“That looks… really beautiful, actually.”
“It’s even better on the inside. But you sound surprised.”
“It’s just not what I pictured for a confirmed bachelor.”Ouch.
I put my hand over my chest and feign being affronted, “Just because I’m single doesn’t mean I don’t know something beautiful when I see it.”
Tamar stops and looks at me, “Is that so?”
Her husband interrupts her and rescues me. “We’re here all week and we’d love a tour.”
“That could be arranged. For now, you both better follow me to the party before we’re late.”
We walk along the river, which is loud enough to keep conversation to a minimum. We pass a few shops, and Tamar exclaims when she sees a hummingbird hovering over the water and points it out to her husband. She’s nicer than I remember.
We walk up to the white building that looks like an old home but is actually converted into a restaurant. The back room is reserved for us, and we follow the hostess inside. There’s music playing from recessed speakers in the corners of the room, and we walk into a party that appears to be well underway. This back party room is open with round tables set up along the perimeter. I spot Michelle right away and turn to Arjun and Tamar.
“It was great to see you. I need to help my sister; her husband’s deployed and she’s got those three.”
“Ah. Ours are with a sitter at our rental property. I’ll speak with your sister later but if she ever wants to get the kids together, they aren’t too close in age, but still, it could be fun. Michelle, right?”
“Yes—I’ll mention it.”
I make my way to the opposite side where Michelle appears to be setting Ella up with some crayons and paper while Erin hangs on her leg and Etty is passed out in the stroller. As I cross the room I scan, as discreetly as I can for Lily, or even Abbie, but neither one is here yet.
“Hey there sister—you need a hand?”
“God yes.” She flicks her eyes down to the human starfish that is my niece.
I reach down and extract Erin from my sister’s leg.
“Little one, let’s go find your grandmother. What do you say?”
I scoop her up as she giggles at me. I find my mother and get Erin tucked in beside her with crayons and nacho chips, just as Abbie and her date arrive but without Lily. I make my way over to Eddie and Felicia. Whatever is going on with Lily and me, that’s not what this is about. This week is about Eddie and Felicia and their wedding. Doing my best to get out of my inward spiraling, I plaster on a smile and go say hello.
“Josh!” Eddie is flushed, appearing to have had a few drinks already, but looks genuinely happy to see me as he bro-whacks me on the shoulder.
“Josh!?” Having met Felicia once before, I knew she was striking, with porcelain skin, black wavy hair, and light brown eyes. She’s wearing a long green dress that compliments her coloring. Her makeup looks professionally done. She’s wearing shoes with extremely high heels that put her head just to Ed’s shoulder.
“It’s nice to see you both in person again.” I shake Eddie’s hand and give Felicia a half hug, since she has a drink in her other hand. “Mazal Tov to both of you.”
“You’ve done such a wonderful job here for us, Josh, we can’t thank you enough. This whole week wouldn’t have been possible without you and Lily.” She looks around. “Where is? Oh, there she is…”
Felicia’s voice trails off, as she looks over my shoulder with a small frown disrupting her previous happy expression. I turn and see that Lily has come in, with an entire wine bottle in her hand, and looks hammered. Beautiful, but barely upright.
Lily’s wearing a long dress with wide straps, one of which has slipped off her left shoulder. It’s a light aqua blue with little flowers decorating the skirt. The design makes it appear as if there are scattered tiny petals and flowers that are falling into a larger collection of them at the bottom. It’s fitted through the bust and waist and then loose to the floor. I realize I haven’t breathed since I laid eyes on her.
She looks so gorgeous.
She also looks so drunk. Not to mention that the bottle of wine in her hand is open.
Fuck.
From the corner of my eye, Ellen rises with her eyes locked on her youngest daughter. I’ve never noticed what a predatory expression Ellen can have before now. She looks almost happy that her daughter is a mess. This is bad. Abbie and I make eye contact, and she must register the alarmed look on my face because she follows my shifting gaze over to Ellen, who’s now quietly arguing with Tamar. Abbie starts marching right to Ellen, pulling her date along and loudly introduces Dana to Ellen and everyone else at that table.
Starting to move toward Lily, I freeze when I take in the reaction she has when our eyes meet. She looks afraid.
Why would she be afraid of me? And why did she pregame so hard for this?
