“Don’t put it there.” Brooke jumped to move the container from one stack of junk mail to another and picked up the lavender envelope.
Too late. A wet ring had already formed, not that Jo cared.
Brooke sat back. “You haven’t even opened it.”
Jo rubbed her hands over her face. She didnotwant to have this conversation. “I just got it, mmm…a couple of days ago.”
“It’s been over a week.” Brooke flipped over the homemade invitation covered in glittery wedding bells and their address handwritten in a childish print. “Are you thinking of not going?”
“I’m not thinking of not going.” Jo shrugged. “I just don’t want to think about going.”
Christmas was only seven weeks ago, and Jo had been hoping for no less than a six-month reprieve from her family. At least that was the last she’d heard. Jesus, her half-sister, Georgia, had talked of nothing but a June wedding. So, why the invitation in last week’s mail?
That can’t be good.
She looked at Brooke. “February is a little early to send out invitations for a June wedding, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” Brooke didn’t wait for permission. She tore into the envelope and winced.
April first?
Too soon.
Jo groaned. “They’ll have a field day with my shit life.”
“You’ll have it put back together by then,” Brooke said with more confidence than Jo felt and studied the invitation. “April Fool’s Day? Weird day to pick for a wedding.” She slid a glance at Jo. “You think she’s pregnant?”
“Maybe. I don’t know.” Jo snorted as she toed off her boots. “If she is, it’s not like she’d tell me. I’m surprised I’m invited at all.”
Brooke laughed and tossed the invitation back on the table. Light glinted off something on her hand.
“You’ve got glitter all ov—” No, not glitter. Jo squealed and grabbed her hand, bringing it closer for inspection. “Oh, my god. What the fuck is this?”
Brooke’s eyes sparkled, her smile as bright as the huge diamond on her finger. “What does it look like?”
Jo turned the ring this way and that and grinned. “It looks like a big-ass rock the size of Texas.”
“Stop,” Brooke said, trying not to laugh as she tugged her hand free and held the symbol of her happily ever after to the light. “It’s not that big.” She gnawed the corner of her lip, for a second, then side-eyed Jo. “Is it?”
“No, it’s perfect,” Jo said softly, hating herself for putting doubt in Brooke’s mind. She shoved aside the sudden heaviness crushing her chest. Engagement meant marriage. Marriage meant losing her best friend. As long as Brooke was happy though… “He did good.”
“He did, didn’t he?” Brooke giggled and wagged her fingers. “Two carats.”
“Congratulations, I couldn’t be happier for you.” Jo wrapped her arms around Brooke and hugged her close. “I can’t believe you’re getting married.”
“Me either,” Brooke said, her hushed whisper as tight as the band around Jo’s chest, “I love him so much.”
“I should hope so,” Jo teased and pulled back to look into Brooke’s eyes, sparkling with happy, unshed tears. “You’re going to make the most beautiful bride.”
Brooke sniffed. “And you’ll be my maid of honor, just like we planned.”
“Only if you swear you won’t make me wear an ugly dress.”
Laughter trickled from Brooke. “No ugly dress, I promise.” She released Jo and sat back. “You’ll do my cake, of course.”
“Goes without saying.” Jo had sketched the original design for Brooke’s wedding cake years ago when they were both still young enough to believe in fairy tales. Over the years, she’d pull it out to make alterations, according to the current trends Brooke oohed and aahed over, especially after she began photographing weddings. “When’s the big day?”
“I don’t know. He just proposed today.”
