I found myself smiling as well. And then my smile faded when I heard Tabby say, “Dude, your ex-wife is here. You’re not supposed to be here.”
Tabby didn’t know how to whisper. She also didn’t know how to be discreet. My shoulders tensed as the whole room turned around to look at me. Okay, maybe it wasn’t the whole room, but it felt like it.
I’d never met Becca in person. She had been dating Tom for a few months before he married her, but in that time I hadn’t once met her. Tom had been careful to arrange that she didn’t show up at any of the pickups. I liked to think that I wouldn’t act out if she had, but right after Tom and I separated before our divorce I’d been a bitter, resentful person. I’d blamed Becca for our failed marriage.
Tom swore that they hadn’t been having an affair, and I wanted to believe him, but I didn’t know if that made me naive.
My shoulders were tense. My mouth was dry. I didn’t know how to feel, but I hated that this was all so public.
Just when I was thinking about making my way to the back door to escape the situation instead of facing it, an arm slid around my shoulders. I looked up at Carter in surprise.
“I thought you could use some support,” he said simply.
“Thanks, Carter,” I looked up at him and smiled. It was nice to have my other best friend back.
“Good evening, Carter. Hello, Dana,” Tom said standing there looking dispassionate. He was expressionless as he looked between me and Carter, but I knew Tom well. I knew a dispassionate look meant displeasure.
There had always been bad blood between Tom and Carter. I never understood why. I guessed it was because they were polar opposites. Carter worried about saving the world while Tom just wanted to buy it. Carter was about substance and leading a meaningful life. Tom just wanted to be entertained by life and it was his motto to work hard and play hard.
As I looked at the woman to his right, I realized that he probably played too hard.
“Dana,” Tom said resignedly, as if he never wanted this moment to happen. “This is Becca. Becca this is Dana.”
Becca wasn’t what I expected. Yes, she was skinny, and she looked very young, but instead of looking like a ditzy blonde, she looked like a cartoon character. She had super curly, unruly blonde hair and large blue eyes. She looked like she should have been a Disney princess. No wonder Meredith liked her so much.
She studied me as I studied her, and she was the first to reach her hand out.
“It’s nice to meet you, Dana.”
Oh, she was polite. I didn’t like that. Now I didn’t have a reason to hate her. I wanted her to be a jerk so that I could continue to feel like a woman scorned.
“Is this your boyfriend?” she asked with a hopeful tone to her voice.
I looked around, wondering who she was talking about. And then I remembered that Carter still had his arm wrapped around my shoulder.
“Carter’s just a friend of the family,” Tom answered for me, giving Carter a long look.
“Actually, I’m a friend of Dana’s,” Carter corrected Tom, not missing a beat.
Becca’s look went from hopeful to pity. Damn it, she felt sorry for me. For some reason, that made me angry.
“Carter, don’t be coy,” I said flirtatiously, wrapping an arm around his waist.
He gave me a funny look but didn’t pull away. I lowered my voice and said in a stage whisper, “I didn’t want to say anything, but Carter and I are dating.”
Tom looked like he had been slapped. “What?”
Carter removed his arm from my shoulder and instead pulled me close to him around the waist.
Without missing a beat, he said, “Now you want to be open about it, hon? I was sort of enjoying it being just our little secret. But since it’s not a secret anymore...” he let his voice trail off as he tucked a hair behind my ear, touching my face in the process and sending an unexpected shiver down my spine.
He tilted my face up and with confusion in my eyes, he leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been kissed, but I knew I didn’t want it to end. I felt suddenly like a heroine in a storybook, a fairy tale where I was winning in life instead of feeling like a loser.
Suddenly, Carter was pulling away and I opened my eyes, having not even realized that I’d closed them. And apparently, I’d also wrapped my arms around his neck.
He smiled down at me. His eyes teasing and self-satisfied. I couldn’t help but smile back and then I noticed the audience around us, and I self-consciously pulled away.
