Lia runsher fingers along a bouquet of hydrangeas while The Beave corners the florist about arrangement options. “So are you going to just ignore the fact that you went on a baking date and not tell me anything about it?”
I shrug as I pick up a pink hydrangea and put it up against Lia’s perfectly freckled face. “Nothing to really say. It wasn’t really baking, as it was frosting cupcakes.”
“And . . .” Lia asks, trying to get me to talk, but . . . I don’t know. I don’t really want to talk about it.
“And I brought cupcakes home,” I answer and put the flower back in its pot.
“Uh-huh, so you’re telling me that’s all that happened? Nothing else?”
“I mean, we talked and laughed, and she was pretty fucking funny. But yeah, that was it.”
“Did you kiss her good night?” Lia asks, her voice dropping an octave.
I pause because this feels weird. I don’t know why this feels weird. Things with Lia never feel weird, but talking about Birdy does.
“Um, from your pause, I’m going to assume that’s a yes.” She lightly pushes at my shoulder. “Breaker, why aren’t you telling me what happened?”
“Because,” I say, turning away from her.
“Because why?” she asks.
“Just because.”
She moves around me so I’m forced to look in her eyes. “That’s not an answer. You tell me everything, so why are you being weird about this?”
“I don’t know,” I say while exhaling and pushing my hand through my hair. “Probably because it feels weird. Okay? This whole dating thing feels weird. And I don’t know how to handle it.”
“Well, not talking to me doesn’t help. We tell each other everything.”
“I know.” I dip my head back and look at the sky for a moment. “Fuck, Lia, I kissed her last night because I really wanted to.” I look her in the eyes now. “All night, she made me laugh, and she’s beautiful, and at one point, she sucked on her finger, and it made me fucking sweat.” Lia smirks. “So when it came to saying good night, I wanted to kiss her, and I did.” I tug on my hair. “And it was good. Sweet. Not too intense, just perfect. But I . . . I felt nothing.”
“Nothing?” she asks.
I shake my head. “No, there was no spark, no desire to push her up against the SUV and further the kiss. It was just sweet.” I shake my head again. “I think there’s something wrong with me. This is why I don’t date because I never feel anything for anyone. Never. It’s always just . . . average. And Birdy is not the type of girl I take home for the night and not see again. She’s the dating type.”
“Are you two done conversing over there?” The Beave calls out while snapping her fingers. “I have important things to discuss.”
Lia turns toward me and says, “This conversation isn’t over. You hear me?”
“Yeah, didn’t think it would be,” I say as we head on over to the florist.
“Ophelia, please don’t drag your feet. It’s unbecoming.” Lia clamps her lips together, probably to keep her from snapping back. The Beave’s mood has carried over from yesterday, and it has been fucking unpleasant. “Now, I just spoke with the florist and she said she can accommodate our order of red roses, but we need to act quickly.”
“Red roses?” Lia sneers. “Those are so formal.”She hates red roses. Thinks they’re so cliché.Can’t say I disagree.
“Exactly, this is a formal wedding, Ophelia. What do you expect to have at the wedding? Daisies?” The Beave snorts as if that’s the most preposterous thing she’s ever heard.
“As a matter of fact,” Lia says, “I was thinking daisies would be perfect. They were my mom’s favorite flower.”
The Beave pauses and then clasps her hands together. “Ophelia, I appreciate your dedication to your mother’s favorite flower. Very admirable, but this is a wedding, not a memorial. This is a celebration.”
Oh fuck.
Lia gasps. It’s under her breath—subtle—that you almost don’t hear it, but it’s just enough for me to notice.
Just enough for me to know what’s going to happen next if I don’t interject.
“Mrs. Beaver,” I say, stepping in before Lia loses it. “I don’t want to step on any toes here, but I believe it would be a kind and serving thing to honor Lia’s late mother by including daisies. It would be a way to include her mother since she can’t be here.”
