She stepped away with her cell phone to her ear and I toed the ceramic tiled floor.
“So…” Matt said, a teasing note to his voice. He moved his thumb over the thin cotton of my shirt; the friction of the material made me think of other things. I bit my lip and crossed my arms.
“Fine,” I said and crossed my arms. “I told my mom we weren’t really dating and that I made the entire thing up. But you already know that part.” It was hard to concentrate because his hand moved down to my hip. “And she didn’t believe me, so I…told her you have smelly feet.”
“Yes. They smell like vinegar,” Mom said, and I jumped, startled.
Matt burst out laughing. I sucked in my cheeks, relieved he found it so funny. He said, “Yes, well, those shoe inserts will take care of that. Thank you, Marilyn.”
“You’re very welcome, Matt.” Mom dropped her phone into a pocket inside her purse. “Your sisters will be here in a minute. Catherine was held up at a meeting and Lexie got caught by a train across town.” She placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled at me. “Oh, Gen, I’m so happy you planned this lunch. I hope you don’t mind I invited your sisters. I thought Catherine should know since she planned on surprising you with a date at the engagement party if you weren’t bringing anyone.”
“Of course she did,” I said with a sigh. “Well, thank God, she can cancel that.”
“Yes, I’d be honored to take your daughter to the engagement party,” Matt said and clasped my hand in his. Mom looked down at her hands and then back up at Matt.
“I’m making meatloaf tonight. Seven p.m. Please say you’ll come.”
“I’d love to.”
“Good. Now, you kids order lunch and I’m going to step aside and call the caterer for the engagement party. That Deborah Buchanan called and changed the entrée without telling Lexie. Can you believe the nerve of that woman?” Mom hurried away and had her phone to her ear, pacing, within seconds.
When we were alone, I turned wide eyes on Matt. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered. “The stinky feet thing just kind of slipped out.”
Matt’s eyes twinkled back at me. “You couldn’t think of anything else? Like maybe I was just too buff and good-looking?”
I rolled my eyes, but my smile widened. “No, that never crossed my mind.”
He leaned down and set a whisper soft kiss to my jaw then one behind my earlobe. “Or maybe being near me drives you insanely crazy and you struggle to keep your clothes on when I kiss you.” Matt captured my lips in a deep, open-mouthed kiss, brushing his tongue against mine before pulling away. “Like this.”
I shivered. My chest rose and fell as I sucked in a deep breath and exhaled. My tongue darted out to lick my moist lips. “I, uh, think we should order the sandwiches.”
He didn’t listen. Instead he put his arms around me and hugged me. Being with him like this made feel complete.
This is real, we’re a couple.
The thought put a wide, happy smile to my lips.
“Let’s order those sandwiches,” Matt said, glancing over at Mom who was nodding vigorously to something being said on the cell phone at her ear.
I ordered what I figured everyone would want, knowing one of my sisters wouldn’t be pleased with my selection. But I didn’t care. Matt was here with me. I don’t think a tornado could have wiped the giddy out of me.
Catherine breezed through the door on a gust of wind, smoothing her long, wet hair over one shoulder. She shed a coat, dripping wet. The forecast said it would rain off and on for the next two days, which was a nice break from the heat we’d been having. Indian summer had lasted all month instead of a week as it normally did.
“It’s really starting to come down now. I just can’t—oh.” Catherine stopped when her eyes caught sight of Matt. She juggled her gaze between us, confusion stamped on her face. But she smiled and said, “What a nice surprise. I didn’t know you were joining us, Matt.”
“They’re dating!” Mom announced.
“Oh, that’s great,” Catherine said and touched Matt’s arm. “I’m happy for you two.”
“Oh yes, Gen couldn’t live without me.” Matt grinned and pulled me closer into his side. “She called and begged me to take her back.”
Catherine laughed and I rolled my eyes. She knew Matt and I hadn’t ever dated, not for real. Mom was the only one who believed we had been and that I’d broken up with him because of his feet.
