My best friend Lisa, on the other hand, was given the news immediately.
I’d called her as soon as Devin passed out after our engagement “celebration”. I knew she rarely fell asleep before midnight, so it wouldn’t be too late to call. Although, news like that wouldn’t have been able to wait until morning even if it was too late to call.
Of course she freaked out and had a million questions, but my head was still in such a daze that I didn’t have any of the right answers. I just tried to sound excited and happy—because I was—and it was easy to conjure the right tone since the proposal was just such a surprise!
Chapter 4
WHAT LIES BENEATH
Our reservations were for eight o’clock, and if I didn’t get my butt in gear, I’d never make it in time.
I had already waxed my lip (lay off, I’m Italian) and tweezed my eyebrows sufficiently. I slathered on the Jolén before realizing I hadn’t yet pulled out the pair of shoes I was planning to wear.
So, there I was, racing around my apartment with cream bleach on my arms, searching high and low for my strappy gold heels when Lisa decided to call. I answered the phone and was met not with a ‘Hello’ or a ‘Hey, what’s up’ like you’d expect from a normal person. No. The first thing I hear out of my best friend’s mouth is, “What are you wearing tonight?”
“A Disney jean jacket and Hello Kitty pajama bottoms. You think I’ll be overdressed?”
Lisa was not amused. “Listen, bitch. I’m totally PMSing right now. Don’t fuck with me.”
I laughed, then decided I didn’t really have time to spend goofing around anyway. I’d been on fast forward since leaving the office, sweating my ass off in the process, seeing as my window-mounted air conditioner was barely cutting through the sweltering August heat wave we were experiencing. I fanned my face, hoping that I’d find my stupid shoes quickly so I could get off the phone and finally get in the shower. “Fine. A beige knit dress that you’ve never seen before and therefore can’t offer criticism about.”
“Is it nice?”
“No. It makes me look fat. Of course it’s nice, you dipwad!”
I finally reached the bottom of the big, plastic bin that my summer shoes were kept in and came up with the elusive gold stiletto. “Aha! Found it!”
There was a silent pause on Lisa’s end before she offered quietly, “I can’t believe I don’t even know this guy you’re marrying.”
Her words managed to stop me in my tracks. Despite the time constraints I was dealing with, I slumped down cross-legged on the floor of my closet, absorbing what my best friend had just said. She’d only met Devin a few times, and half of those instances were before he and I had even started dating. I guessed it seemed weird for her to think I had agreed to marry a guy that my family and closest friends had barely met.
“I know. But you’ll get to know him.” The declaration came out sounding more resolute than I had intended. Like I thought my statement would come true just because I had said the words so determinedly.
Lis tossed me a bone. “I know, I know. You know I will. I just-” she sounded hesitant, like she was about to tell me something I wouldn’t want to hear. I readied myself for a lecture when instead, she suddenly switched gears. “Hey. I hope you guys have a great time tonight. Call me tomorrow or just fill me in on Sunday, okay?”
“Sure. Sounds like a plan.”
*
By the time Devin was due to pick me up, I was primped and ready for a big night out on the town. I’d broken some major land-speed records in order to get ready on time, but still managed to look pretty darned good, considering. I’d worn my dark hair pulled back into a loose knot at my nape—not really my favorite style, but I knew Devin liked it that way—and I was happy to oblige him with such a painless gesture considering the gorgeous ring he’d given me. My dress was elegant and tasteful, yet still came off as alluring, the crocheted beige knit hugging every curve. I was thankful to have found my gold heels, because they were a perfect complement to the gold costume bangles at my wrist, the pave-ball drops at my ears, and of course, the band of my new engagement ring.
When I heard the buzz of my intercom, I punched the button and said I was on my way down. I grabbed my handbag and teetered down three flights of stairs before emerging dramatically out my front door, striking a pose on the top step. I looked down at the sidewalk and realized Devin wasn’t the one there to meet me, but his driver, Peters, instead. He was standing next to the opened door of a black Lincoln Towncar, which upon inspection I could plainly see was very, very empty.