Nadine shot her a warning look, but Jess laughed, the sound genuine and unforced.
"He’s probably halfway to New York by now," she said, stirring a touch of raw sugar into her cappuccino. "We had a good talk this morning. Everything's settled."
"Settled?" Nadine echoed, eyes wide. "So the wedding’s back on?"
“Nope. We called it off once and for all. Not before time too,” she added, smiling knowingly at Megan.
Sloane's eyebrow arched over the rim of her sunglasses, which she'd lowered specifically to deliver the look. "You’re all welcome, by the way.” She sipped her espresso with theatrical precision. "Someone had to lance the boil."
“Hmm, I think your metaphors need some work," Nadine murmured, but a smile played at the corners of her mouth. “And speaking of work…" she continued, setting her latte down with careful precision, "I've been thinking a lot about what you said yesterday.” She smoothed an invisible wrinkle from her pants. "About wasting my talents."
“Don’t think I used the word 'wasting,'" Sloane protested. "I merely suggested a … reallocation of resources.”
"Whatever your exact words," Nadine continued, "you were right." She looked up, meeting each of their gazes in turn. “I gave up a career I loved to dedicate myself to managing everyone's lives but my own. Organizing, scheduling, coordinating - but never anything that was truly mine."
Jess reached over to squeeze her hand. “It’s your gift. Your organizational skills are legendary."
"They're also transferable," Nadine stated, a new certainty in her voice. "I've been thinking... about pursuing an opportunity that might allow me to kill two birds with one stone.” Her cheeks flushed with excitement as the others looked at her curiously.
“Sounds exciting,” Megan enthused. “Tell us more.”
Nadine took a deliberate sip of her latte, leaving a perfect crescent of foam on her upper lip, which she dabbed away with a napkin corner. “Like I said, I have an idea, but I'd rather not jinx it by talking too soon." Her expression softened as she looked around the table. "But thank you - all of you - for helping me see that I need to reclaim my purpose."
The maple tree above them rustled, sending a few early blossoms drifting down to land on their table like pale green snowflakes.
“It’s I who should be thanking you," Jess insisted, tracing the rim of her cappuccino cup with one finger. "For doing so much for a wedding that never was. And you two for coming all the way here and supporting me through... whatever this week has been."
"Oh please," Sloane waved an arm dismissively. “This week has amazing all round, Jess - far more entertaining than watching you marry the wrong guy. Plus, the island's better this time of year - hardly any tourists to ruin the authentic ambiance."
"I’m a tourist," Megan pointed out. “So are you.”
“We're visitors," Sloane corrected blithely. "There's a difference. Anyway," she continued, leaning forward, “forget about the wedding that never was, and let’s move on to what’s next." She fixed Jess with a penetrating look. "Specifically, when are you gonna make a move on the hot hotel guy."
Jess choked slightly on her cappuccino, heat rushing to her cheeks. “What? I don't - we haven't - it's not like that."
"Your face says otherwise," Megan observed, her expression softening into genuine amusement. "You're practically glowing at just the mention of him."
"I am not glowing," Jess protested, though she could feel the betraying warmth spreading from her cheeks down her neck. “We have history, that's all."
"History that’s clearly unfinished,” Nadine said fondly. "Even through my drunken haze, I saw how he looked at you that night at The Box. Same as when we were teenagers."
A comfortable silence settled over the table, filled only by the ambient sounds of the café - the clink of cups against saucers, quiet conversation from neighboring tables, the occasional call of gulls passing overhead. The day had warmed, sunlight now dappling their table through the maple branches in shifting patterns of gold and green.
"To the old dressmaker lady,” Sloane said, raising her tiny espresso cup in a toast. “Who it seems, managed to scupper a wedding, but orchestrate one last happy ending from beyond the grave.”
“To Ellen,” Jess echoed softly.
They lifted their various mugs in response, the ceramic clinking together in a makeshift toast.
As they set their drinks down, Sloane then glanced at her watch and sighed dramatically. "Much as I hate to break things up, my flight leaves in ninety minutes, so I should probably catch a cab."
"And I need to head to the ferry terminal," Megan added, reaching for her luggage. “Let’s share.”
"Not at all - I'll drive you both," Nadine offered immediately, then caught herself with a small, self-aware smile. "Sorry. Old habits."
"Hell, I’ll happily accept your offer of transportation," Sloane declared, rising from her chair with fluid grace. "But only because it's practical. And cheaper."
Jess watched as her beleaguered bridal party gathered their things - Sloane slipping her oversized sunglasses back on, Megan’s face relaxed as she adjusted the handle of her suitcase, Nadine settling the check.
