Chocolate for Two (18 page)

“Cocktail napkins?” I said.

She nodded. “I think people would love them for parties. Can’t you just picture a Honey Napkin that says something
like
IF I’M NOT WRAPPED AROUND A STIFF DRINK RIGHT NOW, SOMETHING IS WRONG?”

Paige and I both laughed, then exchanged a quick glance. I wanted to mouth the words
I love her
, but I thought that might be a little much.

So I waited until she left.

“I love her,” I said as soon as I shut the door.

“Me too,” Paige said. “I think I want to marry her.”

“There
has
to be something wrong with her. You think she’s bipolar? Schizophrenic?”

Paige laughed. “Don’t be so cynical. Interviewing is often a numbers game, and we’ve certainly seen a lot of numbers. Maybe it’s finally time for things to tip in our favor.”

“I sure hope so. How do you think she’d get along with Tasha and Beth?”

“I bet they’d love her too. She’d probably have them babysitting her kids before the end of her first week.”

As if on cue, Tasha and Beth strolled in the door. They were holding coffees and a paper bag from the bakery across the street.

“Bonjour!” Tasha announced in a French accent.

I waved them over. “You’re going to make us fat with all these goodies, but let’s see what’s you’ve got.”

“I’m already fat, what do I care?” Paige pulled out a chocolate croissant.

“I need fat
and
sugar today.” Tasha sat down with a
thud
.

I looked up from the loot. “Oh no, what happened?”

Beth reached for a croissant. “She had a bad date last night.”

I winced. “Another one?”

Tasha sighed. “I should write a book.”

“Get in line,” Beth said. “I might have to move back to Indiana soon.”

“What happened?” Paige asked.

Tasha looked at Beth. “What do you think? Too awful to tell them?”

Beth looked at us. “It
is
sort of awful.”

I smiled, then pointed to myself and to Paige. “Honey, you’re talking to us. Nothing shocks us anymore.”

Tasha let out a weak laugh. “This is the best place to work.
Ever
.”

“So what happened?” I asked.

She fished a croissant out of the bag. “Okay, I hung out with this guy last night, a guy I
like
, you know? And he knows it.”

“He knows you like him?” I said.

She nodded.

“I hate when they know,” I said.

“Me too,” Beth said.

“First date?” Paige asked.

Tasha shook her head. “It’s complicated. We’ve been friends for a while, and sometimes we hook up, but other times we just hang out as friends.”

I raised my hand. “Been there.”

Paige raised her hand. “Done that.”

Tasha sighed. “I hate it. I never know how it’s going to go when we’re together. It’s like he has all the control.” She tore off a piece of her croissant. “So I
know
I shouldn’t hook up with him, or that I shouldn’t have any expectations when we do, but I can’t help myself. It’s like he has a spell over me.”

We all nodded but didn’t speak, knowing she wasn’t done.

“So anyway, we ended up hooking up last night, and afterward it was sort of late, like one o’clock, so I assumed I’d just spend the night.”

Paige looked at Beth. “I’m afraid to hear where this is going,” she whispered.

“I hate him,” Beth whispered back. She looked…angry.

Tasha sighed. “So I was literally naked in his bed,
at one o’clock in the morning
, and he got up to get a glass of water. I could hear him moving around the kitchen a bit, and then he came back into the bedroom.”

She paused for a moment, and we stared at her.

“And you know what he said?” Her voice cracked a little.

I made a pained face. “I don’t think I want to know.”

Beth put her hand on Tasha’s arm. “He’s horrible, Tash.”

Tasha smiled at her. “Thanks.” Then she looked at me and Paige and took a deep breath. “When he came back into the bedroom, he said…‘I’m going to go meet a friend for a drink.’”

“At one o’clock in the morning?” I said.

Tasha nodded.

“That might be the meanest thing I’ve ever heard,” Paige said.

“I think I might have to agree,” I said.

