Were Austin and Katie ever like that?
“Adams for eight,” Natalie said breezily once we finallyreached Ember & Ash’s base of operations, the limestone hostess podium.
My nose crinkled. “Is Natalie’s last name Adams, too?” I whispered to Davis. He was standing right next to me, and I was very aware of his hand dangling only inches from mine.
“Oh, no,” he replied. “It’s Alexakos.” He shifted from one foot to the other, and my arm tingled when our fingers brushed. “She just, um, always used my last name for reservations.”
Used?I thought.Why past tense?
“Yes, I see your reservation right here,” the hostess said, her face familiar when she looked up from her iPad to assess our group. “Your table should be ready in…” She trailed off, her neutral but warm expression slipping into a surprised smile when she noticed me. “No way! Mads Fisher-Michaels?”
“Hey, Carina.” I waved. Carina was Marco’s older sister; she’d graduated from Cornell a couple years ago with a degree in hospitality. According to Dad, she’d spent a year proving her skills at Two Fish, one of the Álvarez family’s smaller restaurants—they had thebestbrunch—before her parents promoted her to front of house at Ember & Ash.
“It’s great to see you!” she exclaimed, efficiently grabbing eight menus and gesturing for our group to follow her. “Marco mentioned…”
What?I thought, spine straightening.Marco mentionedwhat?
“Who’s Marco?” Davis and Natalie asked, but in very differenttones. Davis was casually curious while his friend sounded like she’d discovered a juicy secret.
My clandestine lover, I thought about telling Natalie.He’s older; he’s worldly; he buys me expensive jewelry and top-of-the-line field hockey sticks…
“Her brother,” I said. “We went to school together. He was a couple years ahead of me.”
Carina seated us and menus were circulated. “Your server will be over momentarily,” she said, then to me: “Please tell Austin and Katie congratulations!”
“Who are Austin and Katie?” Natalie asked once Carina had disappeared. She and her date—Ben? Brett? Brent?—were sitting directly across from Davis and me. Ben/Brett/Brent was studying the menu like the rest of our table, but Natalie hadn’t picked hers up yet.
Learning my life story had apparently skyrocketed on her priority list.
“Austin’s my older brother and Katie is his fiancée,” I said. “Ember & Ash catered their engagement party two months ago.”
Every girl at the table’s head snapped toward me. If I had to wager a guess, their wedding Pinterest boards were plenty populated. “Ooh, how did he propose?” Rebecca asked.
“Paris.” I knew that one word would provide enough description. Whatever scene the girls conjured in their heads would not beunlikethe overproduced Instagram Reel. I mean, it’s Paris!
“And when are they getting married?” Natalie asked.
“December fourteenth,” I answered, then elaborated because I knew the questions that would come next. “The ceremony’s going to be at St. Paul’s here in town, with the reception at the Bedens Brook Club.”
Dad and Da had been quiet when Austin told us last month, butIhadn’t. We were all in the kitchen, Da making dinner, Dad uncorking a bottle of wine, and Austin’s face filling the screen of my MacBook. Katie had gone out to dinner with friends, so he’d FaceTimed to catch up and say hello to Arthur and Francine. “Wait, you’re doing a country club wedding?” I’d asked. “Golf course ceremony and ballroom reception?”
“Not exactly,” he said. “I know we’re lapsed in the religion department, but Katie wants St. Paul’s. And then, yes, we’ll party in Bedens Brook’s ballroom. It’s nice.”
“But does it have character?” I asked, catching the corner of Dad’s mouth tip up. “Austin, I thought you guys would do somethingcool. I know you said it’d be in Princeton, but I thought maybe you’d change your mind and do something in Philly. I heard you can rent out the Reading Terminal Market.” I glanced at our parents. “Who told me that?”
“Probably Sam,” Austin said. “She’s determined to try every vendor, remember?”
Right, I thought, recalling last summer. Samira, Austin, and I’d spent a Saturday in Philly together. Reading Terminal Market had been lunch, where we’d eaten tacos upon tacos, devoured dumplings, and gotten about a dozen cannoli to bring home.
“It would be an awesome venue, Mads,” Austin said, “but Katie wants Bedens Brook.”
Dad cleared his throat. “I hope this doesn’t come to you as a shock, Austin,” he said, “but there’s no bride without a groom. This wedding is technically half yours. Doyouwant Bedens Brook?”
Onscreen, Austin shrugged. “I want Kates to have exactly what she wants.”
I looked away to roll my eyes while Da diplomatically said, “Well, since we’re adhering to tradition, it is the parents of the groom’s responsibility to host the rehearsal dinner.”
“Yeah.” Austin nodded. “The Gallants actually suggested—”
