“Longer video call this weekend?” I ask hopefully. Every time we talk, it never feels like enough. “You can catch me up on what’s been going on with you. Perhaps tell me about the mystery girl I’ve been seeing pop up in your social media?”
“Anything you want,” she says with a soft smile. “Happy birthday, Jules.”
By the time I get out of the shower and I’ve wrapped myself in the fluffiest of towels, I have an Instagram notification. Alex posted a story. The chorus to “Out of the Blue” begins to play, overlaying a picture of us singing into hairbrushes, dressed in jean shorts and baggy T-shirts and our hair pulled back into high ponytails. The overlaid message reads “Happy 23rd,” followed by a single blue heart.
Things settle down once my first year of grad school comes to an end. Well, sort of. I managed to snag a part-time paid internship at an amazing company in the city. I’ve been putting in extra hours, hoping that once I complete school, they’ll be impressed enough to hire me on the spot. Great for my career, bad for my all-but-dead social life.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” I say breathlessly. Brian, sad to say, has had to deal with my erratic schedule more than anyone. He hates tardiness, and even though he rarely mentions it, I’m always able to see the tiniest bit of annoyance on his face.
He shakes his head and chuckles like it was to be expected. “It’s fine.”
I drape my purse on the back of my chair and wipe at my brow, the July evening causing me to sweat as I dashed across town to make it to dinner on time. A romantic dinner. That we planned about three weeks ago at an exclusive restaurant that he’s been dying to try. “My boss needed this report, and traffic was horrible and—”
He places his hand over top of mine. “I promise, it’s fine.”
I stare for a beat, trying to catch that bit of annoyance I always see when I make excuses, only to find his expression sincere and unbothered. He reaches for his glass of wine and takes a long sip. That’s when I see a few different appetizers laid out across the table. “You already ordered?” I glance at my watch because I didn’t think I wasthatlate.
“Is that okay?”
“Of course it is.” I grab my own glass and follow his lead, taking a long sip. The day’s been absolutely crazy, and I swear, if it wasn’t Friday evening, I would cry. As the cabernet slides down my throat, I start to relax. A nice dinner and an entire weekend work free is just what I need.
When I place my glass down and sit back in my chair, I notice that Brian is staring at me with a strange expression. “You look beautiful.”
I glance at my clothes. They’re nothing special, just regular office attire. In fact, I’m fairly certain I’m underdressed for this place, but I take the compliment nonetheless because he doesn’t say it very often. “Thank you. And you look quite handsome.”
I’m not just saying that, either. His face is clean-shaven, his hair combed neatly to the side, and he’s wearing a suit, minus the tie. Helooks older than twenty-three and way more sophisticated than most people our age.
He looks pleased and pushes one of the menus closer. “Order whatever you want. Tonight we’re celebrating being together. My treat.”
Normally, we split the check at my insistence, but it’s been a while since we went out to dinner just the two of us, and he’s been so excited about this date that this time, I don’t argue. Tonight, I’m going to drink wine, eat expensive food, and catch up with my boyfriend.
Once we’ve finished our extremely overpriced and small portioned dinner, the server clears our plates and places a single dessert menu between us. “Do you want dessert?” I ask, checking over the menu. I’m full, but not “skip the raspberry cheesecake” kind of full.
Brian clears his throat and shifts in his seat. “Actually, Julia, there was something I wanted to ask you.” The tone of his voice and the serious way he says my name makes me freeze.
As if in slow motion, he slips out of his chair and onto one knee, producing a black velvet box from his jacket pocket. He holds it in front of me and opens it to reveal an excessively large diamond ring.
“Julia Marie Marrow, will you marry me?”
Chapter Eighteen
Alex
It’s only five o’clock, but my body still thinks it’s ten. Eight and a half hours on a plane is never a good time, but it’s even worse when your mind won’t quiet enough for you to get some rest. Part of me feels like I’m underwater, that this isn’t really happening. I wasn’t supposed to be back here for another four months, for Christmas. When I could slip back into traditions and pretend that Jules and I are kids again, watching movies and eating cookies and forgetting that the outside world exists.
But here I am, facing the August heat and an unexpected eight hundred dollar deficit in my bank account just so I can celebrate something I should’ve seen coming but for some reason didn’t.
I spot Betty, Mason’s car that just won’t quit, and I’m so relieved to see him that it only just barely dawns on me that he isn’t holding up his usual embarrassing sign to welcome me home. Instead, he hurries out of the car and pulls me into one of his comforting bear hugs, as if he knows how much I’m dreading this.
“Coffee?” He motions to my cup and pops open the trunk.
“With a couple shots of espresso.” I toss the paper cup into a trash can and drop my backpack into the trunk.
“No suitcase?” Mason frowns. “Is that all you have? A backpack?”
I shrug and open the passenger’s side door. “I mean, I’m only here for the weekend.”
Mason slams the trunk closed and hurries into the driver’s side, ignoring the impatient drivers behind him. “Expensive weekend.”
