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I wasn’t.
Lindsay must either have an incredible sixth sense about catching me, or she’d been staring out her peephole too.
“Margot!” she called.
I pretended I didn’t see her and fast-walked toward the elevators. She intercepted me before I got there and grabbed my arm. “Oh, no you don’t.”
“Ma’am, unhand me! What are you doing, ma’am?”
“Margot—”
“I don’t know this woman!” I called out down the hallway in case anyone was listening, then to her, “How dare you accost me? Are you after my autograph again?”
“Knock it off, Margot.” She cast her eyes around with alarm and let go of me. “Please?” she begged. “You’re my maid of honor. You’re supposed to help me. You’vegotto take Janet with you.”
I gave her a look. I didn’t think I could handle taking custody of Troy’s sister again. “She’s going to be your sister-in-law. You’re going to have to get along with her at some point.”
She raised her eyes to the ceiling. “Well, maybe someday, but not today. Will you please just take her with you?”
I tilted my head. “Lindsay, I’ve got to go. I don’t have time to wait around for her to show up and then for you to have to explain to her that you’re pawning her off on me. Again.”
She clapped her hands. “Oh no! Don’t worry! There’s no waiting.” She reached behind the nearest column and pulled her future sister-in-law out from behind it. “She’s right here. Ready to go.”
I stared at them. “How did you do that? Where did you even come from?”
Janet’s semipermanent frown looked deeper than usual. “Your sister told me to wait there. I guess I’m going with you now.”
I shook my head. Oh, well. Hanging out with Janet made me appreciate my life more by comparison—and maybe by her design. I wondered how much she cared about being ditched by Lindsay, though. I turned to give Lindsay a guilt-inducing look, but she was already gone. The hall was empty except for the echo of Lindsay’s door banging shut.
I sighed. “Okay, Janet, let’s go. Have you ever been to Bainbridge’s?”
“No. What is it?” She pushed her thick, black glasses higher up on her nose.
Just thinking about it made me smile. “It’s the best department store in the entire world. You’ll see.”
Two trains, two coffee stops—since Janet spilled her first coffee accidentally on purpose on a tourist who was shouting into his phone—and forty-five minutes later, Janet and I were standing in front of Bainbridge’s department store, staring up at Tanner in the window.
“Your boyfriend looks like a mannequin,” Janet said in her nasally drawl.
“Thank you, yes, he’s very good at his job.”
She frowned at me and pushed a strand of stringy, dark hair out of her face. “Is that his real body shape?”
My mouth fell open, and I stared at her. Tanner was dressed as a snowman today. Only his head protruded above two enormous sparkly white spheres. He had twigs for arms. “Um, no, Janet. He’s actually much more human-shaped.”
“Ah.” She sipped her coffee, nodding.
I glanced around at the people in the crowd. There appeared to be fewer women on the street ogling Tanner today. Whether that was because he was showing less skin or because, like Janet, they believed he had the body of a snowman, I wasn’t sure.
I took a swig of my coffee which had cooled to a nice temperature, but someone jostled me from behind and it dribbled down my chin. I spun around.
“Isla!”
“Hey! Sorry about that!” She gave me a half hug as I tried to wipe my face.
“Who’s this?” she asked in a friendly tone, eyeing Janet with interest. Janet for her part was looking at Isla with a severe frown as if she already disapproved of her. Which was impossible. Everyone loved Isla.
“Isla, this is Janet, the groom’s sister, and Janet, this is Isla, my best friend since elementary school.”
