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Mom paused in the middle of closing the dress into the garment bag. “You know, in case he doesn’t make it, maybe we should tell everyone that he’s the one with the flesh-eating bacteria. We could say he got it while treating a patient.”
I wrinkled my nose at the idea of Adam sticking his bare foot near an infected one. “Why would we do that?”
“Kathy might not be the only person who’d wonder why he couldn’t leave the job to come to such an important family event. I don’t want anyone else to give you a hard time.”
I froze in the middle of pulling on my jeans. Here we were, right back to the thing that started off the fake dating a coworker fiasco and had resulted in a broken heart. “I wish everyone could just accept me with or without a boyfriend,” I muttered.
“Oh, honey, that’s not what this is about.” Mom scooped me into a hug. “You’re perfect. I don’t want anyone to distress you, that’s all. Not after everything you went through with Westin.”
Bringing up my awful ex wasn’t exactly the best tactic to lift my spirits, but I didn’t say anything. “Maybe we should just focus on those welcome baskets.” I didn’t have the energy to deal with more conversation about Adam.
“Are you upset?” Mom demanded, rubbing my arm. “Did I say something wrong? I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to make you mad.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I love you, Jenna.”
I mustered a weak smile. “I’m not mad. I’m just tired, like I told you.”
She peered at my face. “Are you sure? I feel like I did something wrong. Tell me, so I can make it right.”
Tell her how I really felt so she could explain everything away and insist she only wanted the best for me because she loved me? I knew she did—that wasn’t the problem. The issue was that sometimes the way she showed that love was smothering.
The sound of voices outside my room provided a needed escape. “Mom?” my little brother Patrick called. “Dad wants to know where you want the jars.”
Mom started for the door. “Hold on, Jenna, let me go handle this.”
“I’ll finish getting dressed and join you in a minute,” I told her.
“If you’re sure you’re okay?”
“Right as rain,” I lied. After she left, I pulled on a comfy t-shirt and then finished zipping up the garment bag with the dress.
As much as I didn’t want to think about him, my brain bombarded me with thoughts about Adam. Would he have liked to see me in the dress? I’d never know.
If he’d come with me, I might have mustered up the courage to tell Mom the truth. Then again, if he did turn up for the wedding, there’d be no need. But having him at my side would probably have given me a boost of confidence that would help me withstand Aunt Kathy and any other nosey wedding guests.
For a handful of days on the cruise, Adam had made me feel wanted. Not just attractive, although the fact that we’d barely come up for air between kissing sessions had definitely helped. Adam seemed to like me as a person, appreciating my efforts to befriend his family, and apparently listening to my advice about strengthening his relationship with Nicole.
That’s why it hurt so much when he put Cassie Croft first. Here came this guy who turned out to be sweet and funny and seemed totally into me and then, wham, he dumped me to go to an infectious disease conference with his previous crush.
I forced myself to move to the door of my bedroom. I couldn’t wallow in this misery anymore, and Beth needed my help. At least I was home with my family, whom I knew loved me, no matter their imperfections.
It would feel better if I didn’t have to keep lying to everyone about Adam. I’d just have to keep nurturing the story of his tragic patient today, then break the news he wasn’t coming tomorrow morning. Next week I could go back to Philadelphia and stage a fake breakup to go with my fake boyfriend.
My hand froze on my doorknob. Once again, I was attending a family event and keeping a huge secret from everyone, only this time, the family was mine and not Adam’s. And this go-around, I was on my own, expected to keep up the charade with no one to share the burden.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself. For now, I needed to be there for my sister, put on a brave face and help her through the most important day of her life. My problems could—and would—still be there when the wedding was over. Best to keep things pleasant for the rest of my trip.
Traffic out of Philadelphia wasn’t bad, though I was a little late leaving the city after waiting for the dry cleaner to finish my suit. By lunchtime, I was driving through rural Maryland towns so I could avoid construction on the interstate.
I tried to focus on the “Pathogen Perspectives” and “Germ Report” infectious disease podcasts, but my thoughts kept straying to Jenna. What was she doing? What would she think of my unexpected visit? What would I say to make things right? When Mom called, I answered at once, welcoming the potential distraction.
“Hi Adam! Just checking up on you. Haven’t talked to you since the cruise.”
I winced. I’d always let her contact me first in the past, but things didn’t have to stay that way forever, and Ihadresolved to stay in touch with my family. “I’m doing well. You?”
“I’m great! Sounds like you’re driving. Is Jenna with you?”
She wasn’t, but I really hoped she would be soon. “No, but I’m on the way to North Carolina for her sister’s wedding.”
“Oh, how wonderful. Listen, have you talked to Grandma?”
