CONNOR:It’s like those people wearing dark sunglasses who think no one can tell what they’re looking at
CONNOR:Which never works, by the way
CONNOR:You can always tell
ANNIE:How
CONNOR:It’s what your nose is pointing at
I try not to laugh when it’s clear that I should, in fact, be working, but I can’t help the little snort that escapes when I read that. I don’t need to look at Connor to know he’s smiling too: I can feelit.
ANNIE:Creep
CONNOR:Says the person staring
I refocus on the task in front of me, determined to ignore Connor’s presence, which is of course, impossible. I wonder if he’s looking at me as much as I’m looking at him. I find the thought strangely thrilling.
—
“What was the name of that boy you went to prom with?” Mom says, without preamble, when she telephones me later that week while I’m making dinner. My roommate is out, somewhere. In her absence I made the salmon.
“I didn’t have a date to prom.”
“Well then, who’s that floppy-haired boy in all the pictures? I have an album full of the two of you on our doorstep.”
I am at pains to correct her. “He wasn’t my date. We went asfriends.”
“What’s the difference?”
“And his name was Thomas,” I tellher.
“That was it,” she says, satisfied to have this mystery solved. “Are you still in touch with him?”
“Other than through social media?No.”
“Well, I think it’s high time you reached out,” she suggests, like this is something important she’s been thinking about for a while. “He works at The King’s Glen, you know.”
“I did not know that. How doyouknow that?”
“I saw him when I stopped by there the other day.”
“And you thought, what? There’s my daughter’s prom date from twelve years ago, I wonder how heis?”
“What I thought was that you could give him a call and see if they can squeeze in one more wedding this year.”
Oh, here wego.
“Has Shannon asked you to do this?”
“She doesn’t need to ask. I’m her mother,” she says. “And it can’t hurt to make a few inquiries.”
“Maybe hold off for a bit?” I say, annoyed by her eagerness.
Her tone suggests she finds this absurd. “What would be the point in that?”
“Because she might not want you to? Maybe she doesn’teven want to get married at The King’s Glen. She said they hadn’t settled on a venue.”
“Oh, tosh,” she says. “She’s only saying that because she’s worried they won’t have any free dates.”
