Page 94 of The Fast Lane

“He’s not my…” A rowdy round of congratulations made it impossible for me to be heard. “Whatever.”

After everyone settled down, Mimi pointed to the one unoccupied chair. “Well, you two, pull up a seat. We’re celebratin’.”

“Did you two get married?” I blurted out.

Mack’s eyes widened and he plopped back down into his chair. “Now, Ali…”

“The picture you sent…it was in front of a wedding chapel, and I know you’re a grown adult. Of course, you are, and I love you, and I know you have this plan and you’re looking for a change, but meeting a woman and marrying her eight hours later is insanity. She could be a serial killer or a mouth breather or…I don’t know.” I paused and looked over at Mimi. “No offense, Mimi. You seem very nice.”

“Oh, no offense taken.” Her mouth twisted into an amused smirk. “But, sugar, I’ll ease your mind right now. I got seconds on the day God handed out common sense. There’s no way I’d let a man I just met put a ring on it. That would be nuttier than a squirrel turd.”

A wave of relief coursed through me. “Thank God.”

Mimi pointed to a man in a dress shirt and tie and a woman in a lavender dress who were sitting almost on top of each other, each wearing matching expressions of bliss. “Those two got hitched.”

The couple waved and the woman held up her left hand and pointed to the wedding ring there.

“Congrats,” I said weakly.

“They’re friends from Texas. That’s why I’m here,” Mimi continued. “This was all planned, but then I met Mr. Charming here,” she leaned over and gave Mack a kiss on the cheek, “and thought he looked like a man who liked to have fun. So, I invited him as my plus one. I didn’t realize this would cause so much concern.”

“Oh.” That’s all I could say. My face felt hot with embarrassment like I’d received a dressing-down from the principal (which had happened once…or twice…or, well, you get it).

Mimi’s eyes danced from me to the man standing behind me. “You’re here now. Why don’t you have a seat and stay awhile.”

“We should take Mack and get going,” I protested. “We have a lot of driving ahead of us tomorrow.”

Mimi raised a dark eyebrow and spoke in a firm voice. “Sit.”

“Got it.”

The table only had one empty seat and with Theo’s ankle, I offered it up to him. “You take the chair. I’ll find another one.”

Theo frowned. “No, you sit. You’re exhausted.”

“And your ankle hurts.”

“I’m fine.”

I crossed my arms. “So am I.”

“This is stupid,” Theo muttered. He sat in the chair. Then, before I could blink, he grabbed my waist and pulled me onto his lap. “There. That’s better.”

“I’m not too heavy?”

“Don’t even.” He adjusted his arms around me, one hand going to my hip.

But I wasn’t planning on arguing. I put my head on his shoulder, breathed in all the Theo sort of smells—soap and citrus and comfort. My eyelids began to droop, the world growing blurry and muddled. His hand, warm and gentle, slid under the hoodie and sleep tank I had on. It found a patch of skin on my lower back and his thumb began to make small, soothing circles. It was the last thing I remember before falling asleep.

THIRTY-NINE

Note to self:

Nieces and tickles make life more fun.

Wednesday, four days before the wedding

A tiny monster flung herself across my stomach. “Wake up. Wake up.”