by Nancy Adams
I must have been rambling too long about nothing, because Libby sighed and said, “Sarah has a new dog.”
“Oh really?”
“Do you have any pets, Jay?” I asked, clearing my throat, trying to not be intimidated by him.
“No. I work too much.”
Ash cut in. “That’s your problem. You work too much. Kitty misses you—”
I wanted to ask who Kitty was, but I figured it was a girlfriend. I didn’t see a ring on his finger, so I assumed it wasn’t his wife.
Libby didn’t leave me wondering for long. “You remember, Kitty, right?” she said to me.
I shook my head, looking to Jay and then to Ash. “Should I?”
“She’s Ash’s niece and the star player on my soccer team,” Libby said proudly. Libby coached a kid’s soccer team with Ash’s help. At one point, Ash had been a pro-athlete, but then his health began to deteriorate, forcing him into early retirement. He had found out he had a chronic illness, and kept it a secret from everyone for a long time, but finally confessed the whole ordeal to Libby. I briefly wondered if Libby’s mood tonight had anything to do with Ash’s illness. I hoped to God that it didn’t. Libby and Ash loved each other. They were good people who deserved the best from life, but then again, I felt that way about all my friends.
I looked to Jay. “So Kitty’s your—”
“Daughter,” Jay finished for me.
I subtly looked down at his hand and turned bright red when he caught me. “I’m divorced, to answer your question.”
“I didn’t ask a question,” I said, feeling embarrassed.
Jay smiled devilishly at me and I wanted to go hide in shame. Oh gosh, now he definitely knew I was interested! But maybe that wasn’t so bad? Right?
As always, Libby saved me from a clearly awkward moment saying, “Anyway, before your brother interrupted, we were talking about a pompous jerk face who wouldn’t let his daughter have a dog.” Suddenly, Libby frowned. “Hold on, didn’t you say she had a babysitter with her named Aanya?”
Jay’s brows went up. “Long hair? Dark complexion? Always nervous?”
I nodded. “How did you—”
Jay smiled beatifically at me. “I’m that pompous jerk face, and obviously Kitty’s my daughter.”
Chapter Three
“Listen, hon. You can’t hide in here all night. It’s not that serious. I’m the one who called him a pompous jerk face, not you.”
After I’d realized my faux pas, I had excused myself and hidden in the kitchen, hoping no one, mainly Jay, would follow me. To my relief, he hadn’t. I stuffed a cookie in my mouth and shrugged. I chewed quickly and swallowed too soon. I started choking and Libby came over and struck me hard on the back a few times.
“You okay?” she said concerned.
“I should be asking you that. This is your engagement party and you’ve seen pretty morose and crabby the entire night.”
She looked ready to deny it and I shook my head. “I’m your best friend, Libby. We’ve been friends since before puberty. Don’t bother denying something’s wrong.”
I sat down on a bar stool that stood next to the kitchen island. “Ok. Spill it. What’s up?”
She sighed and took a deep breath. Her lower lip shook and my eyes widened. “Oh my God, are you going to cry? If so, I need to get Marie. I’m not prepared for this.” I wasn’t joking. Libby rarely cried. I might have seen it happen maybe once or twice in the many years I’d known her, and both occasions had been when Marie was going through hard times. Whatever was making her upset had to be a doozy.
Libby laughed, and my body relaxed at the sound of it. I hadn’t noticed how tense I’d become when she seemed to be ready to burst into tears.
“I was about to cry, but thank God that feeling passed. Seriously, Sarah, I don’t know how you cry all the time. It expends a lot of energy.”
“I don’t cry all the time,” I protested.
“Were you watching Hallmark channel recently?”
I narrowed my eyes at her and mumbled, “Maybe.”
Libby nodded in a self-satisfied way. “Exactly, and you always cry when you’re watching those sappy love stories.”
“I can’t help it!” I said defensively, making Libby laugh yet again. Her expression though quickly became somber, and she cleared her throat.
“Ash’s condition is getting worse. I’m just really worried about him. We’re going to go see a specialist.”
“I’m so sorry.” And I was. I knew Ash’s illness affected his muscular system, but I didn’t know all the details, although Libby had shared many of them with me. I didn’t want to ask for the details now. She looked like she needed support; she didn’t need to play twenty questions.
“I’m scared for him.” Her eyes were directed at the floor and she crossed her arms over her chest, as if hugging herself. Her voice was small and she looked scared, frail even. I wasn’t used to seeing Libby so vulnerable. She was always the toughest of the three of us. She was our rock. I didn’t know what to say or do. So I followed her lead, waiting until she was ready to talk. I silently sat there, not wanting to rush her.
Finally, she sighed and sat down on a stool as well. Her eyes were damp and I reached out and placed a hand over hers. She responded by placing her other hand on top of mine. And we sat there in silence, each lost in thought, I noticed that the guests had also quieted down. The party must have been breaking up. When the silence grew uncomfortable, I said, “It’s alright to be scared, Libby. But I’m sure Ash will be fine. He doesn’t seem to be the type to give up and he has you in his corner. And I know you’re a fighter.”