I turned to meet Tom’s eyes. He looked away uncomfortably.
Becca, on the other hand, had a completely different reaction. “Oh my gosh, I knew it. I just knew it. You guys were too cute together to not be a couple. And you guys make a cuuuute couple.” She gleefully clapped her hands together.
No wonder Becca and Meredith got along. It was almost as if they were the same age.
Before I could say anything, Tom was pulling Becca away, mumbling something about, “Giving the lovebirds some space.”
I could hear the sarcasm dripping from each word.
The audience we had suddenly turned away and pretended to be looking elsewhere. Tom and Becca made their way outside and I watched them disappear.
When they were gone, I looked back at Carter and slowly pulled myself from his embrace. I instantly missed his warmth and shook my head at the thought. Carter was my friend. A friend whose lips had been pressed against mine a minute ago, but my friend nonetheless.
“Stop looking so self-satisfied,” I said to him softly so that no one would overhear us.
He smiled wider. “You should have seen the look on your face after I kissed you.”
Great, he was going to tease me about it.
“Shut up, Carter.”
“I tried to break the kiss after the first like second, but you had your arms wrapped around me like a bear trap—”
“Shut up, Carter.”
“Your arms were like a vice. I imagine that’s what it would feel like to be hugged by a python.”
“If you don’t shut up I’ll strangle you with a python.”
He laughed then, tossing his head back and I couldn’t help but laugh with him. Suddenly, the tension I felt at our very intimate exchange evaporated.
He was clearly just a friend trying to save my butt from humiliation.
“This is the part where you thank me for coming to your rescue,” he said sitting back and resting his hands behind his head.
“What? I’m not thanking you for slobbering on me. Whatever.”
He sat up, “Slobbering? Woman, that was the best kiss you’ve ever had.”
Now it was my turn to laugh. “I don’t know... it sort of felt like being licked by a puppy.”
He mockingly grabbed at his heart. “You’re so cruel. Just so cruel.”
I smiled wickedly. “I try my best.”
Before we could continue teasing each other, Meredith came running over.
“Mommy, Mommy, did you see Daddy and Becca?”
“Sure did, sweetie,” I said with forced cheer.
“Isn’t Becca nice?” she asked climbing into my lap and loping an arm around my neck.
I swallowed back the not so nice things I wanted to say and instead said, “Yep.”
“And pretty?”
“Yep.”
“Just as pretty as you, Mommy,” Meredith said giving me a sweet smile. My daughter was an angel. I didn’t deserve her.
“You’re the best kid in the whole world, you know that?” I said, giving her a hug.
She laughed. “You always say that.”
“That’s because it’s true.”
“I second that,” Carter said.
Meredith gave him a look that clearly said she didn’t believe him. “Mr. Carter you say that to all the kids.”
“What can I say? I’m surrounded by amazing children.”
“Danny Schultz isn’t all that amazing,” she s
aid with a frown.
“What is with you and Danny Schultz?” I asked. She always seemed to find a way to work him into the conversation.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. He just bugs me.”
And with that, she hopped off my lap and went looking for cake.
I turned back to Carter and said, “Kids. They have a mind of their own.”
“They sure do.”
Whatever else Carter was about to say was soon overshadowed by the bass suddenly blasting from the speakers.
We’d gone from 80s pop to 90s pop. Fun, but not really because I couldn’t really dance to this type of music. And from what I remembered, neither could Carter. Yet, that didn’t stop him from grabbing me by the hand and pulling me towards the dance floor which was Piper’s living room.
Piper was already there, shaking it. Meredith was on the dance floor too, chocolate cake on her hands, being spun around and around by Becca who I hadn’t even noticed had reappeared.
Tom was nowhere to be found, but he wasn’t a dancer. He avoided the dancefloor like the plague.
I pulled my hand away from Carter and shook my head. He gave me a sad look and mouthed, “Come on.”
