Page 111 of What's in a Kiss?

“We got married a week ago,” Eli says.

“It’s never too early to reignite your love,” I say.

Eli squints at Yogi Dan. “Rabbi? Why are you dressed like a yogi?”

“Actually,” Dan says, looking at himself, “this is very similar to how the Essenes dressed during the Second Temple period.”

Masha points at Yogi Dan, her eyes growing wide. She touches Eli’s arm. “Do you remember when I told you about the wedding I actually wanted?” she whispers.

“The one Babushka would never agree to?” Eli says, then seems to grasp her meaning. “How does Olivia know about it?”

I take the opportunity to place the bouquet in Masha’shands. She rotates the flowers in her palm, studies them closely. “Yellow and white callas,” she says under her breath. Her gaze travels up to my dress. “Gold palette.”

I nod.

“Is this what it was like?” she asks me. “Did I get what I wanted?”

“It was beautiful,” I say. “Very intimate. Just your style. The chuppah was nicer and we had live music, but otherwise—”

“What’s with your lipstick?”

“This wasn’t your preference. I did it for continuity, and luck.”

“And my babushka?” Masha asks. “She agreed to this?”

I hesitate before telling her the truth. “Not at first, but there was a brunch where we set some boundaries. I told her to check herself. We worked it out.”

“You did that for me?” she says.

“BBS, Mash,” I say, and when her eyes shoot toward mine and I see the distance that her mind has to travel to fathom the possibilities of our friendship, to feel as naturally giving toward me as I feel toward her... it makes my decision that much clearer.

“Let’s just do this,” she says.

“But what the hellisthis?” Eli says.

“I think,” Masha says, “the rabbi... yogi... Dan marries us? Again?”

“Actually,” I say, “first, we’re waiting on—”

“What exactly did I miss?” says America’s Sexiest Voice behind me.

“Jake!” I run to him, kicking up sand and leaping into his arms. He catches me, kisses me softly on the lips. It’s so good tohold him that I almost quit the whole plan on the spot. “Thank you for being here.”

“What’s this about, Olivia?” he asks warily, eyeing the chuppah, the flowers, my dress and half-painted lips. I see I’m not the only one who was up all night. In the High Life, it’s agony for Jake and me to spend time apart. I hate that I’m trying to get back to a place where we don’t see each other, don’t need each other, don’t care about each other. I hate that leaving him is the best choice I have.

“You didn’t tell Jake?” Masha asks me.

“Tell me what?” he says. “What’s going on?”

I press my hands to his chest and gaze into his beautiful green eyes. I’m going to miss this view. “Will you indulge me for a few more minutes?”

He sighs. “And then you’ll explain what’s going on?”

“I’ll explain everything.”

My hands shake as I pass out the programs. Yogi Dan’s copy has a handwritten script on the back, the words he said the last time we did this transcribed to the best of my memory for him to repeat today.

“Stand here, please,” I place Masha under the chuppah before Yogi Dan. “And you here, Eli.” I place him next to Mash. The newlyweds share a glance, brows furrowed, but they don’t move while I place Jake on the far side of Eli. Then I stand on the far side of Masha.

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