Page 85 of Dominance

“Yes,” I rise, grabbing my to-go coffee cup and my purse. “Walk you back to the shop?”

“Thanks!” Sandra slips her arm through mine like we’ve been friends for ages. She’s so much like me. But carefree. Laid back. Disorganized.

Except in her wedding planning capacity. She’s a genius.

I don’t know where I’d be without her help.

“Why aren’t you married, San?”

“Because every guy in New York is a douchebag!”

“Yeah, you haven’t met me yet, toots!” a random guy hollers walking by, laughing and checking us out.

“Fuck off!” Sandra shouts after him.

“Noted,” I huff. That’s definitely something I’m not used to. “Seriously, though. You’re stunning. What’s the problem? You have a dirty secret? A horrible truth that sends men running and screaming?”

“Absolutely, I do. But it’s no secret. I’m aweddingplanner, Gloria! It’s like Raid for single men.” Sandra mimes spraying a can, coughing and gagging. “Not to mention, you see as many piece-of-shit husbands-to-be come through your door as I do, you start to lose faith in any kind of fidelity.”

“Really?”

“I get hit on more at work than I ever have at any bar.”

“That’s …”

“Sad. I know. Don’t get me wrong. I’m still a hopeless romantic. That’s why I do what I do. My momma and poppa are still completely bonkers for each other, so I know it’s out there.”

“I wish I had your confidence. Or optimism.”

“What do you mean? Adriano makes you swoon, I’veseenit!”

“Shut up! I’m not some fainting corset.” I elbow her lightly.

“No, you’re a pigheaded brainiac right out of a Jane Austen book.”

“So that makes you…the spinster? Or the sister that runs off with the soldier? Ooo! You could wind up being the cousin, with the priest…”

“Creeeepy! No thanks, I don’t want your leftovers,Elizabeth. I was thinking I’m more like the sister that keeps missing her chance with the Lord. Bold, but simply bereft for poor timing…”

“That suits you. I’m sure he’s looking down out of his penthouse skyscraper as we speak, wondering when, oh when he’ll ever meet you. Or maybe he already has!”

“According to my mother I already did and ‘let him get away.’ Of course, she leaves out the part about him cheating on me with the captain of the football team.”

“No!”

“Yep. Not to mention that he was just my first high school sweetheart, Jeremy Lipnicky. He’s a high-powered lawyer now. Still making out with big, beefy men.”

“That’s insane.”

“No, what’s insane are the parties he throws. I’ll invite you next time I’m going to hang out with him. He’s a riot!”

“And you say your life is dull. All I do all day is paperwork.”

“And Adriano.” She wags her brows again.

“Actually, we’ve only fooled around some…”

“Bullshit! You guys are electric!”

---