I tapped my fingers on my lips,wondering how she could better stabilize herself during the ceremony. “There are a few yoga poses I could teach you that’ll help with balance.”
“Thank you, Annie! I need all of the help I can get” She stumbled forward and gave me a look. “See? Not even wearing them yet. But enough about me, let’s talk about you.”
I sat down in a chair right next to Jude, then hoisted Caley onto my lap.
“What about me?”
A few saleswomen continued to make slight alterations on her gown as we spoke.
“It’s not too late to bring a date,” Julianna said, her voice sounding a bit too much like our mother’s.
I held up my hand, but she waved it away, continuing before I could tell her no. “I can easily have another chair added, and lord knows we’ll have plenty of food. Which I’ll be shoving into my face, of course.”
Her stomach growled, causing everyone in the fitting room to burst out laughing.
“Who would I even bring, Julianna? I can’t think of a single guy that I’d want to even have coffee with right now, let alone invite to your wedding. I’m perfectly fine going by myself.”
Caley leaned back against my chest, and I kissed her forehead. She looked up at me and giggled.
“I know a man who happens to be coming without a date,” Julianna said, eyeing me mischievously. I knew his name before she even said it. “Richard Truman.”
Richard was Jake’s brother and not the kind of guy I was used to dating.
“You need to stop trying to set us up,” I said, helping Caley carefully out of her dress. “He’s not someone I would ever date. Besides, he’s so much older.”
Julianna glanced up at me. “But you guys talk a lot, don’t you?”
I shrugged. Ever since Julianna and Jake started dating, Richard and I had formed a friendship of sorts.
“We’re friendly if that’s what you mean. And why wouldn’t we be? His brother is marrying my sister.”
“Didn’t he ask you out once?”
I nodded at Julianna. “And remember, I turned him down… for a reason. Guys like him don’t date, Julianna. They fool around, and I’m not looking to be a notch on some guy’s headboard.”
She let out a big sigh. “Jake used to be one of those guys and look at us now, Annie. Some men can change. You should at least consider asking him to be your date, even if you guys don’t take it any further. Don’t you want someone to enjoy the wedding with? I mean, I know you don’thaveto have someone… but it would be nice, wouldn’t it?”
I thought about what Julianna was saying. Being single had never bothered me. Actually, I quite enjoyed it. Men had proven to me that it was nearly impossible to find one who would commit to a relationship, and I’d rather enjoy my time than waste it.
“What you have with Jake,” I said, “is very rare, Julianna. And I don’t mean that to be condescending toward Richard. You know how much I love both of you, but you know Richard’s type. It’d take one hell of a woman to get that man to change.”
“Why couldn’t you be that woman?” She stood still as the lady pinned and poked at her dress. “Plus, the guy is stacked. If I weren’t with Jake, you bet I’d be flirting with Richard. His sophisticated grey hair screams sugar daddy, but not in a creepy way.”
I burst out laughing. “Is that even possible?”
“Mommy,” Caley interrupted, “what’s a sugar daddy?”
Julianna and I stared at each other, our eyes bugged out. We both suddenly remembered that Caley was in the room, and definitely liked to feel included in the conversation.
“That’s an adult word, sweetie. But would you like to play a game on my phone while you wait for us?” Julianna was starting to freak out, hoping that Caley wouldn’t repeat that phrase to either Jake or Richard.
Even though Caley had heard it, Julianna and I both suspected that she’d keep it quiet. She had an incredibly strong intuition.
“Yay, let me play Candy Crush!”
“Can you hand me my purse, please?” Julianna asked me.
She pulled her phone from her purse, as Caley looked on excitedly.
