I scooted the chair back another inch just in case the comment made Catherine violent.
She blew her nose again with the dish towel. “You think so?” Her eyes pleaded for it to be true, and the three of us nodded emphatically. I held my breath while the wheels turned in Catherine’s head. Then she said, “Maybe you’re right. I’m so stupid sometimes.”
Lexie picked up another bridal magazine off the stack on the table. “I was going to be so pissed if this ruined my engagement party. Tony is a groomsman. He has to be there when we introduce the wedding party.”
I leaned over and smacked Lexie on the back of the head. “I wonder what you’d be like if you were normal.”
She rubbed her head. “I’m just saying.”
Catherine ripped the magazine from Lexie’s hands, stomped to the trash and threw the magazine inside. “Not everything is about you, Princess Lexie.”
“Mom,” Lexie whined and Mom groaned.
“You girls are driving me crazy. All of you. I’m going to watch TV.” And then she stood and walked out of the room. .
“Great. Now look what you did.” Lexie picked up a stack of magazines, hurrying after her. “Wait! Mom! Do you think I can get these bows before the engagement party? They’ll look great on the display tables.”
“It’s going to be hell around here until after the wedding. You know that, right?” I flipped through the discarded fabric swatches.
“She’s already stressing about the engagement party dress code. I told her it’s not the wedding. We don’t have to match. If she thinks I’m going to buy a special, expensive dress when I’ll be the size of a rhino by then, she’s crazy.”
I looked down at her belly. She’d already begun to waddle instead of the graceful stride she’d always had.
“I’m sure the bridesmaids’ dresses she’ll end up choosing won’t be cheap, either.” I stood and started for the door. “I’m going home now. I need some quiet in my life.”
“Why don’t I ask Paul to go with you to the party?”
I stopped dead in my tracks and turned slowly to face my sister—she had definitely lost her mind. Completely.
“What?”
“Paul.” Catherine strolled past me and out the kitchen door.
“Paul? No way.” I followed, hot on her heels. “I’m not going with Paul. That guy doesn’t smile. Like ever. Forget it.”
“I’ll invite him to supper next week and you can come over,” Catherine said as I tripped over my feet after her into the living room. She eased herself into a recliner beside the couch where Lexie and Mom sat. Lexie’s bridal magazine obstructed Mom’s view of the Food Network and she didn’t look happy about it. Lexie, of course, was oblivious.
“No.” I was standing still now, but my heart was tripping all over inside my chest. .
“Invite him to dinner on Saturday. I’m making lasagna,” Mom said, trying to peer at Catherine around Lexie’s magazine.
“No, you are not inviting him to supper or I won’t come. Not if he’s here with the idea you’re trying to set me up with him.” I pictured Paul, my brother-in-law’s partner on the force. He was built like a Husker defense player, military issue buzz cut, stiff posture and a loud booming voice I’d heard a million times while he cussed out whatever opposing football team was on the field with the Huskers.
Catherine told Mom, “Yeah, I think I’ll do that. I don’t know why I didn’t think of him before. He’ll be a great date, especially since he knows most of the family already.”
Tony and Paul had been partners for four years, meaning Paul was at every family barbeque, every football party, every birthday party. Him and his psycho girlfriend.
“He has a girlfriend,” I threw out.
“Ex-girlfriend,” Catherine answered.
“Whatever,” I said, wondering what had happened to Whitney. I was too afraid to ask any questions that might be mistaken for interest, though.
Lexie snickered.
“I’m not going with him.” I crossed my arms. No one paid me any attention.
“Good, at least that’s settled,” Mom said. She pointed to something in the magazine. “I’ll have the ribbons made just like that. Tear that picture out.”
I snapped my mouth shut and the panic made me dizzy. Nothing I said would ever make a difference. My stance on the matter meant nothing to them. Even Lexie, who, on a normal day would have pointed out just how wrong Paul was for me in every way, didn’t seem to care. All she cared about these days were ribbons and bows.
No way was I going with Paul! They couldn’t make me. Paul made me uneasy. He didn’t go anywhere without his gun. Anywhere. He probably slept with it. My heart still lurched erratically in my chest, my breaths coming closer and closer together with every second.
I’m going to hyperventilate.
Or maybe I was having an anxiety attack. Both were possible.
“Okay,” I blurted and jumped to my feet. Three sets of curious eyes observed my flailing hands. I sucked in a deep breath and raised my arms in a Y of triumph—or desperation. “I guess I’ll just have to say it. I can’t go with Paul or anyone else because I already have a boyfriend!”
My loud, panicked voice had everyone’s attention. Finally.
Lexie sniffed in amusement and shook her head. “If you had a boyfriend why didn’t you say so before?”
Indeed, why? I struggled to come up with an answer. “Because I didn’t want you guys to know, that’s why.
I’ve been keeping him a secret from all of you.
I don’t want you to meet him yet.”
“You’re lying.” Catherine turned her big sister suspicious gaze on me, as if trying to shake the truth from my very soul. I pretended interest in the couch fabric just to the right of Mom’s shoulder. If I made any kind of eye contact with Catherine there was a definitely possibility I
would
crack under her super powers.
“We just decided to, uh, be exclusive. Just last night, actually.” I added a nod for authenticity and smiled a toothy smile. “Because I had to tell him Catherine forced me into another date.”
“I did not,” Catherine denied.
Yes she had.
“And then he got really jealous and confessed his love.” I jerked my thumb toward my chest. “For me.”
Mom’s eyebrows puckered together and a familiar crease between her brows appeared. The one she got when she was really irritated or upset.
Oh crap, I’m in trouble.
I shifted nervously on my feet.
Lexie said, “You are such a spaz.”
