Page 32 of Doing It for Love

“Julie—”

“What? We’re all thinking it.” Mrs. Wangford looks back at me. “Is that what this is all about?” She points directly at my hand, and I feel like I should hide it, but I keep it firmly planted in sight.

“Liz isn’t pregnant, Mom.” Landon calls her Mom this time. “But we are getting married.”

“Well, no shit.” Elle laughs around her food. “But I’m calling malarkey on the pregnant thing.”

“I’m not,” I say, probably surprising the whole table that I’ve finally said something.

“But you’re, like, twelve.” Elle laughs again, picking up her wine. I do the same, swishing it around like I know what I’m doing, even if I don’t.

“Twenty-two actually. But thanks, I guess.”

“Are youcrazy?” Mrs. Wangford says, and Landon gives me a look like, “I told you so.” I drain my wineglass.

“We’re…crazy in love,” Landon says, and I have to fight laughing at him. “We’ve set the wedding for Jan—”

“The baby is due in January?” Mr. Wangford says, eyes wide as he leans over to look at my stomach.

“No, I’m not pregnant.” I hold up my empty wineglass for proof. But Mr. Wangford doesn’t look like he’s heard anything I’ve said, still looking at my stomach like it’s impossible for me to be so far along.

“So, you’re just…getting married. At twenty-two years old,” Mrs. Wangford says, voice lighter and less accusing, but the way she looks at me has me reaching for more wine.

“Yes,” Landon says, filling my glass for me. “And the wedding is in January. We want you guys to be there.”

“And Elle to be a bridesmaid,” I add, looking at my new sister-in-law, who is enjoying herself way too much. She tips her glass at me as if to say, “If this wedding happens, sure.”

The wine still burns as I down some more. Mrs. Wangford looks to my ring again, then up and down my body, and I’m wondering what I’ve done now when she asks, “Do you like the diamond? Is it big enough for you?”

“Mom…”

“What? I’m allowed to ask.”

My eyes widen, and I let my hand fall to Landon’s lap and squeeze his thigh twice. He finds my leg and squeezes back once.

“It’s beautiful,” I tell her. “I have a hard time not staring at it 24/7.”

Landon’s dad lets out a nervous chuckle, but his mom just gives me one of those fake half-smiles. I find the bottom of my wineglass again. Landon fills it up without my having to ask.

“Oh, you know who has agiantring?” Elle says after finishing her own glass. “Freddie Clawson.”

“She’s engaged?” Mrs. Wangford says. “That’s too bad.” She turns to Landon and me. “Her and Landon were so close. We really thought they’d be the ones to tie the knot. But you know…” She waves her hand at me as an afterthought, then takes a bite of her Thai.

Ugh, I need a Tums. My chest is burning and I feel like I’m about to burp fire. Landon’s eyes meet mine for a brief second. I tell him with mine to keep quiet. We’ve had enough arguing for one night, I think. And they clearly want to move on from the marriage thing.

Not even a congratulations. What a bust family.

I reach for more alcohol.

Mrs. Wangford swishes her red wine and eyes me thoughtfully. I stay straight-backed and calm, smiling like, yep, I’m so going to marry your son and I can handle all the looks you throw my way, even though my innards are crumpling in a heap of dried massaman curry.

“Ha! Mom’s giving Liz ‘the look,’ ” Elle says around a giant mouthful of Thai. She leans across the table. “Sorry, the last time Landon brought a girl home was, like, six years ago. So a few of us”—she blatantly points at her mom with her fork—“are a bit rusty.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Mrs. Wangford says as if her daughter didn’t just call her out. She points her wineglass at Landon. “Sophie. I loved her. What’s she up to nowadays?”

“I don’t know, Mom.” Landon squeezes my thigh, and I find the bottom of my wineglass for the billionth time. Things are starting to blur.

“So, what do you do?” Elle asks with a wide grin, probably assuming I work at the mall. Well…I sort of do.

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