“It was really quite cute the way she begged,” Matt continued, and I could tell he was enjoying himself. “You know, the whole stinky feet thing was just something she made up because I think she’s embarrassed about her foot fetish.”
Mom gasped, horrified.
Matt shook his head, the image of incredulity. “We’d only known each other for two weeks before she asked if she could lick my toes. And I said, ‘Gen, really, I’m not that kind of guy.’ But I would never judge her for her weird little…fetish. You know, she’s got this weird obsession with aliens? She said licking toes is some kind of alien thing.”
Mom’s eyes widened and I kicked Matt in the foot.
“Imogen Mae,” Mom breathed.
The bell above the door jingled again and Lexie stepped through. Mom waved. “Lexie, we’re all here. Even Matt.”
“It’s nice to see you again, Matt,” Lexie said, closing her dripping umbrella. She focused on my head. “Finally, you colored your hair.”
I touched the blonde locks, running my fingers through them. “I had it done last weekend.”
“Why don’t you and Matt find a table,” Mom said to me. “I’ll wait here with the girls for the food. I need to talk to Lexie for a quick minute.”
I took Matt’s hand and led him away. We confiscated a table in the far corner and he moved a chair out for me. I sat down. “Foot fetish? Thanks a lot.”
He shrugged. “Sorry, it just slipped out. You know how that goes.”
I smacked him and he laughed. I said, “Okay, so I kind of deserved that.”
“You did.” He squeezed my hand and smiled. “But I’ll come clean and tell your mom you’re not a serial toe-licker.”
“Good of you,” I grinned. “And I’ll tell her your feet don’t stink.”
“Deal,” he said and I forced myself not to kiss him. He was just so kissable.
Lexie sat down and said, “Mom told me you’re bringing Matt to the engagement party. Thank God. Now we don’t have to change the seating chart.”
“Right.” Catherine dropped a wrapped sandwich in front of Lexie. “Because the seating chart
is
the most important point in all of this.”
Lexie didn’t even blink at Catherine’s sarcasm. She unwrapped her sandwich—which wasn’t really a sandwich at all, but meat and low fat mayo wrapped in lettuce. “Are you sure you want to be involved with Gen?” Lexie asked. “She’s clearly unhinged.”
I wadded up a napkin and threw it across the table but it landed harmlessly beside the food tray.
“I like her just the way she is,” Matt said, and smiled at me.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
I pulled a light, silvery purple dress from the rack and held it up against my chest, posing in front of the tri-fold mirror. “I like this one.”
Lexie’s reflection appeared beside mine in the mirror. “I do, too. But my wedding’s in November now.” She frowned, and I knew how much it must bother her still that Jeremy’s family had pressured her into moving the wedding up. “I hope they have it in plum. Cat, come look at this dress.”
Nothing but sniffles came from behind the dark burgundy curtain of the dressing room stall Catherine had disappeared into five minutes before.
“Cat?” I draped the dress over my arm and took a step toward the curtain, but Lexie put a hand out to stop me and shook her head.
“She’s been freaking out like this since last night, and you would know if you would have shown up to go to the florist with us,” Lexie whispered into my ear.
“Lexie, I had to make up two hours of work last night. I couldn’t tell my supervisor no because I’m looking at flowers for a wedding
in seven months
. I don’t think she’d understand.” I hung the dress on a rack beside the mirror.
“Fine, but something is up. She was all weepy but wouldn’t talk about it.”
“She’s freaking out because she’s gained a gazillion pounds,” I whispered and kept an eye on Catherine’s dressing room. “And you’re not making it any easier on her, pointing out every damn breadstick she puts on her plate.”
Lexie lifted her chin and returned my glare. “I
know
. It’s because she
told me
to do it. She thinks Tony isn’t attracted to her because she’s pregnant and she’s worried she won’t be able to lose the weight after the pregnancy.”
I blinked at her. “You’re kidding.”
Lexie shook her head.
