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I hold out the closest dress to me, just to get her to stop. She wrinkles her nose, considering the item. Then she shakes her head.
“Nice try,” she compliments. “But David?—”
“David is a very good actor,” I say with a sigh. “Unlike me.”
“You threw agreatsurprise party junior year,” she offers.
I give her an unimpressed look. “You knew about it for three months.”
“Yes, but I’mme.” She pinches my cheek like an auntie and then throws an arm around my shoulder. “Come on. These dresses aren’t right. To the next boutique!”
I let her drag me out of the store. The weather is starting to get a little warmer, though winter is still clinging to the city. It’s still cold enough to need gloves, but, hey, warmer is warmer.
Regrettably, it’s the most romantic time of the year.
My fake boyfriend is sure to continue to loft mixed signals. I sigh just thinking about it. Alice gives me a frown and then ruffles my hair.
I laugh, reaching up to fix it, when someone calls my name.
“Laura? Laura! Hi!”
My head snaps up. Across the street, with a shopping bag in each hand, looking like the lead character in a romantic comedy, is Jessi. Her hair is curled and falling in waves around her face, her cheeks pink from the cold. She waves at me with a beaming smile.
“Who the fuck is that?” Alice asks, bewildered.
I wave back awkwardly. “That,” I say out of the corner of my mouth, a fake smile plastered on my lips. “Is David’s ex-wife.”
“The Lewis’ girlfriend!” Alice gasps and then begins waving too.
Jessi jogs over. She doesn’t even have to look both ways—cars wouldn’tdareto touch her.
She’s still beaming, not even a little bit breathless from running in the wind. What the hell?
“Laura, itisyou!” She sounds delighted. Turning to Alice with a bright smile, she adds, “Hi!”
“Hi!” Alice chirps.
“I’m Jessi. I’m—” she falters, looking at me with a confused expression.
I am also confused, so I look at her with the same face.
Alice rolls her eyes. “I’m Alice, her best friend. I know who you are.”
“Oh, great!” Jessi laughs, clearly relieved. She smiles at me. “I thought I blew your cover!”
Oh!
“Oh!” I repeat, a bit unnecessarily. “No, no. Alice knows all about… me and David.”
“Notall,” Alice interjects. “But I’m trying.”
Jessi’s eyes widen and she giggles. “Wow. I like you!”
“Spectacular, because I have been trying to seduce your boyfriend for, oh, say, twenty years, and I need to know everything about you so the next guy doesn’t get away.”
I sigh heavily as Jessi lets out a loud laugh.
“She is happily dating someone,” I tell Jessi. “Don’t mind her.”
