I make an exasperated noise. “Super.Makes me wonder who’s getting married, but whatever. The less I have to do, thebetter.”
“Um—so what are your plans today?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. Whatever thethree of you want to do. Cole went into the office to get some stuff done.” Ilook at Laura, she’s got something in mind and I can see by the way she’sexcited and can’t sit still—it doesn’t involve me. “Why?”
“Well—um Race called.”
“Laura. No.” Her enthusiasm immediatelymelts into disappointment, making me regret saying anything.
“Well, what do you want to do today?” Shetries to sound happy, but I can tell with one little word, I’ve hurt herfeelings. Since when did she ever care what I thought? She always does justwhat she wants to.
“What did Race want?”
“To have lunch, see how I was. I guessCole told him about me and Ben.”
Hmm, that’s funny. I don’t remembertelling Cole about Ben and Laura breaking up. “Well, if you want to have lunchwith him, you should.”
“Are you sure?”
I feel irritated that she’s asking mypermission. “Since when do you need my permission to go out with a guy?”
Laura gets off the bed. “I was trying tobe nice. I know Cole and he are in business together. I wanted to make sure youwere okay with it.”
Now she’s angry, and this makes me angry.“Like you did with Ben?”
Laura’s mouth pops open and she glares atme. Without saying anything else, she storms out of the room, slamming itbehind her. I lay back down in bed with a huff. I shouldn’t have said that.That was a hit way below the belt, especially for me. It’s not that I don’twant her to go out with Race. It’s just that I don’t want her to get hurt. Ilike Race, and she’s right. I don’t want to deal with her drama. I have enoughof my own. I get up and shower, but I still feel tired. I put a pair of yogapants on and a stretchy t-shirt and walk out into the living room.
“There’s the sleepy head,” Annie saysfrom the counter as she flips through a bridal magazine.
“Oh, hey sweetie.” My mom picks up thewedding binder, stowing it in her bag. “We were just coming to tell you we’reon our way out to meet Kathy, Jill, and Grandma to do some more shopping.”
“More shopping, huh?” Ugh—just what Idon’t want to do.
“Yeah, mom and I have been looking on theinternet and we found some shops for bridesmaid’s dresses we want to go to.”Annie says.
“Sounds fun.” Not really. “I’ll gochange.”
“Oh Katie, that’s okay. You stay andrest. We’ll make sure we can return anything we buy in case you don’t like it.”My mom looks me over with concern, her lips pursing.
What was with that look? She doesn’t wantme to go with them? I’m not sure how I feel about this. “Okay. Um—did Lauraleave?”
“Yeah, she said something about an oldfriend and having lunch with her.”
“Oh.” I sit down on the sofa, watching mymom and Annie gather their things and leave without another word. Super, nowI’m not even a part of my own wedding planning. Whatever. I look around. Whatthe heck am I going to do? I turn the television on and curl up on the sofa.
I feel hands on my head and face, andthen warm lips on mine. “Cole.” I open my eyes to his furrowed brow. “What’swrong?” I ask, sitting up.
“I think we should call the doctor.”
“No, I’m not sick. Stop treating me likea baby.”
“Kate, it’s two in the afternoon. When Ileft, you were asleep. When I get back, I find you asleep. I’m worried aboutyou.”
“It’s just stress.” I stand up, walkinginto the kitchen. I open the refrigerator to look for something to eat. Butnothing looks good and I don’t feel hungry. Oh, maybe something is wrong withme if I don’t want food. It’s stress, I repeat to myself.
“Why didn’t you go shopping with yourmom?”
I pull a bottle of water out of thefridge. “She didn’t really want me to.”
