“Aw,” said Lindsay. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right. The really sad thing is that he didn’t seem heartbroken,” said Evan. He flopped onto the sofa. “He seemed to expect it. So I guess I’m on the market again.”
Lauren picked up Hannah and sat next to Evan on the sofa. “Other fish,” she said.
“Oh, sure. You’re a smug married now. Paige is going to have what I have no doubt will be the perfect wedding. Even Lindsay has an ‘It’s Complicated’ with Brad. And here I am, all alone.”
Lauren jostled Hannah in her lap and said, “I’m sorry you broke up with Will. Breakups always suck. But you have a lot going for you, Ev. You’re cute, you’re successful, and you have excellent taste in friends. I have no doubt your Mr. Right is out there somewhere.”
“You can always ask out Pablo,” said Lindsay. “He’s single again, remember?”
“You should understand by now that Pablo is a symbol,” said Evan. “He’s the living embodiment of everything I want but can’t have. I can’t ask him out now. I’ve been obsessing over him for so long that he will inevitably let me down.”
“That’s cheery,” said Lauren. “But buck up, camper, because this is a party for Lindsay. We’re celebrating tonight, not wallowing.”
“If this is a party for Lindsay, why is she doing all the cooking?”
“Is there anyone else here who you’d prefer to have cook?” Lindsay asked.
Evan made a show of looking around. “Okay, fair point.”
Lindsay got the first batch of sliders on the griddle and so didn’t hear the intercom or know anyone had arrived until Brad was carrying a huge Tupperware bin full of cookies into the kitchen.
His arrival made Lindsay’s pulse spike.
She decided to focus on her little hamburgers. The patties were small enough that they cooked superfast, so she had to keep an eye on them. As she flipped over the first batch, Brad said, “Hi, Linds.”
“Hi.”
“I didn’t know how many people would be here, so I made three batches of cookies.”
“Probably more than we need, but I’m sure we can find people to eat them. Probably Evan. He just broke up with Will, so he may be wanting to eat his feelings.”
Brad turned toward Evan. “Sorry to hear that, man.”
Evan waved his hand. “It’s fine. I’ll survive.”
Brad tilted his head like he didn’t understand that and then turned back to Lindsay. “You need help with anything?”
“Nah, go sit. I’ve got this under control.”
She probably could have used another set of hands as she started placing little burger patties on the buns she’d already set out. But she didn’t want Brad hovering around her, especially not with how things were between them right then. They’d hardly talked at all in two weeks. When she’d called to invite him, his tone was decidedlyI’m not mad, I’m just disappointed, and Lindsay hated that she’d made Brad feel that way. He had every right to be mad, and she knew that.
“T-minus ten minutes,” Paige said, turning on the TV and navigating to the Food Channel.
Lindsay set out a tray of sliders on the kitchen table with the other food she’d already prepared. “Help yourself, everyone.”
She made a plate for herself after explaining which sliders were which, and then walked over to the living room area to find a seat.
Paige pointed to the center of the sofa. “I believe that’s the captain’s chair.”
“I don’t know if I really want to be front and center to watch myself on TV.”
“Take one of the armchairs, then. You should at least have a comfortable seat after all that cooking.”
And so, Evan, Lauren, and Caleb ended up on the couch, Lindsay and Brad each got an armchair, and Josh insisted he and Paige could sit on the folding chairs since the guests should have had the comfortable seats.
The show came on shortly after everyone settled. Caleb and Lauren handed Hannah back and forth so they could take turns eating without an infant trying to steal their food, although Lindsay caught Caleb sneaking Hannah little bits of cheese.
