“I mean, if she’s that likely to change her mind, are they sure this is the right move for them?”
“Well, first of all, I was kidding about her changing her mind. Mostly.” When I eyed her skeptically, she continued. “Amanda’s skittish and when left to think too much, she’s prone to over-analyze everything. She could poke holes in the sturdiest foundation. But I don’t think that’s really why they’re rushing.” She sighed. “I just think that they’re ready, ya know? They know what they want and can’t see a reason to wait for it.”
I thought for a moment. “So you don’t think they’re making a mistake?”
Her head whipped toward me. “Why would their marriage be a mistake?”
I let out a breath. Why did I have to bring this up? “Lily, come on. They’ve only been dating a few months. That would’ve been like me proposing to you last spring. We both know what a disaster that would’ve been. We barely knew each other.”
She sat still, facing forward, her eyes unwavering from the windshield. After a few silent, tense moments, she turned her head toward me. “I think,” she stopped and cleared her throat, causing her voice to be stronger, surer. “I think that when you meet the person you’re meant to be with, your heart just knows, even if it takes your brain a while to catch up. You can deny it and fight it all you want. God knows Amanda did. But it’s ultimately no use. There is no living without that person, Adam.” She turned her head to face the passenger window. “Shane is the air Amanda breathes. To walk away from him would be like never taking a deep breath again. And she damn well knows it. Anyone looking at them does.”
I glanced over at her, wishing I could read her mind. I reached over and grabbed her hand that I had just realized I must’ve let go of at some point. “I know what it’s like to feel like you’ll never take a deep breath again. Believe me.” I gave her hand a squeeze and she turned to face me, a shy smile on her face. She squeezed back before looking out her window again.
“Me too,” she whispered.
I pulled into the parking lot, wishing I could’ve been convinced that she was referring to me.
***
When I told the hostess Frank’s name for the reservation, I was surprised when she told me that the rest of our party had already arrived. Is anything going to go the way I’d planned tonight? I put my hand on the small of Lily’s back as we followed the hostess through the restaurant toward our table.
“There he is,” I heard Frank bellow.
We approached six smiling faces and I felt Lily tense slightly. But her face was all smiles as we walked up to the table.
“Hi, guys,” I said. “Lily, this is Frank and his wife Claire, Troy and his wife Kelly, and Doug and his wife Shannon. Everyone, this is Lily.”
Lily reached around and shook everyone’s hand before I pulled out her chair and she sat down.
“So how is everyone?” I asked, trying to delay the impending inquisition I knew was coming. Everyone nodded and murmured that they were good, fine and so on.
Claire was the first to strike, as I knew she would be. “Lily, that’s such a pretty name. Where did you get it?”
“From my parents,” Lily deadpanned. Quickly, her eyes widened as she realized she’d replied before considering her answer.
I covered my mouth with my hand to hide my smirk.
Claire looked momentarily flustered. “Oh, no, I meant is it like a family name or anything?”
Lily smiled. “No, I know. Sorry, I have kind of a sarcastic sense of humor. I apologize. Uh, yes, it was my paternal grandmother’s name.”
Claire smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
This is going well. Lily had her head practically buried in her menu. I swung my knee under the table to bump hers. When she looked up, I shot her a reassuring smile, which she returned as she visibly relaxed.
“What’s everybody having?” I asked in an attempt to get a conversation flowing again.
Once we discussed our dinner choices, the waiter came over to take our drink orders.
“We’re ready to order our dinner too,” Kelly said impatiently.
Of all my buddies’ wives, Kelly was my least favorite. She was snobby and cold. I wasn’t sure what Troy saw in her. Other than her obvious physical appeal, she was a bitch.
“Yes, ma’am. Would you like to start?” the waiter kindly asked her.
“Wouldn’t it be easier to start at one end of the table and work your way around? I don’t want my order getting messed up.”
And here we go.
“You can start with me,” I heard a soft voice next to me say. I turned to see Lily smile at the waiter before giving him a wink. “I’ll have the—”