“Well, then,” Carly cleared her throat and glanced around her to make sure none of the passengers at the gate were listening in. Then she began.
“Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Carly Montgomery, and Heather has been my best friend since we were eleven years old. Which means that since the very first day she arrived at the NYB school, she’s been looking out for me. Taking care of me, talking me down, helping me clean up my messes. We’re both only children, but she’s a big sister like that. On the day I got kicked out of ballet class for doing cartwheels, Heather went to the teacher and begged her to give me a second chance, and when she refused, Heather told her calmly that she was planning to teach the entire class to do cartwheels if I wasn’t allowed back into class. She’d planned a whole cartwheel clinic, just like she planned this whole beautiful wedding.”
Carly stopped to wipe away the tears that were running steadily down her cheeks. It didn’t matter that Linda had nearly had a stroke when she’d found out what Heather had done, and it didn’t matter that it was fear of losing her parents’ donations that had actually convinced the school to let Carly come back to class. What mattered was that Heather had fought for her. She glanced back down at her notes.
“That’s who Heather Hays was: the kindest, most stubborn, most terrifyingly organized child you’d ever met. And that’s who she still is. I used to think there was no one in the world who deserved a lifetime of Heather. And I still think that. But Marcus comes damn close, and I know he’s going to make her happy every day.”
Heather made a strangled sobbing sound and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
“And then I’d tell everyone to raise their glasses to Heather and the luckiest man alive, Marcus.”
“Cheers!” Heather said, with another loud sniff. Carly wiped her own face quickly and closed the notes app.
“Thank you,” Heather said. “I wish you’d been here to give it last night. Are you sure you have to leave?”
Carly shook her head. “I need to go home. If Catherine’s going to fire me, I need to make a new plan.”
Heather’s shoulders drooped in disappointment, but she gave Carly a kind smile. “I’ll help, if you want. Apparently I’m pretty good with plans.”
Carly hesitated for a long moment. Then she nodded again. “I’d like that.”
Chapter 25
Nick arrived at Marcus and Heather’s place to find Heather having a friendly argument with Alice.
“Absolutely not,” Alice was saying as she washed a wine glass and handed it to Izzy, who wiped it dry and put it in the plastic rental case. “Sit down and eat your cheesymite scroll and don’t even think of helping.”
“I can’t just sit here while you clean up my wedding,” Heather objected.
“Yes, you can,” Izzy chimed in. “You planned the whole thing, at least let us clean it up for you. And she’s right about the scrolls. Will says these are a failed batch, but he’s crazy, because they’re perfect.”
“Just let me—” Heather stood and reached for a dirty glass.
“Sit!” both women said, and she sat, smiling and shaking her head at her friends.
“We’ve got this handled. The guys are going to take down the tables and the lights, and when Carly arrives we’ll put her to work as well,” Alice said, and Heather bit her lip.
“Uh, Carly’s not coming,” she said, her eyes darting towards Nick.
“Is she okay?” Nick asked, before he could stop himself. Alice and Izzy asked the same thing at precisely the same time.
“Not really. She’s not hurt or sick, but she was pretty upset when I spoke to her this morning.” Heather was looking at Alice and Izzy, but Nick had the distinct impression that her words were meant for him. “This obviously isn’t public yet, but it sounds like NYB isn’t going to renew her contract, and she’s devastated.”
“Oh, shit,” Alice said, her hands stilling around a soapy wine glass.
Oh shit was right, Nick thought. Why hadn’t Carly told him about this?Because she doesn’t trust you, you idiot.And why would she, after he lied to her? After their project,herproject idea, won him the chance of a professional lifetime?
He glanced over his shoulder, towards the front door. “Where is she?” he asked Heather.
Heather paused, chewing on her bottom lip. This time, when she spoke, she wasn’t looking at Alice and Izzy. She looked right at Nick, her expression a mix of helplessness and sympathy.
“She’s gone. Her flight back to New York just took off.”
“But … I thought she wasn’t leaving for a few more days?” Nick objected, not bothering to conceal the pleading note in his own voice. Alice and Izzy looked at him, surprised, but he ignored their synchronized raised eyebrows. He’d thought he had more time. More time to explain, to apologize, to make her understand why he’d done what he’d done. To make clear how he felt about her.
“I’m sorry,” Heather sighed, giving him a knowing look. “I wanted her to stick around, too. She should land in about twenty hours if you, uh, want to call her.”
He didn’t want to call her, he wanted to kiss her. Wanted to hold her as she fell asleep and watch her argue with her pillow and win.