Tasha set her croissant down and put her hands in her face. “I’m so embarrassed.”

“
He’s
the one who should be embarrassed,” Paige said. “What an asshole.”

For a moment I thought Tasha might start crying, but she composed herself and continued the story. “I couldn’t even say anything, because I knew if I did, he’d make me out to be the crazy girl, you know?”

We all nodded.

We all knew.

She sighed. “So I kept my mouth shut and got dressed, and then we left his building together. He put me in a cab, gave me a kiss, and walked away, and that was that. I couldn’t believe it.”

Beth shook her head. “It’s his loss, Tash.”

“I’m an idiot,” Tasha said.

I put my hand on her shoulder. “Honey,
he’s
the idiot. You know what? This has just given me an idea for a new Honey Tee.”

She looked at me. “Really? What would it say?”

I stood up and walked over to our whiteboard, then picked up a big purple marker. On the board I wrote one sentence.

REAL MEN STAY THE NIGHT.

They gave me a standing ovation.

That evening I finally connected with Jake on the phone. I knew there was no sense in hiding the bad news about my ring, so I told him the whole story. When I finished, I sighed and flopped backward on my bed, relieved to have it out there yet bracing myself for his reaction.

“I’m so sorry, Jake. I can’t believe this happened.”

“It’s okay, we can get you another ring. I insured it.”

“You’re not upset?”

“It’s just a ring. Why would I get upset?”

I sat up and squinted into the phone. “Do you really work for the NBA? Are you sure the reason you’re away so much isn’t because you have a wife and like five kids stashed away somewhere? There must be
something
wrong with you.”

“Sorry to disappoint. So are you excited for the big shopping trip with Ava?”

I coughed. “
Excited
would not be high up on my list of adjectives to describe how I’m feeling about it.”

“What time are you meeting her?”

“Eight. It may still be dark out.”

“I’m sorry I can’t be there.”

“It’s okay, it’s not like you could come dress shopping with us anyway. Andie’s going to tag along to provide emotional support.”

“That’s nice of her. How’s she liking New York so far?”

“She loves it. She’s out every night like the moon. Unlike some of us less fortunate individuals, she doesn’t need a lot of sleep, so she can do happy hour, dinner, drinks, and God knows what else every day of the week and not suffer for it like a normal person. I hate her for that.”

“I want to see that apartment of hers. Maybe we can go over there for a drink next week? I have Thursday and Friday off.”

“Sure, I’ll talk to her. You’ll love it. Blanco and Whitey are such nice pups.”

“She brought dogs with her?”

“Not exactly. So, hey, I told you the lost part of my day, but I didn’t tell you the found part.”

“English, please?”

“I mean I
lost
my ring, but I
found
something else.”

“And that would be…”

“A replacement for Paige!”

“Really? That’s great news. Who is it?”

“Her name is Courtney, and she’s amazing. Smart, experienced, friendly, potential friend material, the whole package.”

“No outstanding arrest warrants?”

“Nope. I had the interns call her references
and
do their Internet magic, and nothing shady turned up. Glowing reviews all around. Can you believe it?”

“When does she start?”

I shook my head. “I haven’t offered her the job yet. We’re going to bring her back in for one more round so she can meet Beth and Tasha, just to make sure the chemistry is good. If they don’t feel comfortable enough with her to share their dating woes, we’ll have a problem. But it’s more of a formality than anything, because I know they’ll love her.”

“Are you running a business over there or a sorority house?”

I laughed. “Hey now, Waverly’s Honey Shop is a special kind of operation. It’s not
all
about profits. So you get home on Sunday?”

“Yep, should be back in Brooklyn by six.”

“Date night sound good? Maybe dinner at Armando’s?”

“I’m counting down the hours.”

“Me too.”

