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“Where are you going on honeymoon?” one of Alex’s business colleagues asked me.
“Oh, we haven’t decided yet,” I said. “After all, we’re so busy with everything at the moment.”
“You could always go to the farm if you like. I’d be happy to sell the thing, actually. You and your husband ought to go and look at it.”
I mentioned this odd exchange to Alex later, and he gave me the first smile I’d seen from him in weeks.
“Thatfarm…” he said, “…is on Martha’s Vineyard. He’s been trying to sell the thing to me for months, but I keep telling him 100 million dollars is too much money.”
“Ahundred—” I said in disbelief, but Alex had already been swept away by more admirers and guests. I sighed. Was this how it was supposed to be on your wedding day? I’d barely seen him. Not that I was thinking about him, of course. Only I kept longing for the way he’d had his hand around my back in the photos, the graceful way he stood by me. It felt nice to pretend, I guess.
As the afternoon wore on, I had another glass of champagne, and some of the delicious canapés. But I couldn’t stand to hear another conversation about stocks and bonds, or have any more fake conversation with the ‘dad’ Alex had hired for me.
“Look,” I said to him at one point, after he launched into a story about us going golfing in front of a crowd of Alex’s friends, “who do you think you’re kidding? How old were you when I was born, anyway? Fifteen?”
“Hey, quit it, lady,” he muttered. “I can’t break character. This is research for me, anyway. I’m playing the father of the bride in a Wes Anderson movie next year.”
I sighed in frustration and stomped off. I couldn’t even remember why I’d agreed to do this. The whole thing was crazy anyway. I left by the back entrance and went out to the parking lot, where the limousines were parked. I thought it wouldn’t be so bad to recline on the comfortable seats and think happy thoughts. So I went to the first one and opened the door.
I screamed with shock.
So did Sara.
I wasn’t even sure what I was looking at until the tangle of ruffled silk and lace rustled and rolled over, and revealed Sara, looking crumpled in her dress on the floor of the limo. But I was utterly shocked when I saw who she’d just rolled off.
“ZEKE?”
Alex’s best man for the day sat up in the car, his carrot-top hair in a tangle. His cheeks were red, and the pair of them looked out of breath. He adjusted his tie and slipped his jacket on. “I…uh…sorry,” he said quickly, looking around in utter embarrassment.
“It’s not what it looks like?” said Sara.
“We, uh, just met,” said Zeke. “She was just…”
I just carried on staring at them, not knowing what to say. Then, an enormous smile spread across my face.
“I guess it really is true what they say about the best man and the maid of honor,” I said, giggling.
“Please don’t tell ‘Lex,” said Zeke. “I’ll see you later, Sara,” he said, nodding towards her and smiling. “It was good to meet you.”
“You too!” she said, waving at him. Then she turned towards me, and I could see the fire burning in her big brown eyes.
“WHAT?” she said, but I couldn’t stop laughing.
“How long have you two known each other?” I said.
“Long enough,” said Sara haughtily, and turned around and went back inside. I followed her, splitting my sides.
***
“You’re KIDDING me,” said Alex, when I told him in the limo on the way toThe Blue Orchid.
“Scout’s honor,” I said, beaming. “In this very limo.”
“In this…” Alex said, before stepping up off the chairs and brushing the seat below him. “Wow. I guess you never can tell.”
“I didn’t really think she was his type,” I said.
“I didn’t really think he was hers!” said Alex.
