Page 108 of The Fast Lane

“You didn’t like him at all?” I raised my voice so the whole car could hear me.

“Who?” Mack asked.

“Alec. You didn’t like him?”

“No,” Mack and Theo said at the same time.

“Totally wrong for you,” Mack said. “He seems like a fine enough man but I’m awfully glad he’s gone.”

“Why didn’t anyone say something to me?” I demanded. “You could have saved me years of figuring that out on my own.”

“Ali-Cat.” Mack turned in his seat. “Sometimes you gotta let people come to things on their own. You are one of those people.”

“I am?”

“Sure. You’ve never been one to let other people tell you what to do. At least when it comes to the big things. We knew you’d figure that out. You have a good head on your shoulders. You get that from me.”

“He wore way too much hair product,” Theo muttered.

“That’s for sure,” Mack said.

“Hair product?” I repeated faintly, still not quite sure how to deal with these new revelations. But funnily enough, it wasn’t anger I felt. Warmth tugged at my heart. It was nice to have so many people who were on your side.

“We’re officially in Oregon,” Mack said.

We all cheered, but not too much. Portland was still at least five hours away and the consensus was that that felt impossibly far.

Thirty-five minutes later, we pulled into the pizza place in Klamath Falls. After stocking up on snacks for the rest of the drive, we piled back into the car. I chatted with Mom for a little. They’d pushed themselves and had managed to make it to Oregon already. She gushed about how good Cal and Melanie looked and the precise placement of the tables at the reception and that she’d finally seen the Pacific Ocean.

“It was beautiful. And, oh, goodness, the Columbia Gorge, that’s where the venue is, a little place called River Valley. It’s not too far from Multnomah Falls. Wait until you see it.”

“I can’t wait,” I said.

“So, you’ll be here tonight?”

“About five hours.”

She squealed. “Can’t wait to see you. You’ve been feeling okay, right.”

“Mom.”

“Yes, yes. Chill out, Mom,” she said with a little laugh. “By the way, I do have a bone to pick with you. I had my money on the day of the wedding. You know, Sunday, start of the new week, and I was sure that would be your moment.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You and Theo, of course.”

I gasped. “My own mother is part of that pool? I cannot believe it.”

“Your father doubled down on Christmas last year. I don’t know how many times he moved that mistletoe.”

A funny little squeak comes from my throat. “Are you kidding? Is that how he fell off the ladder and sprained his ankle? Moving mistletoe because he was betting on my love life?”

Abe turned around, a question in his eyes. I shook my head.

“You know how competitive he is, honey,” Mom said.

I dropped my forehead forward until my head hit the seat in front of me. “I cannot believe you people.”