Page 10 of Friend Me

I laid a hand on her arm, stopping her. “No. There’s got to be a third option.” I gave the Dragon Lady the steely stare I used when I told Jackson he had to meet with the CEO. “Can’t you let out the fabric in Alicia’s dress?” She’d tried on dozens of gowns last spring when they’d gotten engaged, and this was the one she loved. I knew nothing about sewing, but—“I’m sure we can make it work.”

The Dragon Lady pulled the gown away from Alicia’s side to show me the inside seams. “There’s no extra fabric to work with. And ordering the next size up would take two months.”

In the mirror, Alicia’s eyes went red-rimmed and glassy again.

“Then do a—a graft. You know, take some fabric from somewhere else and add to it.” They did it with skin; surely there was a similar concept in alterations.

She curled her lip. “I suppose we could add a couple of panels at the sides. As long as you keep your arms down, it won’t be too noticeable.”

“You’re the best bridal shop in San Francisco. I’m sure you can make it so it won’t be noticeable at all,” I said in a honey-sweet tone. “Audrey will be so pleased.”

The Dragon Lady pursed her red lips, frowned at Alicia’s torso for a moment, and then whipped the tape measure from around her neck. “We can’t let Audrey down,” she muttered.

The bell tinkled at the outer door. “I’ll leave you two to work it out. We’ll take the picture next time.” I squeezed Alicia’s hand and slipped out through the curtain.

Tyler met me at the loveseat, a paper sack in his hand.

I held out my hands, waggling my fingers. “Sandwich me.”

“We don’t need to wait for Alicia?”

“She’ll be a minute.”

“I got your favorite, turkey and avocado.”

My stomach rumbled. “Thanks. You’re awesome.”

The first few bites of my sandwich were heavenly. He’d even remembered the spicy mustard I preferred to the disgusting mayonnaise that usually came on it. I only came up for air when Tyler spoke.

“I guess we won’t have too many more days like this.”

I glanced out the window at the September sunshine. “I guess not. It’ll be fall soon.”

“No.” He set his sandwich on his lap. “I mean, the three of us.”

“Why not? We’ve been friends since you two moved here.” Unlike the other programmers, Tyler had been friendly—and not in a creepy, asking-me-out way but a treating-me-like-an-equal way—since I’d met him. He and Alicia had worked on a big project together in Synergy’s Austin office, where they’d met Jackson. In Austin, Tyler had become Jackson’s protégé, and Alicia his girlfriend.

Tyler had relocated at the beginning of the year, and we’d bonded at one of Synergy’s quarterly parties. After Alicia had permanently moved here a few months later, we’d become instant friends. We’d been a triumvirate ever since, especially when Jackson traveled.

It was hard for me to keep friends since Dad took up so much of my free time, but these two had stuck for more than six months. As much as I loved my dad, I needed friends, too.

Tyler looked down at his sandwich. “I just figured with Alicia spending more time with Jackson, we three might not be together as much.” He peeled a pickle off the bun.

I choked down the last bite of my sandwich. He was right: once they were married, Alicia and Jackson would spend more time as a family. Surely I wouldn’t lose my friend entirely. We’d still hang out when she wasn’t doing coupley things with her husband.

Wouldn’t we?

I glanced toward the curtain. Next to it, a portrait of a double wedding caught my eye. Just like the sisters in the Colin FirthPride and Prejudice.

It was too late for a double wedding, but double dates were always a possibility. It’d be perfect: Jackson and his best friend, Cooper, and Alicia and me. Maybe someday they’d be matron of honor and best man atourwedding. Cooper’d look yummy in a gray morning suit like the grooms in the portrait.

“Marlee?” Tyler’s voice broke into my vision.

“What’s that?”

“We’ll always be friends, right?” He smiled at me, but his dimple was missing.

“Of course we will. I’d be so bored if you didn’t come up to see me. And”—I narrowed my eyes—“when you get that manager position, you’ll need to come up more often.”

“I’m not ready for—”

“Of course you are. You just need to cowboy up and ask for what you want.”

Just like I had to do.

It was time to get serious about the Cowgirl-Up-for-Cooper Plan.

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