She was right; I was acting like a spaz. So, I dropped down into the loveseat and folded my hands in my lap. If lying had come easily to me, I probably wouldn’t have looked so guilty. But I didn’t lie to my parents. I didn’t lie to my sisters. There’d never been a reason to.
Until now.
White lies didn’t count. Like the time I borrowed Lexie’s lip gloss and lost it after not returning it for a week. I pretended not to have a clue where it was because it was Lexie’s favorite and she’d told me not to take it. To make up for it, I’d rushed to the store and bought a replacement. No harm done.
But making up a boyfriend? This was on a whole different level.
“Who is this boy?” Mom asked. “Why haven’t you mentioned him before?”
“Yeah.” Lexie said, her interest finally piqued enough to put the bridal magazine down.
And when had Lexie perfected Catherine’s eagle-eye stare?
“Because I like him and I don’t want everyone scaring him away.” It was a sort of true statement. If there was a guy in my life, I probably
would
keep him away from them until after the engagement party and Catherine’s pregnancy so my sisters would be back to normal again. They were too intense, even for me. It was a good thing this fictional boyfriend wouldn’t ever have to actually meet them.
Catherine scrunched up her nose. “Why would we scare him away?”
I didn’t bother to answer—it was like talking to a wall. Or an alien.
“So are you bringing him to the engagement party or are you bringing Paul?” Lexie asked and her indifference made me suspicious. She’d dropped the phantom boyfriend questions way too quickly. Her attention was back on the magazine; she ripped out a page and handed it to Mom.
Mom didn’t take it, though. Her eyes were fastened on me, the guilty party.
“I’m not bringing Paul and I’m not bringing my boyfriend, either.” I said it firmly, hoping they would all let it drop.
“I don’t know if I like you dating someone you haven’t introduced your father and me to.” The hurt in Mom’s voice put a lump in my throat. “What will your father think?”
“Very strange you never mentioned him,” Catherine said.
“It’s not serious,” I mumbled. Catherine opened her mouth to point out the flub in my story, so I quickly added, “I mean, it wasn’t serious. But now it is.”
“It’s serious and I haven’t met him?” Mom’s voice raised an octave.
I sighed and hung my head. When had everything gotten so screwed up?
“Mom, I just didn’t want you getting any premature ideas, that’s all. It’s new, our relationship. New, but exclusive. You know?” I hoped Mom understood what I was talking about because I sure as hell didn’t.
“Well, you should have at least told me about him, Imogen Mae Gorecki,” Mom scolded.
Crap, crap, crap.
She was really upset. She never used anyone’s full name unless they’d done something very wrong. And not only was she giving me the disapproving eye, but Catherine’s intense gaze had me freaked out too. Catherine rubbed her belly, her stare never wavering.
“You probably aren’t dating anyone,” Catherine finally said. She turned to Mom. “I’ll just invite Paul to dinner on Saturday. He loves your lasagna. We’ll ask him to be Gen’s date for the engagement party after we have dinner and everyone’s settled in for the football game.”
“No! I’m not going to cheat on my boyfriend with Paul or anyone else.
Drop it
.”
“A date to a party is not the same as cheating.” Lexie laughed and set the magazine on the couch. She seemed way too amused by the situation for my taste. Lexie asked, “Why are you being so dramatic?”
“Why are you all being so pushy?” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“So what’s this new boyfriend’s name?” Catherine asked.
“His name is…” I couldn’t think of a name.
Name, name, name.
“Matt Sesnick! His name is Matt.”
Holy crap, had that come out of my mouth? My belly rolled as if I’d consumed too much vodka.
Lexie grinned. “You’re making him up.”
“No I’m not. I’ll prove it.” I hurried out of the room and down the hall to the kitchen. My purse was where I’d left it on the kitchen counter. I muttered a curse while I searched through it frantically.
Where is that damn card?
“Ha!” I exclaimed triumphantly, clutching it in my hand. I hurried back to the living room and stalked right up to Catherine, Conspiracy Theorist #1. I waved the card under her nose and said, “He’s a financial advisor. A really good one.”
It was harmless to use him. He’d never know.
Catherine snatched the card out of my hand and peered down at it, but Mom took it from her before she could get a good look. I was nervous while Mom inspected the card under the lamp light on the end table. She mouthed Matt’s name. Lexie leaned over to get a look at the card, but Mom nudged her away so she could study it.
“Oh, this is perfect,” she finally said, her eyes bright. “He sounds wonderful, honey. I was really worried about you!”
“Let me see that,” Lexie said, but I took the card from Mom’s hand before Lexie could get to it. I dropped it back inside my purse. I’d burn it when I got home. There was no way I could ever call him now. Not after what I’d done. Just as well; he was clearly dangerous. I’d almost jumped into bed with him on the first night—who knew how I would have reacted the next time I saw him.
It seemed like a good idea to give up men for an indefinite period of time. Maybe become a nun.
“I’m going home. You people drive me crazy.” I kept my head down to dig inside my purse for my keys.
“Wait! What’s he look like?” Lexie asked.
Matt’s image slide easily into mind, the way his lips turned up into a lopsided smile, all dimples and sexy. I shivered and my cheeks grew warm. .
“Oh,” Mom said on a breath and clasped her hands together against her chest. “You really like this one.”
“Mom, please don’t get any ideas,” I pleaded, losing the smile. “It’s still new.”
Like nonexistent new. But the attraction? Yeah, that was real. Just the thought of him made me tingle all over.
“
Hmm
,” Catherine said with pursed lips. She still didn’t believe my story so I did what any desperate girl would—I took out my cell phone and flipped to the picture of me and Matt. Truthfully, I’d been looking at it all day.
I flashed the picture at Catherine, let her have a good look at it, before turning it so Mom and Lexie could see. Then I dropped the phone into my purse and said, “He’s real, so quit looking at me like that.”