Page 38 of The Longest Wait

The idea of her interest in his day wasn’t casual.

Leaning in and privately whispering to each other was something a couple did. It was something she had witnessed Lucy andJack do numerous times. She shook off her thought of anythingthat resembled married life.

“Erica is over with,” Dominic announced as if they were allsupposed to be aware of who the mysterious woman was. If theywere expected to keep track of his revolving door, it would be afull time job. Women never lasted long.

“Who is Erica?” Tess probably asked, hoping it was a girlfriendand not a random hook-up. She was optimistic like that.

“Are we supposed to be surprised?” Sofia retorted with acheeky smile.

Connor laughed. “Erica is yet another woman who thoughtshe could change Dominic.”

“Another one bites the dust,” Alex added.

Dominic didn’t care. “I liked her, but not enough tobe exclusive.”

“Oh, the allusive exclusive,” Sofia said. “Outside of Lucy andJack, it seems like that’s a rumor for all of us.”

That was when the married couple showed up, as if they heardtheir names. After everyone was settled at the table and drinkswere served, Tess held a knife and tapped it to her wine glass toget their attention.

“I have news!” She grinned ear to ear.

“It better be good,” Lucy teased. “Or I’m going to endlesslytease you about bringing work home with you. You just tappedyour glass like you would at a wedding.”

Sofia giggled. “Are you going to give a speech?”

Tess scrunched her nose. “I’m not letting your bad attituderuin anything. I think I found the one!”

“The one what?” Dominic was confused.

While everyone else found this humorous, Tess did not. “Theman I think I will marry. I think I found my forever!”

“Cool.” Dominic was not interested. He turned to Connorand Jack to discuss soccer.

Alex didn’t exit the conversation right away. Apparently he wasintrigued at the idea of finding the someone to spend his life with.“What makes you think you found the one?”

Why did he care?

Sure, Sofia was surprised too. In her mind, there was no wayTess was able to find the one. Not when she hadn’t bothered tointroduce him to her friends. That seemed off.

This questioned excited Tess and she was ready to deep diveinto her latest venture of love. “Where do I even begin?”

“The beginning?” Lucy responded, also seeming a bit apprehensive about this.

Tess beamed with happiness. “We met last month at an engagement party I planned. He’s a surgeon at University of Pennsylvaniahospital, so he has a stable career and is quite brilliant. He’s theperfect height, just a few inches taller than me. The concern he hasfor his health is obviously important and he makes it a priority,but he isn’t a gym rat. He owns his own house, again with stability.He also has a concrete retirement plan, and you know how much Ilove when someone has a plan. When we last spoke, he mentioneda Habitat for Humanity benefit he was guest speaking at, whichshows how he gives back to the community.”

“Does he treat you well?” Lucy ignored the Tess’s rant.

Sofia nodded. “Does he make you laugh?”

That was an important one to Sofia. Why would you committo someone who couldn’t make you giggle?

Lucy poured herself another glass of wine from the bottle onthe table. “Is he supportive of your career? Does he get why beinga wedding planner is so important to you?”

“And what about your fondness for scheduling. Do you thinktwo people who have to document every move won’t clash witheach other?” Sofia pointed out.

Tess’s eyes bounced back and forth between her best friends.“Both of you stop it. Do you know how long it has taken me tofind a man who has checked every box? He’s the one. Why can’tyou be happy for me?”

“How can he be the one if we haven’t even met him yet?”Sofia pushed. She wasn’t trying to put Tess down; it just didn’tmake sense.