“Hey, I wanted that.”
“Too bad.” She popped it into her mouth, then pointed her fork at me. “Talk.”
“He invited me to go with him to the mayor’s barbeque Saturday afternoon, and I didn’t go back home until Monday morning. That’s pretty much it.”
She smirked. “I highly doubt that.” Her expression turned serious. “That’s awful about Sean. Is he still in critical condition?”
“Yeah. I talked to my parents this morning. They said there’s been no change. The good news according to the doctors is that he lived through the night.”
“Damn Stephanie. I bet she was drinking.”
I wasn’t going to repeat anything Dylan had said to me in confidence, even to my best friend. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough what happened. Nothing stays a secret in the valley.” When the waitress brought our check, I grabbed it. “My treat today.”
“Okay. I’ll get the tip.” She put a ten on the table.
We were on our way out when Chad and his father walked in the door. Crap. Their office was downtown. What were they doing in the Village? Before I could take off for the bathroom or a back door if there was one, Chad saw me.
“Jenn!”
He rushed over, taking both my hands. I wanted to jerk them away, but his father was watching, and I didn’t want to embarrass Chad. Stupid softhearted me.
“Hello, Mr. Perrine,” I said when he approached. “Nice to see you again.” Not really. I’d never liked him much.
He gave me a curt nod. “Jennifer.”
I eased my hands out of Chad’s. “Ah, Autumn and I were just on our way to…” I gave her a helpless glance.
“On our way to an appointment for my wedding dress fitting.” She glanced at her watch. “We’re going to be late, Jenn, so we really need to go.”
I’d never been good at lying, and Autumn knew it. She, however, could come up with a story on the spur of the moment to cover any situation. That particular talent had kept us out of trouble with our parents many times growing up.
“Yeah, we have to go.” When Chad seemed about to protest, I grabbed Autumn’s arm and we took off. Mr. Perrine had never liked me, probably thought a bartender wasn’t good enough for his son. I’m sure he was happy to see me out of the picture. Chad called after me, but I kept going.
“Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, he walks into ours,” Autumn drawled, deepening her voice.
I laughed at her impersonation of Rick Blaine fromCasablanca. Autumn loved old movies, and I’d watched probably every classic in the world with her through the years. If you didn’t know Autumn, with that gorgeous blonde hair of hers, those sky-blue eyes, and a smile that could melt the hardest heart, you’d think she was an angel. So not true. Growing up, Autumn had always been the instigator in any trouble she, Natalie, Savannah, and I got into. She was also the one who, when we got caught, could talk our parents into going easier on us than they should have.
“Speaking of old movies, I got Dylan to watchArsenic and Old Lacewith me the other night,” I said as we headed to the first store.
“Did he like it? If he didn’t, you’re not allowed to see him anymore.”
Ha! Like that would stop me from seeing him. “He thought it was hilarious.”
“‘Look. I probably should have told you this before but you see… well… insanity runs in my family… It practically gallops,’” Autumn said, quoting a line from the movie in her best Mortimer Brewster voice. She sighed. “God, Cary Grant was so sexy.”
“I bet if he were still alive, you’d leave Brian for him.”
She vigorously nodded. “Without looking back.”
Too bad he wasn’t still alive then. We didn’t see each other as much since she’d met Brian, and I missed that, especially with Savannah in New York now. I suppose that was what happened when you grew up and life took you on different roads, but that didn’t mean I had to like it.
“I hate buying bathing suits,” she said when we walked into the first store.
She had a list of things she’d need for her honeymoon, and since Brian was taking her to Hawaii, she had three suits on the list. A one-piece, a conservative two-piece, and a bikini. “Covering all possible scenarios?” I asked, leaning over her shoulder and reading the items on the screen of her phone.
“Exactly. Brian has friends who live in Hawaii, and we’ve been invited to a pool party, so a one-piece for that. The bikini’s for Brian.” She shot me a wicked grin.
“He’s going to look funny wearing it.”
