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Blergh. Worst question in the history of singleton. I guarantee most single ladies would back me up on that.
“Besides,” I continued, hoping to cut her off at the pass. “That whole compromised-in-the-library plot device is usually found in books. So my television-watching habits are unrelated.”
“Hmm.” Mom gave a noncommittal throat sound. I heard someone talking to her, and she pulled her phone away from her ear and responded to them. “Beth, baby, I need to go. We’re prepping a flight for LaGuardia.”
“Stopping long enough to see the Empire State Building?” I asked.
“Not this time.”
Notanytime. “Someday you need to make that happen, Mom. It’s okay to take a little time for yourself.”
“How about you go see it while you’re in New York on your charity trip and take a picture for me? That’s a stop on your tour, right?”
“It is.” I didn’t know what my free time was going to look like, but if I had a chance to go see the pivotal building from Mom’s favorite movie, I would.
“Keep a look out for Tom Hanks.”
“I’m pretty sure he doesn’t hang out there anymore.”Sleepless in Seattlewas over thirty years old now.
“A woman can dream,” Mom said wistfully.
As I well knew. “I probably won’t see you before we leave for the tour, but I’ll try to FaceTime you as much as possible.”
“Deal. And, Beth?”
“Hmm?”
Mom paused a moment before drawing in a breath. “Be careful. I don’t want your heart to get broken. You fall so fast, and this isn’t just any man. Remember that, honey. He’s an actor.”
I laughed awkwardly. I did fall fast for guys, but I never fell deep. What was the point? Sooner or later—usually sooner—they would leave. I liked making sure I was the one who left first. It didn’t always happen that way, but I tried. Like my last two boyfriends, Luis and Ricky. Luis never wanted me to meet his family—red flag—so I ended things, and Ricky flirted too heavily with my coworker, Zoe, when he was waiting for me to finish with my clients.
It was safer when I ended things first, at least where the stability of my heart was concerned. “I’m only doing Rhett’s hair, Mom, while he dates ten other women. It’s not like Iactuallythink something could happen between us.”
Except that was a lie, because Rhett had been so kind while I was getting him ready forBreakfast with Juliana,and I knew sparks had flown between us. I knew it. So yeah, maybe there was a super small chance, and I was eager to see where that might possibly lead. So sue me.
Actually, don’t. That nondisclosure I had to sign for this charity tour wasintense.
Either way, I didn’t actually believe Rhett would stick around. No one did.
Mom sighed. “You’re impossible not to love, Bethany. I’m only asking you to be careful.”
I swallowed hard. It was a mother’s job to think the best of her children, wasn’t it? She said goodbye, and we both hung up. My pink pen had made the name and phone number for Momzilla-of-the-Bride so bold, it practically screamed at me from the page now.
I swallowed, then dialed the number and called. This was the sort of woman who would find a text rude and unprofessional, despite the fact that it was the twenty-first century and 99 percent of my appointments were made through texting. She was also the sort to book the hair appointment for her daughter and do all the communicating. I didn’t even have the bride’s number to ask her questions myself.
The line rang once before she answered. “Florence Edwards.”
“Hello, Mrs. Edwards, this is Beth Parker calling you about Beatrice’s bridal hair appointment.”
“Yes?”
Wow, my nerves were tight. “Something has come up, and I won’t be available on the day of Beatrice’s wedding to do her hair and makeup. My colleague Zoe Castillo is fantastic and has agreed—”
“No.”
“I’m sorry?”
“No. You agreed to be available for Lena’s hair, and we expect you to hold to your word.”