“That’s insane. She’s all baby.” And then I pictured Catherine’s belly. “Like one huge baby. She’s not fat.”
Lexie shrugged and hung up the dress she’d been holding. “I don’t know, but she was a mess yesterday.” She jerked her thumb toward the dressing room where Catherine’s sniffling had intensified, sounding muffled but painful. “She didn’t sound that bad, though.”
“You’re right. I haven’t really been paying attention,” I whispered and paused with my fingertips on the curtain. The sniffling had quieted down a bit. I let go of the curtain and knocked on the doorframe instead. “Cat? You okay in there?”
“Yeah.” Another sniffle.
“Okay. I was just worried is all. Because you’re crying.” Lexie nudged me in the back and I reached behind me to swat her hand away. “And, uh, if you’re crying about Lexie getting married, you shouldn’t. She’s moving up to a mansion on a hill and no one should feel sorry for her. She probably won’t even remember our names.”
I’d thought making a joke would lighten things up. Instead, Catherine burst into loud tears behind the curtain and Lexie wasn’t so gentle with the next nudge to my back. I caught myself against the doorframe before my head smacked against the wood trim.
“This is serious, quit being a jerk!” Lexie hissed and I turned to shove her back.
“I was just joking, lighten up,” I said, but I was worried. I spun back to the dressing room and swept the curtain aside to reveal a swollen, fully-dressed Catherine, her mascara a watery, tear-stained trail down her cheeks, and snot hanging from her nose. She’d pulled her cardigan off and looked like she was preparing to wipe her nose with it.
“Holy shit,” Lexie whispered and I waved my hand behind me in a short, annoyed gesture to shut my twin up.
“Cat, honey, what’s wrong?” I knelt in front of her and gently placed my hands on her knees. I rubbed her leg through the thick cotton leggings while she blew her nose in her cardigan. “If you don’t tell me what’s the matter, I’m calling Tony.”
“Don’t you call that prick!”
I sat back on my heels. “Uh, okay. I definitely won’t…but what’s going on?”
“He – he – is – ch-ch-cheating on m-me.”
The last time Catherine had made the accusation, I’d chalked it up to her paranoia and pregnancy hormones, but the sincerity and utter despair in her voice was so startling, that I panicked. I dropped Catherine’s hands, pushed Lexie out of the dressing room, and swept the curtain shut behind us.
“What the hell do you think is going on?”
Lexie shook her head, her face pale. “I have no clue! This is just weird. Do you…do you think it’s true?” Lexie gazed at the closed curtain, where our always-put-together sister was inside, falling apart. “I don’t think Tony would do something like this. You know? It’s just not him.”
I crossed my arms and glared at the opposite wall lined with dresses.
“I know. It’s not. But he’s a man, and men can be pigs. She wouldn’t have brought it up again if there wasn’t a reason. Look at her.” I gave a short sweeping motion toward the dressing room. “I’ve never seen her like this before.”
Lexie frowned. “He better not be cheating on her. He’s in the wedding party.”
I took Lexie by the shoulders and gave her a firm shake. “Lexie, quit being such a shit! He better not be cheating on her because
he’s her husband
and she’s pregnant with his baby—your wedding has nothing to do with this.”
“Well duh, that too. I’m just saying. I’ve already made the seating chart and name tags, remember?”
How could I forget? Everything was about that damn seating chart. “I realize Jeremy’s snotty family has turned you into bridezilla, but you need to cut the crap and forget about your stupid wedding for just this once so we can help her figure this out. Do you think you can do that?”
Lexie’s face fell. “I know, I’m sorry. I’m just really stressed out right now. But it’s not important.” She straightened her shoulders and said, “I know what we’re going to do.”
“You do?”
She swept aside the curtain and planted her feet in front of her Catherine, hands on her hips. Catherine looked up and blinked tear-stained eyes. “Get your stuff, Cat. We’re going to Tony’s work and we’re going to confront him about this. Tony can’t lie to all of us.”
Catherine opened and closed her mouth a few times before whispering, “Okay?”