I shook my head no and shouted so that he could hear me, “I can’t dance.”
“Neither can I,” he yelled back, and then he whispered loudly in my ear, “But I’m your fake boyfriend, remember? You can’t leave me hanging.”
He had a point. He extended his hand again and raised his brows and wiggled them at me. He was so silly. I giggled, feeling as if we were in college again.
“Come on, you know you want to.”
Shrugging, I let him take my hand and together we made our way to the dance floor. We did a weird two-step and a lot of punching the air. Meredith watched us, running into us every now and again. The magician—meant to be entertaining the kids—was also on the dance floor, tossing fake handkerchiefs at people while bouncing around.
A few kids joined him and suddenly it felt more like a mosh pit instead of a house party. At one point, a little kid ran right into my butt, sending me flying towards Carter.
He caught me easily and said with another stupid grin, “You just can’t resist me, can you?”
“You’re ridiculous,” I said, but I didn’t pull away as he wrapped his arms around me and just held me as we rocked back and forth to the music that had slowed in tempo just a little.
Companionship was something I hadn’t really had with Tom, I thought, as Carter held me. And I hadn’t made any friends while being married to Tom. It had been a lonely existence, I realized now. If it hadn’t been for Meredith I probably would have been depressed. But thinking back, I had been depressed.
I was an emotional eater and had a tendency to eat my way to feeling good. That probably explained the extra forty pounds I’d gained while married. I realized that I’d lost part of myself when I’d been married, the part of me that had been a great friend.
Carter and I had been so close in college. He and Piper had meant the world to me and I’d let my marriage to Tom change that relationship. I’d let my marriage to Tom change me.
I rested my head against Carter’s chest and thought of how good it felt to be there. As usual, Carter had come to my rescue. And after struggling to make it on my own, it kind of felt good to have someone come to my rescue.
The song stopped, and I reluctantly raised my head. I’d expected to look up at Carter and see the same teasing look he had given me earlier, but no. This time the look he gave me was something else, something I couldn’t identify.
But it was gone quickly, and he reached for my hand which I gladly let him take. There was tension now between us that hadn’t been there before.
I didn’t know what to say or how to ease it, so I tried a lame joke, “You’re still the worst dancer in the room.”
He laughed lightly, but he looked lost in thought. “Not much has changed over the years...”
“I don’t know. You’ve changed.”
He looked pensive. “You think so?”
“Yeah,” I said suddenly feeling a little shy around him. I didn’t understand why. I noticed then that we’d migrated towards the buffet table and he was still holding my hand.
I pulled away and he looked down and said, “Oh, sorry.”
“Are you crushing on my hand or something?” I teased.
“Or something...” he said softly. His voice was gentle and his words simple but packed with meaning.
I didn’t know what to say or how to respond, so I said nothing and reached for a cup of punch. I hoped the punch was spiked. My emotions were everywhere, and I didn’t know what to do about them besides ignore them or deny that I found myself attracted to one of my best friends.
I chugged back the punch and was disappointed that there was no liquor in it all.
I felt Carter’s hand on my shoulder and slowly turned back to face him.
“Dana, can we talk?”
“What is going on with you guys? I heard you two made out in front of my brother and his new child bride?” said Piper, popping up from seemingly nowhere.
“What? No, no, no, that’s not what happened,” I quickly started to explain. “Your brother popped up with the new missus and Carter saved me by—”
“Sticking his tongue in your mouth?” Piper asked with a laugh.
I blushed, and Carter again came to my rescue, “No tongue… but I was tempted.”
I covered my eyes with my hands like a little girl and groaned. “You guys are killing me. Please stop.”
I felt Carter pulling my hands off my face and he was smiling at me. He gave me a wink and then turned to Piper and said, “Becca asked if Dana and I were an item, so we faked a kiss so that Dana wouldn’t seem like a bitter divorcee with no prospects for a future.”