She nodded and I squeezed her hand before continuing. “I know you love him very much. You’re not going to lose him, Libby.”
She sniffled and wiped at a tear that escaped. “I know. I’m just scared. And he’s in pain. I hate that he’s in pain and there’s nothing I can do to help.”
“I’m sure your presence for now is enough. I know your presence meant the world to me when my parents were going through their issues.” I tried to not think of those tumultuous times from my childhood, but it needed to be said—Libby had always been there for me, and I would make it my duty to be there for her.
“I know he’s not going to—to die,” she said in a small voice. “But I just feel so lost because I can’t help him. I don’t know what to do. What to say. I just want to make things better, but I feel so powerless.”
“Well, I can tell you one thing that’s not going to help, and that’s you knocking back drinks like there’s no tomorrow,” I said.
“Well, it took the edge off,” she said with a sly smile.
“Libby—”
“Okay. I’m sorry. I’m being insensitive.”
“You don’t have to apologize—”
She cut me off again. “No. I do. You’re the last person that I should make drinking jokes with. I’m being a jerk and I’m sorry…” I knew what she was referring to, but I didn’t really want to discuss it. It was in the past, or at least I liked to think so.
“How’s your mom?” Libby said guessing where my thoughts had headed.
I shrugged. “I haven’t spoken to her in at least six months.” I tried to sound nonchalant, but I’m sure Libby could hear the pain in my voice. “She sent me an email congratulating me on opening a few more stores and recommended Eleanor for the manager position. And of course, Eleanor’s doing very well.”
“Your mom was always good at reading people.”
“Too bad she didn’t use that same skill when choosing a husband.”
“True enough. But if she hadn’t fallen for your dad, she wouldn’t have had you.”
I pulled my hand away and stood up. “We’re not talking about me; we’re talking about you.”
“You should really go see her, Sarah. She must miss you.”
“Why are you on her side?” I said more sharply than I intended, but for some reason I felt hurt.
“I’m not on
anyone’s side.” Libby looked hurt as well, as if I had said something to offend her. “I just know that she misses you.”
I placed my hands on my hip. “She called you, didn’t she?”
Libby refused to meet my eyes and instead started cleaning up the kitchen.
“Libby.”
She continued to ignore me.
“Libby!” I said forcefully.
She made a rude sound with her mouth. “Yes, okay, yes! Gosh. She called me asking about you. She said you hadn’t returned any of her emails and she wanted to call, but wasn’t sure if you would want to hear her voice. She thinks you hate her, Libby.”
Softly, I said, “Maybe I do.”
Libby stopped what she was doing and shook her head. “You don’t mean that—”
I was about to respond when someone I didn’t recognize popped in and said, “Hey, do either of you drive a small SUV? If so, you’re blocking one of the guests in.”
“Is it green with a dog ad on the side?”
“Yep,” he answered.
“Be right back,” I said to Libby, secretly thankful for the interruption. I didn’t want to discuss my family, or what was left of it.
I walked outside and ran into Jay. He regarded me with a serious expression. “So you’re the one blocking me in?”
Of course. That was just my luck. He fell into step with me; I tried to not look at him, not only because I was embarrassed by the conversation earlier but also because I found him so attractive that I felt ridiculous talking to him. I wanted to kick myself for feeling like a lovesick teenager around him.
“Sorry. Parking was limited and I didn’t feel like circling the block a million times since I was already late.”
“So you blocked me in out of laziness?”
I looked at him sharply and he laughed. “I’m just teasing you. Technically, I blocked myself in.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “I thought so! I didn’t remember seeing another car parked behind me!”
We walked in what I thought was awkward silence until we reached my car. Jay stood with his hands in his pocket while I unlocked the door. I looked at the fancy red Porsche behind me.
And I couldn’t help but comment on it. “That’s a pretty fancy car for a dad, isn’t it?”
“I like to think so. Try not to scratch it.” He seemed to be laughing at me and I didn’t particularly like it.
Stiffly, I opened my car door and climbed in. I closed the door and turned the key in the ignition. The car roared to life and then promptly sputtered and died.
My heart sank. I tried again and this time it didn’t even turn on. I placed my head on the steering wheel, knowing that my face was beet red. Why was I having such a rough evening?
“Umm…does this happen to you often?”
“Which part? Embarrassing myself in front of strangers or my car not starting at the most inopportune moment?”
“All of the above.”
“Kind of. Sort of.”
He smiled at me then, sympathy in his eyes. Gone was the bravado and annoying smirk that I remembered from earlier; in their place was compassion. So Jay did have a heart. Who would have known?
“Mind if I take a look?”
“Okay,” I said reluctantly, not sure what else to do.
He went over to the front of my car and I popped the hood. He tinkered around a little and I waited, drumming my fingers against the wheel.
“See anything interesting?” I called through the window.
He poked his head around the hood and smiled. “Just a modern-day damsel in distress impatiently sitting in a car. Otherwise no.”
“You’re not funny,” I called as he busied himself back under the hood of the car.
“Oh really? Then why are you smiling?”
