Page 122 of Someone to Remember
“I have no such aversion.”
“Nor do I.” He glances my way, grinning. “Good to know, right?”
“Indeed.” He’s so cute when he’s pleased with himself.
My phone rings with a call from Tracy that puts me on high alert, as she’d never call me unless something was wrong. “Hey.”
“So… a friend just texted me a picture of you with Brad tonight. She said she saw it on social media with a caption about how quickly you got over your dead husband.”
I’m going to be sick.
“What?” Brad asks. “What’s wrong?”
I put my phone on speaker. “C-can you say that again, Trace?”
After she repeats it, he says, “Oh my God,” and pulls over into the breakdown lane on 395 North.
I open the door, desperate for air as I deeply regret the fish tacos. “What do we do, Trace? Tell me what to do.”
“I called Sam, and she’s got Lilia and Roni on it. They’ll put out a statement that the violation of your privacy is egregious in light of your tragic loss and anyone throwing shade at a widow ought to be ashamed of themselves. Something to that effect. Also, she feels sick that this happened because you’re related to her.”
“It’s not her fault that people can’t mind their own freaking business.”
When Brad hands me a tissue, I realize I’m crying, which makes me even angrier. I was having such a nice time.
“Are you okay with them putting out a statement?” Tracy asks.
“Yeah, it’s fine. Well, it’s not fine, but someone’s gotta say it. May as well be her.”
“She’s very upset. I’m sure you’ll hear from her when she calms down.”
“We’re almost home.”
“See you when you get here, and sorry to have to call you with this nonsense.”
“Thanks for the heads-up. My phone is vibrating nonstop, which means everyone I know is texting me.”
“Ignore it all for now. It’ll keep.”
“Yeah, okay. I will. Be home soon.”
After we end the call, I stare straight ahead into the odd fluorescent light that makes it look like daytime on the interstate that cuts through the District.
“I’m sorry that happened,” Brad says. “We should’ve stayed in.”
“No, we shouldn’t have had to worry about such a thing. People need to mind their own freaking business.”
“That’s true, but still… We gave them the opportunity.”
“We didn’t do anything wrong! We had dinner, for crying out loud. Since when are widows not allowed to have dinner with a member of the opposite sex?”
“You said sex.”
Laughter explodes from my chest. I laugh so hard, I see stars. I’m literally crying from laughing, which is much better than crying from heartbreak. “Ahhh,” I say after a long siege of hilarity. “Thank you for that. I needed it.”
“You’re beautiful all the time, but when you laugh… Wow.”
“Aw, thanks. You haven’t seen much of my laughter side. Used to be a lot of that once upon a time. It’s good to know I still can.”
