“Um, Gina. This is my friend, Noah. And no, he’s not my date. He’s just a carpool buddy.”
“Ooh, another friend from carpool! How amazing to have made such lifelong connections that way. Where is that sweet little friend of Dan’s? I want to get a picture of the whole carpool crew together at my rehearsal dinner. Unless there’s someone left out? You don’t have, like, a black sheep of the carpool group do you?” Gina’s laugh was squeaky, and yet endearing. I could see why a lonely widower would be drawn to her, and why someone like Sadie would hate that.
“Nope, it’s just the four of us.” Sadie said, taking in a deep breath.
“Dan! Bring your carpool friend over here. I want a picture of you guys.”
Dan glanced over at his future step-mother. “What was that?”
“Get over here. Carpool group picture.”
Kim gave her husband a nudge, and Dan crossed the kitchen to us, followed closely by Jenny. She made a wide berth around me and went to stand on Sadie’s far side. I got in the middle between Dan and Sadie, thinking how awkward it was to memorialize the night Jenny told me to drop dead.
Gina stepped back and took our picture with her phone. “Toothy smiles this time!” She took a few more and then Dan grabbed the phone from her and motioned for her to pose with Sadie.
“Where’s Dad?” he asked.
“Oh, about that.” Gina motioned for all of us to come closer. “Robert’s in the den preparing the question game for dinner. Just like you kids used to play. Won’t that be fun?” Her expression was one of hopeful hesitation.
“I wouldn’t call it fun, but we don’t mind sharing it with you if that’s what you’re worried about, Gina.” Dan patted her back. “You’ll learn to hate it along with the rest of us.” He grabbed a cocktail weenie from off a gold tray on the island counter and headed back to Kim. Jenny rushed after him. Or more accurately, away from me.
“What did Dan mean?” I asked Sadie. “What are we in for?”
“My dad was a high school drama teacher. He loves putting people on the spot. You’ll be fine. Jenny’s gonna hate it. Almost as much as she hates you right now.” Sadie picked up an appetizer with spreadable cheese and after examining it, carefully set it back down on the tray. “Come make the rounds with me. I have to be able to say I said hi to everyone. That’s where you come in.”
We made the rounds, and I did my best to help Sadie when the conversation died or when it was obvious there was something she was supposed to know, and clearly didn’t. Like people’s names. She would so owe me, but the night was young and I was accumulating brownie points I had a feeling I’d need later.
“When does the actual dinner start?” I asked, glancing at Jenny again. I’d been doing my best to covertly keep tabs on her without her noticing. She and Kim were talking. I looked away quickly before she caught me.
“When all the important people are here. My future step-brother and his date aren’t here yet. And my other future step-brother who is not bringing a date.”
“You don’t know their names, do you?”
Sadie shrugged. “Sadly, no. But, oh, you should ask for me when they come.”
The doorbell rang, and she motioned with her head for me to do the honors. I guess that way I’d for sure get their names for her. I was happy to get away for a moment. The tiled entryway was at least ten degrees cooler than the kitchen area, and a lot quieter.
I opened the door, prepared to introduce myself and be pleasant and patient and whatever the rest of my plan was I suddenly couldn’t remember. Because every coherent thought had left my head the second my eyes locked on Carin’s face. My ex-girlfriend’s lipstick was so very red and her blonde hair was so very blonde. But her eyes were the same. Beautiful and glittering with ideas now that she’d spotted me.
“Noah?” She smiled, and it looked sweet, but I knew better.
“Carin. Good to see you.” Lies! It was not good to see her. I wanted to close the door in her face, or better yet, run around her and her hulking date and make a run for my truck. Carin was a life-sucking siren. She used to test my loyalty to her by making me do things for her at the most inconvenient moments, as if her life would end if I didn’t. And then later I’d find out she didn’t need that medicine right away after all. Or for me to make that emergency run to the dry cleaners in the middle of my workday. It was all just to see if I was ‘trustworthy.’ It made me question my own sanity after a while. Was I the one being unreasonable by saying no?
Breaking up with her had been, without a doubt, the best decision I’d ever made. I only wished I’d broken up with the doubts she’d left in my head a lot sooner.
Carin gripped her date’s arm. “Miles, this is Noah. We used to date, but we haven’t seen each other in ages.”
I took in the linebacker-sized guy I assumed was Sadie’s future step-brother and held out my hand. “Nice to meet you. I’m a friend of Sadie’s.”
He grunted in response. “Good for you. Can we come in?”
“Yes, of course.” I stepped aside, not even offended at his gruffness. He seemed suspicious of my connection to his date. I wished there was a good way to tell him he had nothing to fear from me. If anything, I’d be hanging garlic around my neck and warding off the lingering influence of her by burning the clothes I was wearing and then taking a disinfectant bath.
I was about to close the door behind them, but a guy jogged up the walkway and held up his hand in a friendly wave. He was a slightly less hulking version of Carin’s date, but with the same shaggy light brown hair.
“Hey, man. Sorry I’m late.”
“Don’t worry, I just work here.”