Early the next morning I rode the R train to the corner of Central Park South and Fifth Avenue, where the über-deluxe Plaza Hotel was located. As I approached the grandiose building to meet Jake’s mom for breakfast, I was flooded with memories of the one time I’d stayed there as a guest. It had been three years ago, when I’d been a contestant—albeit a reluctant one—in a charity singles auction. For reasons I will never understand, but for which I will always be grateful, Jake decided to keep bidding on a date with me until he won.

Thank God.

I’d met him at a trade show in Atlanta nearly a year earlier, but we’d never been in the same city long enough to share more than an awkward conversation. Or rather, awkward on
my
end. Jake, damn him, didn’t seem to have an awkward bone in his body.

I gazed at the hotel entrance and wondered what my life would be like now had I not agreed to participate in the auction. Would we not have started dating? Or would we have found another way to share that first kiss? Was it destiny? Or just luck?

I wasn’t sure if I believed in luck
or
destiny. But if Jake was my destiny, I was certainly lucky.

I nodded in greeting to the immaculately dressed doorman in top hat and tails outside the front doors. A horse and hansom cab idled off to one side of the entrance. I wondered what time
the first carriage ride into Central Park would happen. In New York City, it was never too late, and never too early, for anything.

At 7:58, I walked through the foyer into the timeless Palm Court restaurant, which I’d first been introduced to back in high school on the pages of
The Great Gatsby.
The thought of Fitzgerald’s book reminded me of how I’d felt at the engagement party at Jake’s parents’ house—completely out of my element. I hoped I wouldn’t always feel this way around his parents, but I wasn’t too optimistic.

“May I help you, miss?” A friendly hostess smiled at me.

I smoothed my hands over my plain black dress and smiled at her. “I’m supposed to meet someone here.”

“Are you a guest at the hotel?”

“No, but she is. The name’s McIntyre.”

She looked at her list. “Ah yes, we have it right here, a table for three. Would you like me to show you to your table?”

A table for three?

“Um, sure.”

I followed her through the restaurant, wondering who could possibly be joining us. Maybe Mr. McIntyre? That would be a welcome surprise.

I took a seat and had just unfolded my napkin across my lap when I heard Mrs. McIntyre.

“Waverly, hello.” Though her voice was pleasant and warm, she still made me nervous.

I placed the napkin on the table and stood up a bit too fast. “Hi, Mrs. McIntyre.” Without thinking, I gave her a hug, which she didn’t quite return.

Well done, Waverly.

After completing our awkward, one-sided embrace, she gestured to the woman standing next to her.

“Waverly, you remember my best friend, Bee Worthington?”

I tried to mask the look of shock that suddenly appeared on my face.

Holly’s mother?

Inviting her to our engagement party was one thing. But to shop for my wedding dress?

How awkward is this?

I swallowed. “Oh yes, of course. It’s nice to see you again, Mrs. Worthington. How are you?”

She smiled and put her hand on my arm. “
Please
, call me Bee. And I’m wonderful. I just love New York in the fall, don’t you? It’s so crisp and clear this time of year. I’m so glad I decided to join Ava for this fun weekend.”

As we sat down, a waiter appeared with a sterling silver carafe. He poured us each a steaming cup of coffee, then disappeared to let us peruse the menu. I stirred cream and sugar into my coffee and tried to act normal. Did Holly know her mom was in New York,
with Jake’s fiancée
, to look at wedding dresses?

“Um, how was your flight?” I asked.

“Nothing special. No turbulence, thank God for that.” Jake’s mom put a hand over her heart.

“You hate turbulence?” I asked.

Her eyes got big. “Oh yes, scares me to death.”

I smiled and relaxed a little bit. “Me too.” Fear of turbulence was an odd thing to bond over, but I was grateful for anything we had in common other than her son.

Mrs. Worthington picked up her coffee cup. “We had dinner with a friend of mine at the Metropolitan Club last night. It was wonderful.”

“The Metropolitan Club?” I’d never heard of it.

“Yes, you don’t know it?” Jake’s mom looked surprised. “It’s right across the street from here.”