“So, what’s the plan, then?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, your fiancé comes back on Monday. You can’t tell me with a straight face that you’re going to sweep all of this under the rug as though it meant nothing,” she said.
“Lana, can you please let me enjoy this weekend,” I sighed. “I’ll think about all of that when Tyler gets back. I just…” I braced my hands on the countertop, hanging my head. “I don’t want this feeling to end. Everything seems to fall apart when it does.”
“It doesn’t have to,” she said.
I clenched my jaw. I didn’t want to think about what had to happen come Monday. Ignoring it was much easier for me. And Gavin hadn’t asked…
I knew I couldn’t keep stringing him along. I couldn’t keep denying myself of him—whether it was love, lust, or something in between.
“What if I forget who I am again?” I asked softly.
Lana hugged her hands around her coffee. “You haven’t yet,” she said. “If anything, you’ve been more openly yourself than I’ve seen you in a few years. You’re not putting on a face when he’s around. You’re still…you.”
“What does that mean?” I asked.
“You do that with Tyler,” she said. “You sober up around him, you don’t laugh as loudly, you don’t get as excited. It’s like you think you have to be reserved. I’m not saying submissive because you’re not, but….”
“I lose a part of myself when he’s around,” I said, scrambling the eggs in the pan. I plated them and turned back to Lana, barely picking at the food as I let the realization move through me.
“Let’s get through the weekend,” Lana said. “Does Gavin have any plans? More skydiving—I still can’t believe you did that without me,” she added, brow elevated.
“We still have our dream New Zealand trip and skydiving adventure there that’s reserved only for you,” I assured her. “And no, he hasn’t mentioned plans.”
My phone buzzed again, and I itched to answer it.
Lana snickered behind her cup. “So fucking cute,” she muttered.
“Oh, shut up,” I said.
Ezzie was exiting her car at the same time as me when I arrived at work an hour later. She had a massive grin on her face, and I knew she had some secret she was eager to get off her chest. A leather midi pencil skirt, black lace tank, and pink cape adorned her luscious body that morning, and I whistled at her across the parking garage.
“Have I told you how much more you’re glowing with that ring on your finger?” I asked as we caught up to one another.
“And have I told you how much more you’re glowing since taking yours off?” she asked, and my heart dropped as I realized I’d left my ring on the kitchen counter after washing dishes.
“Ah, fuck,” I muttered, cursing myself for the mistake.
Ezzie snorted. “Don’t worry. If anyone notices, just tell them you took it to be cleaned.”
“Is that something I’m supposed to do?” I asked, genuinely wondering.
An amused sigh left her, and she draped her arm around my shoulder, giving me a comforting squeeze. “You’re adorable, and that’s one of the reasons I love you,” she cooed. “But really, you should have it cleaned before the wedding,” she added.
“Noted,” I said. We hit the sidewalk then, the sun cascading over us. “What’s the good news you’re ready to spill?” I asked.
“Dress shopping tomorrow,” she said. “Do you want to come with me?”
“You haven’t found your dress?” I asked. “They take months to come in sometimes.”
Ezzie shrugged. “I called a few places yesterday with some on the rack I could try. What do you say? You need to find a dress, too—that is, if you don’t have other plans.” Her perfectly manicured brow raised, and I chuckled softly.
“Even if I did, dress shopping with you comes first,” I said. “Where are we going?”
Ezzie opened the door to the building. “Well, there’s one place an hour or so away I wanted to check out. If I don’t find something there, and you’re free next weekend, there’s another a few hours south. Although that includes staying overnight at a hotel, so we’d make a full weekend out of it.”
