“You’re right. People see me as this spoiled, dumb girl with idiotic dreams,” she said, her voice going low as her face twisted into a frown. “Maybe they’ll trust me or view me as a normal person if I date. Yes. Helen talks about her dating life all the time, and people to eat it up. Maybe I can be more like Helen.”
“No one should bemorelike Helen. You don’t know her well enough yet,” I said, laughing because Helen was a three times divorced hellion who wanted sex, a good time, and had a the kindest heart. She put her soul into the foundation, but her personal life was a mess. A whole trash fire of a mess.
“She is a bit much, isn’t she?” Nora laughed. “Fine. Tomorrow, I’ll meet this friend of yours for drinks.”
“No marriage or plant talk, right? That’s more second date material.”
“Got it.” She grinned and pushed a nonexistent hair behind her ear. “Get the desserts. Trust me.”
“Didn’t realize you knew about my sweet tooth.”
“It’s obvious. You’re always eating,” she teased, and she returned to her door before turning and waving. She raked her gaze over me, her face flushing, and my stomach tightened.
It was strange, but I didn’t want to go back into my apartment alone. I liked being out here, talking to her, hearing her singsong voice and experiences at the foundation. I enjoyed watching her gestures and hearing her laugh, and I ran a hand over my beard, trying to prolong the conversation. Nothing came out. “Well, I should—”
“I’m just gonna go,” she said at the same time, somehow making the moment even more awkwardly delightful.
With a slight chuckle, I went back in and closed the door, rereading the note and smiling to myself. I put the note on the fridge and popped open a beer. Watching the Cubs play the Reds was the perfect way to zone out and keep my mind off Nora.
An hour later, Gilly and Grace walked in carrying tacos and margarita mix. My stomach growled when the aroma of carne asada hit my nostrils. Grace eyed the plants without saying a word, and I arched a brow. “Jealous?”
“Not even a little. They’re named?”
“Obviously. Do younotname a plant? Grace, come on.”
She snorted as Gilly poured three drinks, and we all sat on the couch.
While Grace and I took sips of our drink, Gilly tapped her toes on the carpet and looked from me to Grace a few times.
“Spill it. You’re being strange,” I said, tipping my glass to her. “Are you calling off the wedding? Getting a face tattoo?”
“Jesus, no.” She stood and twisted her hands together in the front. “I’m getting married. To Christopher.”
“Yes, we’re aware, thank you so much,” Grace said, a hint of a tease to her voice.
“Shut it, you.” She narrowed her eyes at our friend. “We’d stalled on setting a date because of so many things with his sister in college and our parents, and well, we finally decided to just go for it. We chose a date.”
“And?” I said, legit thrilled for her. “When?”
“September 25.”
“Sounds perfect,” Grace said, holding up her glass. “Cheers to—”
“No, not yet.” Gilly took a deep breath and looked us both in the eye. “I kept going back and forth about this, but I’m not a traditional or conventional person. I’m weird and want this to be done my way. That’s with both of you standing up with me. I’m not doing a maid of honor or a best man or anything like that. I want the two of you, my closest best friends on the planet, up there with me when I marry the man of my dreams. Are you in?”
“Um, oh my God, yes,” Grace said, standing up and hugging her.
It took me a second before my face burst into a grin and I joined them. It was like we were in college again, a little too drunk and emotional from watching the entirety ofThe Office,and my chest filled with happiness for my sister. I hugged them back, hard.
“You guys are the best,” Gilly said between sniffs. “Ugh, I was so nervous to ask.”
“Which is dumb,” I said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. “We’d do anything for you.”
Gilly gave us a toothy grin as someone knocked on the door, and both of the women stared at me—Grace with curiosity and Gilly with amusement. “Must be your neighbor,” she said, wiggling her brows.
“Plant lady?”
“That’s the one,” Gilly said to Grace.