“Wow, thanks for that, Carter,” I said, planting my hands on my hips. “Way to make me sound desperate.”
He shrugged. “You’re welcome.”
“I figured as much,” Piper said, and then gave me a regretful look. “I’m sorry Tom showed up.”
“You don’t have to apologize for inviting your brother.”
“That’s just it. I didn’t invite him. He invited himself.”
“Oh, really?”
“Really. Ever since he married Becca, he’s trying to act like brother of the year.”
“That’s weird.”
“Tell me about it. I think it’s Becca’s influence. She’s from a big family, but they live out in Oregon so she never sees them. I think she’s kind of lonely. I think besides Tom, the only family she has here is her dad.”
“Being married to Tom was a lonely experience,” I said, suddenly feeling sorry for her. She hadn’t known what she was marrying into apparently. “I was determined to hate her but I guess she’s not that bad, and Meredith adores her.”
“She’s actually a really sweet girl.”
“Girl being the operative word,” Carter said dryly.
“She is super young.”
“Well, you married Tom at twenty-one, so it really isn’t that big of an age difference,” Piper added.
“You’re right.” Tom had married another doe-eyed hopeful. Typical.
I wasn’t ready to keep singing Becca’s praises, after all, she was my replacement. She might be lonely, but she was living a life of luxury, while I was just busy trying to stay afloat. She was living my old life and that still made me feel a little jealous. I hadn’t reached the point yet where I was nonchalant about my divorce. The pain was still there. Still raw. I’d had my life snatched away from me and now someone else was enjoying it. Well, kind of enjoying it.
I didn’t want to think about my ex anymore, so instead, I changed the subject. “Where have you been, birthday girl? This is your party but I haven’t seen you since you let us in.”
She sighed heavily and leaned against the buffet table with a faraway look in her eyes, “I’ve been trying to get the magician’s number.”
I frowned. “Why? Do you owe him money or something? Don’t you normally have to pay for those types of freelancing services upfront?”
“Not his business number, silly. I already have that. His personal number.”
“You’re interested in the magician?” Carter said, unable able to keep the incredulity out of his voice. I’m not sure why he was so surprised. Piper had a way of dating outcasts, weirdos, non-conformists, and hippies. They were her favorite.
“So how many magicians have you dated in the past? Four? Five?” I asked.
“I wish,” she said with a wistful look. “Not one. I was on this website for people who live off gigs. So there I was looking for caterers when boom, the site suggests that a magician would be the perfect party favor. So I clicked on it—”
Carter snorted. “Of course.”
“Shut up,” Piper joked before continuing. “Anyway, like I was saying, I clicked on the ad and this gorgeous man wearing a magician suit pops up on my screen. And not only was he cute, but crazy inexpensive.” She leaned forward and motioned for us to do the same. “You guys, I think I might be in love. When he arrived, he did this magic trick where he found a bouquet of roses behind my ear. Is that not the sweetest thing you’ve ever heard of?”
“He’s a magician. That’s what they do. They pull things from behind your ear,” Carter said, not sounding impressed.
“Yeah, coins and stuff, but these were roses. Fresh roses.” She looked from me to Carter. “Come on, you guys, it means something.”
“Yeah, it means that he probably lost his bouquet of fake roses,” I said dryly.
Piper rolled her eyes, grabbed a pretzel from the table and tossed it into her mouth. She wasn’t even done chewing as she said to us. “You two suck. Like a lot. I need new friends.”
“You love us,” Carter said, also helping himself to pretzels.
She grinned. “You’re right. And I’ve missed you guys. It’s so good to be home. And it’s so great that we’re all here together. We haven’t all lived in one place since college.”
Piper had joined the Peace Corps right after college. She had served in Bolivia and then made her way around Latin America for five years, working with various nonprofits and NGOs. Now she was running a very profitable translation services business online, so she had finally decided to come back home.
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