He was right. I hadn’t even noticed I was smiling until he pointed it out. I found myself blushing again. Jay definitely knew how to get under my skin. And to think I’d only met him an hour ago.
A few minutes later, he slammed the hood and said, “Okay, try it now.”
I did as I was told and the car roared to life.
“Wow. It works.”
“Yep,” he said matter of-factly. He squatted down next to my open car window and winked. “I might be a pompous jerk face, but I also happen to know how to fix a car. Have a good evening, Ms. Sarah.”
With that he stood up and walked to his car. I stared at him as he opened the door and slid in. When his eyes made contact with mine through the rearview mirror, I quickly looked elsewhere, and was startled when he honked his horn. I immediately wondered what he was honking about when I realized that the whole point of me moving my car was for him to move his. I maneuvered my car out of the way and watched as Jay slowly pulled away, saluting me as he drove off, a smirk on his face.
I parked my car again and made my way back to Libby’s house. The party was breaking up so I decided to stick around to help Libby and her granny clean up.
Libby spotted me and said, “You just missed Marie. She was done with her jellybeans and insisted that Ezra drive her to the next city over to get some sort of pastry that I’ve never heard of before. Apparently she saw it on the Food Network channel and just had to have it.”
I laughed. “I love pregnant Marie. She’s so funny. And random.”
Libby laughed as well. “I know! And I love it. It’s like what would happen to Marie if she were taken over by aliens.”
I laughed. “She kind of, sort of, was.”
“You’re so articulate.”
“I try my best.”
We were working cleaning off tables in silence when I noticed Libby shooting me curious, sly looks.
“What?” I said, although I already knew what had her attention. “Spit it out, Libby.”
She bit back a smile as she said, “Oh, nothing. I just think Jay likes you, that’s all.”
“Likes me? He doesn’t even know me.”
“Maybe he’ll like to get to know you,” Libby said lewdly.
I punched her gently in the shoulder and said, “Just stop.”
“I won’t. I mean it. I think he likes you.”
“I think you’re imagining things. And we both know my track record isn’t too good.”
“You push guys away, what do you expect?”
“I do not!”
“You do too,” Libby said as she gathered up cups and headed back to her kitchen.
I followed closely behind her.
“Seriously, you think I push guys away?”
“Well, let me see…you’ve had like all of zero relationships in the past decade. So yeah.”
I placed my hands on my hips and stared at her. “I’ve had relationships—”
She rolled her eyes and cut me off, saying, “Relationships with animals do not count.”
“Hey!”
“What? It’s the truth!”
I didn’t have a chance to rebut as Marie rounded the corner to our surprise. “I thought you were going to Boston or something?”
Marie shook her head. “We were on the freeway when all of a sudden I started craving those pastries that I saw out earlier on the table. Do you have any more?”
“Are you kidding me? I’ve been offering them to you all night.”
“Well, I didn’t want them earlier. I want them now. So do you have any more or not?” She rubbed her protruding belly in anticipation.
Libby wordlessly turned away and went to look in the fridge. I couldn’t help but giggle and she shot me a mean look. I promptly clamped my lips together.
“Soooo…” Marie said, leaning towards me. “Did I just overhear something about you neglecting to have relationships with humans?”
It was my turn to roll my eyes. “Not you too. I thought you were on my side.”
“She’s happily married and super pregnant, of course she’s not on your side. She’s the epitome of what happens when humans connect.” Libby then giggled and said, “Literally.”
“You’r
e really terrible. You know that right?” Marie said shaking her head. She then turned her attention to the tray in Libby’s hand. She helped herself to two pastries, took a huge bite out of one, and sighed in contentment.
“Oh God, this is good. It really hits the spot. Delicious. These taste homemade. They’re delicious. Did Granny make them?”
“I got them from the gas station; they were all individually wrapped. I just took them out of their packages.”
I looked at Marie, who stared at Libby in disbelief, and then before I knew it, we were all laughing.
“Oh my God, seriously? You couldn’t have just gone to a normal grocery store or have Granny make them?”
Libby shrugged. “I was really busy and distracted. I realized we didn’t have any dessert, so I just bought random stuff from the gas station that seemed dessert-ish.”
“That’s so tacky, Libby,” Marie said with a scowl.
“Tacky but tasty, apparently,” Libby retorted.
Marie groaned. “I’m probably eating nothing but lard, GMOs and high fructose corn syrup. But for some reason I don’t care.” She paused and took another bite. This time she closed her eyes as she devoured every last morsel of the mass-produced pastry as if it were made in a world-renowned French bakery. “Yummy…that definitely hit the spot. I’m going to get all my desserts from a gas station now. Anyway, we were talking about you, Sarah.”
“No. No we weren’t,” I said quickly.
“Nope. I’m pretty sure we were. My brain hasn’t abandoned me completely during pregnancy. At least not yet. So who do you have your eyes set on? Jay?”
I promptly cleared my throat, not sure how to respond. There really wasn’t any point of denying it.
“It’s nothing. I just made a comment and it might have been taken the wrong way. So I’m sure even if Jay were interested in me—although I’m sure he’s not—not that I care either way…you know. Whatever.”
