As soon as they arrived they woke Charlie up. It’s nice to see them all, but they just work better outside, you know? When they’re inside it’s a lot to take on.”
I know exactly what she means. Like me, Ava’s an only child. She grew up with just her mom whereas I had both parents, but we’re used to silence. To sitting and reading without being disturbed. Being surrounded by the Salinger family is like turning up the volume of life about ten decibels.
“And is Liam looking as good as ever?” Lauren asks, sneaking a sly glance at me. She was there for our vacation and thought it was amusing how much Liam and I antagonized each other.
She doesn’t know why we’re so awkward though. Nor does Ava. I can’t tell them. It’s too embarrassing.
“He’s actually being very sweet,” Ava says. “He keeps offering to look after Charlie, and today he made a huge pot of meat sauce for everybody.”
I blink. “Liam can cook?”
Ava’s smile is soft. “He’s a good guy underneath it all.”