He called over the waiter and ordered a bottle of wine, yammering about how it was his new favorite vintage because it reminded him of the night we’d gone to the steakhouse in Breckenridge. “It was such a special night to me because I had an epiphany while we were eating.”
I pictured Charlie and me, ruining each other’s food at that restaurant.
“What was it?” my mom asked, setting her chin on her hand.
“I looked at our table,” he said, lowering his voice so it was soft and sweet, “where every person was laughing, and I realized that was all I needed to be happy forever.”
Spare me, I thought.
“Of course, an hour later I knocked you on your ass on the ice,” my mom said, laughing. “So perhaps it was a premature epiphany.”
They shared a cute laugh, and I got out my phone, preferring to scroll mindlessly instead of listening to them enjoy each other’s company.
I knew I was being a baby but it just sucked.
We’d been having a great time without him.
Now they were having a great time without me.
“Bailey.”
“Huh?” I raised my eyes.
Scott smiled and said, “Can I borrow your attention for a quick sec?”
“Um, yeah. Sure.” Isn’t it enough that you’ve stolen hers? I raised my eyebrows and said, “What’s up?”
“Well, here’s the thing.” Scott grabbed my mom’s hand, so he was holding it on the table, and he looked at her. “Emily.”
Why the hell did he bother me when he’s talking to my mom?
He leaned a little closer to her, smiling as he said, “My life hasn’t been the same since I met you. Everything is brighter, louder, happier. My daughter taught me what joy is, but you, Emily—you’ve amplified that joy. A thousand times over.”
Wait.
My ears started buzzing and I felt a little dizzy. No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
There was absolutely no way this was what it sounded like, especially when they hadn’t even been dating very long.
NO.
My heart started pounding when he got out of his chair, dropped to one knee, pulled a box out of his pocket, and extended it toward my mother.
This can’t be happening.
God, please, no. Please don’t do it.
“Will you marry me?”
It felt like the breath was sucked out of my lungs when he said it. My hand raised to my mouth as my mom’s eyes filled with tears and she smiled like this was everything she’d ever wanted. I blinked fast, and everything in the restaurant got blurry.
Please say no, I thought, my heart breaking in my chest as he smiled at her with tears in his eyes.
“Yes,” she said, laughing and crying, and my chest ached as he took a ring out of the box and slid it onto her finger. “Oh my God!”
He got up and they hugged as people around us clapped, and I had the weird sensation of being all alone in the world. Logically I knew that wasn’t the case, but the pinch in my heart and the homesickness in my stomach said otherwise.
I sat there, numb, as the wheels on yet another new life started turning. For the rest of my life, it would be my mom and Scott.
“Can you believe it?” my mom asked, pulling out of the hug to grin at me and hold out her hand.
“I can’t,” I said, shaking my head and working really hard to come up with a smile. I grabbed my bag from the back of my chair and slung it over my shoulder. “I forgot that I have to go—I have a thing with Charlie. I’ll catch up to you at home, okay?”
“What?” my mom asked, her smile dimming just a little. “You’re leaving?”
“I just have to do something,” I said, blinking back tears while giving her a big smile. “But you stay and celebrate. Congratulations, you guys!”
I headed for the exit, walking as fast as I could because I didn’t want to break down and ruin her night.
Somehow, I managed to wait until I turned the corner into a Walgreens before sobbing hysterically.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO Charlie
“Check it out,” Eli said, opening the cabinet where Clark kept his booze.
“Duuuuude.” Austin got a shitty grin on his face as he pointed to the bottle of Jack. “What the fuck is this?”
“Don’t even think about it.” I reached over his head and slammed the cupboard door. “That belongs to the douche, and I’d rather have my nails plucked out than listen to one of his lectures.”
My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my pocket.
Bailey: Is there any way you can come get me?
I hated how happy that made me, knowing she was coming to the party. I hopped onto the counter and texted: I suppose. Where’s your car, Glasses?
Austin pulled a twelve-pack out of his baseball bag and put it in the fridge, and I wondered just how many people those two had told about the party.
Bailey: I’m at the Walgreens on 132nd and Center. I walked here because while my mom and I were having dinner at Zio’s, Scott showed up and PROPOSED.
Holy shit, holy shit. I texted: Did she give him an answer?
Please don’t say yes, I thought.
Bailey: She said yes.
I sent: Fuuuck. You okay, Mitchell?
She wasn’t; I knew she wasn’t. Even though I couldn’t see her, I knew exactly what Bailey’s face looked like at that moment, and it broke my heart.
Bailey: I ran out of the restaurant and now I’m bawling in the pharmacy, begging you for a ride home. That’s okay, right?
Ah. She wasn’t texting because she wanted a ride to my party; she was texting because she needed to be rescued.
Made sense.
I pulled my keys from my pocket and got off the counter. Typed: Absolutely it is. Hang tight—I’m on my way.
“Party’s off,” I said as I slid the phone into my jeans, not making eye contact with either of my friends. “I have to go now.”
“What?” Austin asked, his voice rising in disbelief. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No way, bro,” Eli said, shaking his head and pointing at my chest. “What the hell happened? You are not backing out, you fucking hermit. We’ve already called everyone.”
“I have to, it’s an emergency,” I said, having zero intention of telling them about Bailey. “And I have to go now. Let’s just move it to tomorrow night.”
“Fuck me,” Austin muttered in disgust. “I can’t believe you’re doing this. Is this about Becca?”
“What?” I asked, watching the play of emotion on Austin’s face. He knew he was out of line with that comment, but I could tell he meant it. “What would it have to do with her?”
He shrugged and said in a quieter voice, “You tell me.”
“She texts, and you jump,” Eli said, holding up his hands in the universal I’m innocent pose. “I’m not trying to be the asshole here, but it’s what you do.”
I kind of wanted to hit him, because he was being the asshole, but he was also not wrong.
“I really have to go,” I said, walking past them as I headed for the front door. “Come on. I’ll give you money for alternate plans and we’ll do it tomorrow.”
“This is such bullshit,” Eli growled, sounding almost pouty as he opened the fridge, presumably to grab his beer. “Where the hell am I supposed to take Dana now?”