“Guess he convinced her.”
“Which is impressive, considering Alvina is rarely swayed.”
We both laugh at that because it’s true. Our laughter fades slowly until it settles into a silence where we stare intently at each other. The air around me thickens with longing. Even though he’s far away, Caleb must feel it too.
“Hi,” he says, his voice husky. There’s so much contained in that small word, so much love and tenderness and happiness.
“Hey,” I say, unable to hold back my grin at how his eyes trace the contours of my face.
“I miss you, Gwen. It’s like my heart got ripped out of my chest and stuffed into your suitcase.”
There it is. The special way he says my name.
GweN. Round G, flat N.
Each syllable vibrates with emotion.
“I know.” I lift my fingers to the screen, wishing I could touch him. “I’m the same way.”
“Let’s never do this again. Okay?” He drags a hand through his hair, making it stick up all spiky. “I don’t want to be away from you. Next time I’m coming along.”
“That’s nearly impossible,” I say, laughing softly, secretly pleased by his earnest expression. “You have the theater, your restaurants—”
“Forget them.” Caleb interrupts me, all bossy and confident. “I’m going with you, and that’s final.”
Happiness expands my chest, filling it until “I love you” bursts out of me.
“Love you, too. Forever and always.”
There’s no explaining it. The effect his words have on me. How they make me feel like the world is exactly as it should be. Like the sun and stars and moon are in perfect harmony. Like our love is a physical force, so strong it can withstand anything.
I echo back, “Always and forever.”
8
Wednesday,December 11
13 days until the wedding
Jenny
As predicted, the day after the Lola incident photos of the kiss are everywhere. I call Gwen and am surprised to find she’s handling it pretty well. Apparently, she had a good conversation with Caleb about it. I talk to her about the stalker, treading lightly because I’m not sure what details Caleb told her and what he left out. She seems to be aware enough to be careful. I add my own warnings, an urge to protect her overriding all other thoughts. I miss her, but we’ve been long-distance friends long enough that our near-daily phone calls feel natural. It’s funny, really, how we’ve traded places. Now she’s the one on the West Coast, and I’m here on the East Coast. A few more weeks and we’ll switch again.
It’s evening, and the light and the temperature are both dropping. I’ve just left some fabric samples for tablecloths at the wedding at Caleb’s place. He needs to choose one. He’d seemed tired, dark circles under his eyes. He’s probably not sleeping well with Gwen gone.
Even though he’s obviously suffering from the strain of preparing for the wedding and missing his fiancée, Caleb still took the time to ask me how I’m doing, to check if I was okay.
“Let me know if you need anything, anything at all,” he said, which made me feel guilty, knowing that Eddie’s out there searching for dirt on him.
Should I warn Caleb?I wonder. But about what? Eddie hasn’t found out about the stalker or the Secret Santa website. Besides, I don’t want to add to Caleb’s stress. I’ll keep quiet for now. If something solid comes up, if there’s a real threat, then I’ll let him know. I reassure Caleb that I’m fine and say good night.
The doorman lets me out into a winter wonderland. Trees decorated with glowing white Christmas lights bow under the weight of dangling icicles. The snow is coming down harder now, piling up in drifts that cover the toes of my boots. A frigid breeze whips snowflakes into tiny tornados that rise into a spinning column and then, without warning, collapse back to the ground. The freezing temperatures are no deterrent to seasoned New Yorkers, who walk at a fast pace down the frosty sidewalk. They tuck their heads into their chins and charge against the wind like battering rams. It’s past 10:00 p.m., but the streets are still busy.
A flicker of light in a car parked across the street highlights a familiar face. I wait for a taxi to race by and then cross the road with my arms out for balance. I knock loudly on the passenger window. The dark-haired man inside startles and turns toward me with a deep frown. He waves for me to go away. I point at the car door. With exaggerated facial expressions, I mouth, “LET. ME. IN.”
Even from the outside, I can see his shoulders move up and down as he lets out a heavy sigh. I point again. He angrily jabs at the button by his elbow, and the locks click open. I slide into the car, welcoming the warm blast of the heater.
“Hi, Dean.” I smile widely, then pull off my yellow woolen mittens and raise my hands to the vent, which spills out warm air.
