Kimmy yelled out, “Beautiful!” then hit a button on the stereo. A hip-hop instrumental song started blaring from the surround-sound speakers.
“Okay, we’re just gonna get loose right now,” Kimmy said, touching Claire’s shoulders with a firm grip. “You’re so stiff. Relax!”
Claire let out a deep breath and shook her body out a little, trying to unwind a bit. She figured if she was going to do this, she might as well try.
“Now, let’s just warm up. Do what I do.” Kimmy stood in front of her and moved her head in a circular motion. Her long curly blond hair swayed in a seductive way, sending whiffs of grapefruit and almond from her fragrant shampoo with every swing.
They did a couple of bends, shoulder rolls, and chest pops. Claire’s didn’t go as far as Kimmy’s did, although the more they moved, the more into it she got.
“Let’s move our hips, now,” Kimmy said over the music. She put her hands on Claire’s waist and began guiding her body with the rhythm. “You go, girl!” she said.
“I feel ridiculous,” Claire shouted, laughing uncontrollably.
“Well, you look fierce!” Kimmy said, jumping up and down with excitement.
The two girls started dancing with each other, and Claire’s awkwardness began fading away as the beat grew stronger and her moves became more fluid.
Maybe Kimmy was right, she thought to herself as she popped and twirled her body around the room with an energy she hadn’t felt in almost a year. Maybe this could help Gavin find me sexy again.
34
madison
Dear Claire and Gavin,
Thank you so much for the crystal vase. Immediately after opening up your gift, George and I ran to the backyard and chopped a couple of roses from the garden to put in it. The flowers died within a couple of days, but that’s not because of your vase—I’m just not good with plants. But I’m determined to be! Thank you for helping me become one of those girls who always has fresh cut flowers in her house. Love you!
Madison (and George)
Dear Laura and Brian,
Thank you so much for the fun box of kitchen goodies you gave us for our wedding. I can’t wait to open up beers with the deer antler bottle opener, and George is super excited about baking a turkey with the roaster you gave us. Plus, we’re already fighting over who gets to use the salad spinner when we cook! We’ll have to have you guys over for dinner soon—let me just learn how to cook first (Laur, wanna give me lessons? ). Love you both.
Madison (and George)
Dearest Gabby,
You really shouldn’t have gotten us those bathroom towels—all I want to do now is take showers every minute of the day so that I can use them! They’re beyond perfect—just like you are. Thank you so much for helping us celebrate our big day. Love you.
Madison (and George)
MADISON PUT HER pen down and shook out her hand. Writing thank-you notes was such a bitch, but she knew Connie would kill her if she didn’t do it. It was only a week after the wedding and Madison wondered if she’d get bonus points for sending them out so quickly.
She looked across the kitchen table at George’s pile of beige note cards. “How are yours coming?” she asked.
“Almost done.” He took a sip of his coffee. “And yours?”
“Two more.” She shook her hand again and walked over to the sink—it was full of dirty dishes from breakfast. Madison had made her famous scrambled eggs (famous in the sense that she watched a Martha Stewart how-to video on YouTube and then made them her own), and George had whipped up his delicious fluffy pancakes (his secret ingredient was sour cream). “You know, we’re already acting like an old married couple,” she had joked earlier as they shuffled past each other in the kitchen, busy with their food preparations.
“Do you remember who gave us this?” George asked, holding up a navy and white paperback book called 101 Questions for Your First Year of Marriage. On the cover, a cartoon couple sat at a table drinking wine and eating pasta.
Madison walked back to the table, her plaid pajama pants dragging on the wood floor, and studied the book. “Aunt Jillian.” She sighed. “Make that three more notes I have to write.” She yawned loudly. “I’m done for now.”
“Tired?” George asked.
“Uh-huh,” she said, sitting back down at the table.
“Out late last night?” he asked casually, not looking up from his note card.
Madison’s head snapped up. “Uh, what do you mean?”
“Oh, I thought you went out with Cash . . .” he said quietly, finally looking at her. “I heard his motorcycle on the street and saw you get on it.”
Madison’s heart beat faster as she put her water glass down on the table. Cash had taken her to a concert, then back to his place to hook up, before dropping her at George’s a little after 4:00 a.m. She tried to come up with some kind of excuse that wouldn’t make her sound—or feel—like the biggest bitch in the world, but nothing came to mind.
“You don’t have to hide it,” George said, blinking a few times. “You should feel comfortable hanging out with whoever you want.”
“I’m sorry,” she said guiltily. As she stared at him, taking in his weary green eyes and the light stubble that lined his chin, she tried to figure out what was going through his head. When they’d decided to get married, George had asked for her companionship, but not her heart. Still, did he truly not care about her sneaking out with another guy? Or did he care for her so much that he was happy to take what he could get? The thought tugged at her and she laid her hand over his.
“George, I know what we have isn’t exactly normal, but I want you to know that I am happy and I really like spending time with you. I’m sorry if I betrayed your trust by lying.”
He shook his head. “You haven’t. I know what I signed up for. And the feeling’s mutual by the way.” He gave her hand a squeeze, then pulled out of her grip and pushed his thank-you notes pile to the side.
“So, I can think of about a million things I’d rather be doing than writing these, including removing my own front teeth. How ’bout you?”
She laughed, feeling the tension between the two of them ease. “Same.”
“How about a drive?” He stood up and started clearing the table.
“Sounds great,” she said, brushing her hair out of her eyes. “Where do you wanna go?” She stood up and placed her water glass in the sink.
“It’s a surprise,” he said. “Meet me back here in ten minutes.”
The two went upstairs to their respective rooms to change. After throwing on a clean T-shirt and swapping out her plaid pants for a pair of jeans, Madison slid down the wooden staircase railing and joined George by the back door. He was waiting patiently with his keys in hand, wearing a blue-and-white-checkered button-down and khakis. His hair was also neatly combed with a little bit of gel.
“You clean up nice,” she said, gently punching him in the arm. “How the heck did you get ready that fast?”