“A lot?” Kym asked, smiling.
“Yeah. Jesus. So much.”
Her friend laughed, spooning some gelato into her mouth. “How was the engagement party?”
Oh, yes. The engagement party.
“It was great,” Retta said. There was no controlling the inflection on the last word.
“Good. That’s good,” Kym said. “Your family bought it?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“So, it’s all going according to plan?”
Retta stabbed her frozen dessert with the spoon and took a breath. “Nope, I like him. Like really like him.”
Kym removed her sunglasses and looked at her. “Shit.”
“Yup.”
She realized it after she’d arrived home from spending the night with him. While folding laundry and cleaning her apartment, she caught herself smiling and unable to focus on the podcast playing.
“If you’re feeling it, he’s probably too. Maybe you guys can actually start dating.”
Retta shook her head. “He doesn’t want that.”
“He told you?”
Looking out into the distance, Retta said, “Yeah, he likes short and casual relationships.”
And it was understandable, given the drama he witnessed between his parents.
“But people change their minds. Circumstances change them,” Kym said, scraping the bottom of her cup. “Look at me. I’ve purchased tutus for the baby. Do you hear me? I bought my baby tutus in four different colors, Ret. Pre-pregnancy Kymberlé wouldn’t dream of purchasing something so impractical.”
“Yeah, but that’s a personal shift. I can’t expect that from him.”
Her friend studied her for a moment. “So, that’s it? You’re going to end it after the wedding without even having a conversation?”
Shrugging, Retta said, “Yeah, I’m not opening up simply to get rejected.” She could imagine Duncan being so sweet about it too. “It’s not like I’m in love with him. I’ll enjoy the sex—”
“The sex?” Kym practically shouted.
A few people sitting around them turned, including a dog at his owner’s feet.
Retta awkwardly smiled at the strangers. “I don’t think you said that loud enough.”
“Sorry,” Kym responded, lowering her voice. “I thought you two were doing this Hallmark movie style. You know, chaste kiss here. Hand on waist there.”
“Yeah, it started that way.”
Now they were doing other things the FCC wouldn’t care for.
“But I’m going after emotionally available men when this is through,” Retta said.
“Fair.”
“Like Steve. He’s—”
