Pushing him aside, I fly through the curtain, race past Beyoncé, and storm out the front door, Declan at my heels.Tina Turner sends us off with a warble of, “You better be good to me!”
When we reach the sidewalk, we both seem unsure of what to do next or where it is we’re going.The streets are dead compared to the insanity of New Year’s Eve.
“Take a breath,” he tells me.
“Don’t ever tell a woman to take a breath.”
“I’ve told you to breathe a lot of times over the years.”
“Yeah, but you can’t tell yourwife to take a breath.It has deeper meaning.”
He throws up his hands.“I thought you just decided you didn’t want to be my wife!”
“I don’t!But I am!”
“You still want an annulment?”
“Yes.Soon.And you won’t open your big trap to anyone that this happened.”
“I won’t.”He crosses his heart, but I can see he’s trying not to laugh.“I swear that no one except for you, me, Beyoncé, Tina, and Aretha will ever…” He chortles but pulls himself together.“…know that you vowed your eternal love to me with your boobs out on display.”
I point at him.“I will run your ass over with the hay baler if you ever say one word to anyone about this.”
“I won’t, Summer.I…oh, holy oysters on the half shell!Don’t look now, but our past is catching up with us.”
I turn to see Bryttni and Kirk walking up the street, headed our way.They’re strolling arm in arm and gazing into each other’s eyes like they’re madly in love.
That sure was quick.But I guess not everyone waits more than a decade to get started.Not that we’ve already started.Or that we’ll stay married.
I’m dealing with a throbbing, blinding headache so awful that I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
Kirk notices us, points, and breaks out into a huge grin.“Look!It’s the siblings!”
“Great,” Declan and I say at the exact same time.
“How’s it going?Thanks for the wine, by the way.”Kirk is smiling like he just heard the punchline to a hilarious joke.I have a feeling Declan and I are that punchline.We’ll probably be a story he tells for the rest of his life.
“Well, lookie here,” Bryttni says, her voice a lot less catlike than I remember.“It’s the McCall twins!”
“MacLaine,” Declan says.
“Whatever.”Bryttni and Kirk laugh.Then Bryttni notices the envelope clutched in my hand.“Wait.”She looks up at the chapel’s neon sign and back at the envelope.“Did you two just get married?Wow.I don’t even know what to say.”
“How about we say congratulations!”Kirk reaches out to shake Declan’s hand.
“Thanks.”Declan squints as Kirk pumps his palm.I think the up-and-down motion is making Declan woozy.I’m woozy just watching it.
“You two deserve each other, and I really mean that.”Bryttni says this with a phony smile plastered on her face.She and Kirk break into peals of laughter.“Well, we better go.We’re off to see a magic show!”
Kirk slips his arm tighter around Bryttni’s waist and pulls her closer to his side.They walk away, still laughing.Until Kirk leans in and lays a long, intense kiss on Bryttni’s lips.
“That was slightly weird,” Declan says.
“It’s definitely not good!Because now two more people know we’re married.”I hear how whiny my voice sounds and I cringe.
“Who?What people?”Declan asks.
“Kirk and Bryttni.”
