Page 28 of The Plus One Professional
“You’re Dylan Hart’s Birdie.”
Oh right. That made sense. I always forgot that my sister was engaged to someone famous. Probably because he wasn’t around much, and when he was, they usually kept a low profile because he wanted to be ‘normal’ or at least that’s what he said. I’d noticed that whenever we were in public and people didn’t recognize him, he’d take off his hat or start speaking louder until someone inevitably noticed who he was.
“I’ve seen you on his TikTok’s. And at the AMA’s. And the Grammy’s. You’re getting married to Dylan Hart.”
“Yep, that’s me.”
“I love Chaos Collective! Morning Star is my favorite song. No, no, um, Price of Luck is, Price of Luck is my favorite.”
Birdie listened intently as Carly went on for nearly an hour, gushing about how much the band had meant to her. She also took selfies with her and helped her shoot a TikTok using her canvas.
The more Carly gushed about Dylan, the more I wished I liked him more. It wasn’t that he was a bad guy; he just loved himself a lot. So much so that I wasn’t sure he really had room for someone else.
Carly’s phone beeped. She checked it and said that her ride was here to pick her up. When we set up the plans, we’d agreed I would get her from school and then her uncle would pick her up.
I could see the disappointment on her face that the time was over. Birdie must have seen it, too, because she said, “Chaos is going to be in town this summer. They are ending their tour in the city. I can get you tickets if you want.”
“Are you serious?! Yes! That would be awesome!” Carly squealed as she hugged my sister and then me.
“Oh my gosh! This was the best! I can’t wait to tell Riley and Michelle! Bye, bye, bye!” She waved as she rushed out to meet her ride.
I watched out the large window as Carly hurried down the steps and hopped in a white pickup truck that read Vaughn Construction on the side. Her uncle must work for Sadie’s husband, Alex Vaughn. I briefly wondered if Sadie might know her uncle, whoever he was, but then remembered that not all companies were as small as Bliss Bridal. Alex Vaughn had hundreds of employees; I doubted he knew them all by name, much less his wife, who owned a bakery.
“She’s a sweet kid,” Birdie commented as she returned to her canvas.
“She is,” I agreed.
I felt a little strange about our first visit. It had gone well, but only because Birdie was engaged to Carly’s favorite singer. I hoped that in the future, I’d be able to actually connect with her and make a difference. Or maybe this was making a difference. She’d clearly left happier than when we arrived. Maybe I should take that as a win.
12
COLE
As I satin bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Bay Bridge, I scrolled through my phone in search of the perfect birthday meme before adding it to my message. Since Sara’s favorite show wasThe Office.I chose one of Dwight Schrute with the words:Today is your birthday, in all caps at the top, and then at the bottom, in all caps:False. Today is the anniversary of your birth.
Birthdays were always hard for Sara because Peter had made them so special, and today was a big one. She was turning thirty. I wished I could do more, but with her health, there wasn’t much she felt up to doing. This morning, I had to be on-site early, at five, but the good news was I was done by two, so at least I’d get to spend the afternoon with her.
This morning, before I left, I’d filled the kitchen with balloons. I got up an hour early and inflated them all. I’d been sending her memes all day, and before I went home, I was picking up her favorite cake, which was German Chocolate, from her favorite bakery, Sweet Temptations. I was glad it was her favorite, because the owner happened to be married to Alex Vaughn of Vaughn Construction, who was my employer.
Right around the time Peter got sick, Alex’s pregnant wife and teenage son were in a tragic accident. They were struck by a drunk driver as they crossed the street. The baby survived, but his son and wife did not.
I didn’t know Alex Vaughn personally. I’d met him briefly a handful of times at work functions, but I’d always felt a connection with him. Not only because our families suffered tragedies but also because, like me, he was raised in foster care. But from what I knew of his story, he hadn’t had a sister to save him from it.
He and the woman who owned the bakery were newlyweds, and they’d had two children in the past few years. It was strange, I’d actually spoken to his wife, more than him. Since the twins, Carly, and Sara, loved donuts, for a treat, a couple of times a month I’d stop by and pick up a dozen.
As I pulled off the Fremont Street exit, I wondered what Bailey was doing right this moment. I knew her name. I knew her hands were soft. I knew her hair smelled like fresh flowers. I knew she sneezed when she was attracted to someone. But that wasn’t enough. I wanted to knoweverythingabout her.
I’d tried to look her up on social media, but her Instagram was private. I had taken a peek at Bliss Bridal Boutique’s social media, and there were a few photos of her with her sisters, but it was mainly the shots of brides saying yes to the dress, and weddings that they had done, which made sense.
I glanced down at the time. It was half past two in the afternoon. Was she meeting with a bride? Was she on a walk? Was she at a dentist appointment or the DMV? Was she on the couch, binge-watching her favorite TV show? She worked weekends, so it wouldn’t be strange if her days off were during the week.
Those questions just led to more questions. Was she a binge-watcher? Did she even like TV? If she did, what was her favorite TV show? Did she like going to the movies? What was her snack preference—savory or sweet? Was she an early riser or a night owl? When did she have her first kiss? How long did it take her to fall in love with someone? Or, more specifically, how long would it take her to fall in love with me? Was she even single?
She couldn’t be. Bailey Bliss was the perfect unicorn combination of girl-next-door and sexy. She was kind, hardworking, funny, and sweet. She was the epitome of wifey material.
Not that it mattered. Nothing could happen between us.
After circling the block several times, I finally found a spot across the street from the bakery on the corner. Questions were still flooding my mind as I jaywalked, then headed down the sidewalk toward Sweet Temptations.
