“The end of it. I’ve had headaches that lasted longer than my marriage.”
“Why did it end?”
“You know this. He cheated on me. With most of the Seahawks’ cheerleaders and half the wait staff at the Bellevue Hooters. He was absolutely ardent in his pursuit of silicone. If only he’d shown so much drive in his career.”
“Do you remember when he proposed?”
Meghann sighed. She didn’t want to think about that day. It had all happened so long ago. The candlelit room, the trail of white rose petals that led to the king-size bed, the music coming from another room, a soft, instrumental version of Air Supply’s “All Out of Love” that was playing on the radio. “I proposed to him, if you must know. I’ve never been good at waiting, and it took Eric an hour to pick out a pair of socks.”
Harriet looked pained. “Meghann.”
“What?”
“Why don’t you try that story again? My memory is not as poor as you’d like to think.”
Meghann looked down at her fingernails. For years she’d told stories about Eric’s infidelities. The remark about his ardent pursuit of silicone always got a laugh. It was better that way, she’d learned; better to think of him as a villain. The truth hurt too much. Even Elizabeth didn’t know what had really happened in Meghann’s marriage. But now, somehow, Harriet had ferreted out the facts. “I don’t want to talk about this.”
“Of course you don’t,” Harriet said gently. “That’s why you should.”
Meghann released her breath slowly. “He didn’t go after waitresses. Not as far as I know, anyway. He was faithful to me … until he met Nancy.” She closed her eyes, remembering that terrible day when he’d come home crying. I can’t do it anymore, Meg. You’re killing me. Nothing I do is good enough for you. And your love … it’s a cold place.
And then, just when she’d felt the start of her own tears and tasted the desperate plea in her mouth, he said, I’ve met someone. She loves who I am, not who I could be if I were more ambitious. And … she’s pregnant.
The memories twisted Meghann’s insides, made her feel needy and weak. She couldn’t hold it all inside anymore. “It was so romantic,” she said softly. “The night he proposed to me. The white rose petals were true. So was the music. He poured a glass of champagne and told me that I was his whole world, that he wanted to love me forever and be the father of my children. I cried when he said it.” She wiped her eyes of tears that should have dried long ago. “I should have known how fragile love was, given my family history, but I was reckless. I handled a glass bubble as if it were made of steel. I couldn’t believe how quickly it broke. He left because I didn’t know how to love him enough.” On that, her voice cracked. “You can’t blame him.”
“So, you did love him.”
“Oh, I loved him,” Meghann said quietly, feeling the dormant pain well up and become fresh again.
“It’s interesting that you readily remember the pain of your divorce, but you have to be reminded of the love.”
“No more,” Meg said, standing up. “This is like open-heart surgery without anesthesia.” She looked at her watch. “Besides, we’re out of time. I told Claire I’d be there this evening. I need to go.”
Harriet slowly removed her glasses and looked up at Meghann. “Think this thing through, Meg. Maybe this wedding could bring you and Claire together, give you some new ground to stand on.”
“You think I should just let her marry Bobby Jack Tom Dick and say nothing?”
“Sometimes love means trusting people to make their own decisions. In other words, shutting up.”
“Women pay me handsomely to tell them the truth.”
“Your version of the truth. And Claire is not one of your clients. She’s a woman who is getting married for the first time. A thirty-five-year-old woman, I might add.”
“So I should just smile and hug her and tell her I think it’s great that she’s marrying a stranger?”
“Yes.”
“What if he breaks her heart?”
“Then she’ll need her sister. But she won’t turn to someone who’ll say, I told you so.”
Meghann thought about that. She was opinionated and abrasive, but she wasn’t a dimwit. “Sorry, Harriet,” she said at last. “I don’t agree. I can’t let him hurt her. Claire’s the best person I know.”
“The best person you don’t know, you mean. Clearly, you want to keep it that way. You want to keep her at arm’s length.”
“Whatever. Goodbye.” Meghann hurried from the office.
Harriet was wrong. It was that simple.
Meghann had let Claire down once; she wouldn’t do it again.
It’s stupid to marry a man you just met.
“ ‘Stupid’ is not a good word choice.”
It’s inadvisable to—