“What? Why?”
He sniffles, scrunching his pink nose. “I can’t keep lying to him, Holly.”
“Okay, and we won’t. But we can’t tell them tonight. Their wedding is tomorrow.”
“You do realize he expects to see Dog tomorrow? He is” —Theo pauses, corrects himself— “wassupposed to be the ring bearer.”
I didn’t even know you could train cats to walk down the aisle. If Dog was still alive, I’d make fun of Parker for it, but now it might seem in bad taste.
“Okay, fuck. Idorealize that. I just don’t know how we’re supposed to tell the groom that his cat is dead a day before his wedding.”
Theo doesn’t answer. Doesn’t even blink. Just looks at me. His fingers tug at the knot of his tie, loosening it so that his chest can expand.
“Oh, god. Did you already say something to Parker? Are you here to apologize to me?”
Eyes still on me, he shakes his head, tugging his tie harder. “I haven’t told him anything. But he did ask about Dog tonight. Wanted to see him. I told him he was asleep in my room and that, given everything going on, I wasn’t sure April would want him there the night before the big day. A wedding is already stressful enough without adding a mischievous kitten into the mix.”
“And he bought that?”
“It sounded like it.”
I move to sit on the bed, crossing my legs. Theo’s gaze flicks down so fast I almost miss it. “Then I don’t understand what the problem is.”
“Holly, it’s just a matter of time before he asks again. I honestly think he was going to argue more, but luckily your Mum opened the door, and then he got distracted —”
“Wait a second, back the fuck up. Mymumopened the door? What door?”
“The door to her house.”
“You meanmyhouse?”
He sighs like this is the most exhausted he’s been all day. “Yes, love. I know I’m pretty to look at, but try to stay focused, please.”
“Why the fuck were you in myhouse?”
“Parker asked me to go with him. He’s a little intimidated by your dad — not that I understand why. Your father seemedto like me quite a bit. Which isn’t exactly shocking. Iamvery charming. But you already know that.”
I stare at him flatly.
“Anyway,” he goes on, completely undeterred, “your parents were lovely. Very hospitable. They even showed me your room. Well, notshowedme, per se —”
“You were in myroom?!”
“— I may have wandered off while they were grilling Parker about something wedding-related. I wasn’t really listening. It’s nice. Lots of red and blue. Not at all what I pictured.”
I glare at him, seething. “I’m gonna make yourfacered and blue.”
“I’ll allow it as long as you keep that dress on.”
“Behave.”
“Okay, you can take it off. Jesus.”
“Theo, we arenottelling Parker anything tonight. Not tomorrow either. We need to plan this properly.”
His eyebrows lift. “How?”
I start thinking out loud. “We need a story that makes sense. Something believable. Maybe Dog got sick. Maybe he’s been throwing up all over your room. Maybe you had to leave the wedding early to take him to a vet in the city.”
