Page 88 of Just for Fun
“Fiancée, Kyle,” she repeats. “That means they’re getting married!”
“Okay…” I repeat.
Ray decides to assist from the background. “Oh, tell her about Cal and Evie!”
“Yes! Cal and Evie!” She claps her hands loud. “They are the OG’s of the group!”
“What the hell does that even mean?” I snort.
“The first couple in our group to get together on theHolidatesapp,” Hayden explains like it’s a no brainer.
I frown at that. “But they knew each other from before. They…”
“That doesn’t matter,” she snaps at me. She is annoyed now because I am not going along with her crazy theory. “You are going to marry Zara, and there’s that.”
I want to laugh, but I worry that Hayden will slap me into next week through the phone. But I don’t want to get married.
What am I going to do?
TWENTY-SEVEN
Zara
It is reallystrange how fast time flies when you’re happy. And I can honestly say that this is the first time in my life where I can say without hesitation that I am happy. There is no contingent to me feeling this way, I just am.
It’s been a little over a month that me and Kyle have been seeing each other on a regular basis. By that, I mean that not a day goes by that we don’t touch base in person. And by touching base, I mean sex. Lots and lots of sex. The only time we didn’t have sex while together was when I was on my period. He was so sweet and understanding about it, making it very hard for me to stay away from him.
Because of that, I haven’t been calling my mother as much, and I even canceled my lunch with Owen this week because I wanted to get caught up with work so that I could spend more time with Kyle.
Feeling guilty about this turn of events, I called my mother about an hour ago, and we are still chatting despite the fact that I need to get dressed and do something with my hair. Today is Kyle’s friends’ wedding, and he will be here to pick me up in an hour and a half.
“And that’s how you get the perfect consistency of a fluffy pancake,” mom finishes explaining. I asked her about that so that I could make Kyle breakfast, but I feel like she put a lot more thought into the whole thing than the situation warranted.
“Thanks, mom. I’ll make sure to call you if I get stuck while I’m making them.”
She gives me a happy hum but doesn’t expand on it.
”I really need to go,” I finally say. “Kyle is supposed to be here soon, and I’m still not dressed…”
Mom lets out a happy sigh. “I love hearing you like this, Zara.”
”Like what?” Other than being extremely rushed, I’m not sure what I sound like.
”In love,” mom explains.
My hand freezes on the hanger with the dress that I was just about to bring to the bedroom. An onslaught of emotions threatens to choke me to death, the grip it has on my throat just too strong.
”Who said anything about being in love?” I manage to croak out.
”Honey,” mom says with just a hint of disappointment. “It is obvious in everything that you say about Kyle, and in the way you say it, too.”
I swallow hard. “It is?”
“I am disappointed that you think I wouldn’t notice it. You’re a completely different person since you started dating him.” She sighs again, joy exuding from her every pore. “I was so worriedthat you’d never give anyone a chance. That you’d end up alone…”
“There is nothing wrong with being alone, mom.” My tone is harsh when I speak. “I was just as happy before.”
That’s a total lie, and I know it, but I just refuse to allow her to think that Kyle is the only reason that brings me happiness.
