Because if not—I don’t want to know the consequences.
Chapter 15
Dane
This is the worst day of my entire life.
Snow globes and lunch with Amanda’s family and a few random errands around town that we claim to bewedding errandsare requiring more touching. More kissing. More accidentally being in sync with her between saying the same things and subconsciously moving closer to each other when we both realize we’re being watched.
We’re back at Lorelei’s house with Chili for dinner. I make excuses about needing to check in with work to give myself a break, but I still hear them talking.
Andthisis half of why we’re doing it.
I’m not in Tinsel often. Amanda’s apparently not either.
But Lorelei and Amanda are chattering away like they talk all the time. Like it hasn’t been months since the last time they saw each other. Like they were even better friends when we were kids than I knew, and that their friendship has only gotten stronger since.
I don’t make much progress checking email to minimize the mess that I’ll eventually be going back to, and I’m falling farther behind on work this week when I’m supposed to be putting in at least half time to save vacation days.
I’m too busy soaking in the stories they’re telling each other about their lives while the scent of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies fills the air.
Amanda’s accidental excursion to a comedy club that ended with her onstage playing right back to the stand-up comic. Lorelei acting as peacekeeper during a committee meeting about changing out the color of the light bulbs on Kringle Lane. Stories about Amanda’s dogs acting up all over the city. Lorelei’s attempt at a starring role in a low-budget commercial for the Fruitcake Emporium.
Amanda’s fear that the play she wrote for her local community theater will bomb.
She wrote a play.
She wrote a play.
And she hasn’t said a word to me or her family about it, as far as I can tell.
Because she doesn’t think it’s a big deal?
Or because itisa big deal, and she’s afraid no one will support her?
“It’s okay if it bombs.” There’s so much cheek in her voice that I don’t believe her. “I failed at being a professional actress, so it would just fit the theme.”
“It’s not going to bomb,” Lorelei replies. “When is it? I’m coming. Wait.Wait.Does this mean you and Dane are definitely living in New York?”
I freeze, but Amanda has this. “He’ll work remotely in New York until after my play, and then we’ll head to San Francisco for a few months. Figure out which one suits us best, you know?”
That’s when I heave myself up from not working to pop my head into the kitchen and volunteer to grill burgers.
It is absolutely a once-in-a-blue-moon cheeseburger night for me tonight.
It’s hot in the kitchen with the oven on, but the fresh cookies are worth it. Even hotter at the grill, and the cheeseburger is even more worth it.
Over dinner, I don’t have to say hardly anything.
They keep going.
It’s making my chest tight.
Not jealousy. Not envy. I don’t feel left out.
I justwant thisfor my sister, all the time. To not have to hide how much she enjoys hanging out with Amanda.
I want it for Amanda, too, but I want it even more for Lorelei.
