Brigette shoots me an apologetic look and I shake my head.
“You guys were right. This is so good.” Jason’s fork is full of noodles as he’s still chewing. “How have I never had this before?”
“Don’t think you can get it just anywhere either,” Brigette says. “We tried that place in Anchorage, remember, Colton?” Her nose crinkles and she shakes her head.
I catch Juno rolling her eyes. Rome’s pasta isn’t doing the trick.
“Um.” Jason clears his throat. “Is this…” He clears his throat again. “There aren’t nuts in this dish, right?” He points at the dish before grabbing his throat.
“Pine nuts,” Brigette says, apparently more familiar with what goes into the dish than I am.
Juno’s eyes widen. “You’re allergic?” Her chair scrapes along the concrete.
All the tables around us turn their attention to ours.
“We need a doctor,” Brigette says.
“Do you have an EpiPen on you?” Juno asks Jason, whose face is growing red and swollen and is fumbling with his hand in his pocket.
Jason nods his head. Juno’s eyes widen, silently asking me what to do.
“Grab it and stab him in the leg with it then let’s get to the hospital,” I say, pulling my keys out of my pocket. What kind of idiot doesn’t tell the restaurant they have an allergy?
Jason pulls his EpiPen from his pocket and manages to stab himself in the thigh with it. We all run, Juno screaming to Harley about the bill. Jason slides into the back seat of the truck and Juno sits in the passenger seat, leaving Brigette standing by the door.
“Right. Sorry.” Juno climbs down and into the back seat with Jason.
Our eyes lock through the rearview mirror briefly. I guess I never did realize how different things would be.
Ten
Juno
“You guys should go,” I say to Brigette as we wait for Colton, who went down to the vending area to grab drinks and snacks. We’ve been here for hours already.
Since I’m not immediate family, I have no idea how Jason’s doing.
Talk about an epic fail of a date. First, I’m fairly sure he wished he was on a date with Brigette, then he has an allergic reaction and ends up looking like Will Smith in that movie Hitch.
“No.” Brigette crosses her legs. She smiles at me from her magazine. “We’re all in this together.”
I sit in a chair, pick up a magazine, then realize it’s Sports Illustrated, so I toss it back onto the table. The only other person in the waiting room is an elderly man calmly reading a book in the corner. I don’t recognize him. I wonder if he’s from Lake Starlight?
“Can I ask you a question?” Brigette shuts her magazine.
“Sure.”
“Is that why you’ve been cold to me? Because you don’t think I’m good enough for Colton?”
Oh shit, I cannot have this conversation right now. “No, I’m sorry. It’s just been a lot with all my sisters having their babies.”
“So you don’t, like, have a thing for Colton? The two of you have never…”
Oh my God. We’re going there? Right now? This day just keeps giving and giving.
“I’ve known Colton a long time and I can’t lie and say things haven’t happened between us before, but if we were meant to be together, we’d be together. You don’t have anything to worry about.”
A part of me wants to tell her the truth. That I convinced myself of the lie for so long that I didn’t realize until she came along that I do want Colton. But I won’t do that. I won’t make trouble for Colton. I want him to be happy, and eventually, I’ll accept that means that he’s not with me.
“Okay. Well, if you’re this close of friends, you should do something at the wedding.”
“Um… no, that’s okay.”
She sits up straighter as if she’s had an epiphany. “Yes. Could you read something? Colton wants it to be a super small ceremony and with my family not coming, we’re not having anyone stand up for us, otherwise I’d just have you as a bridesmaid.” I cough past the bile in my throat as she adds, “I already have almost everything arranged, but if you want to do a reading, let me know.”
“That’s okay. I’m not very comfortable talking in front of people.”
She nods as if she really does understand. “Oh! We’re taking dance lessons next week. Why don’t you and Jason come? We can do a double date. I’ve been dying to meet some other couples.”
I smile tentatively. “This was our first date and it ended with him in the emergency room. I’m pretty sure there won’t be a second.”
“Oh, I could tell he liked you.” She smiles.
I think you’re projecting, Brigette. “Yeah, I’m not sure.”
“Come on. Colton keeps whining about going and maybe if you go, he’ll be more into it.”
“I doubt I’d make a difference.” I pick up a magazine again and give it my full attention.
“Please,” she says. “I really want to get to know you since you obviously mean a lot to Colton.”
“We could just do lunch or something. Maybe just me and you?”
Bite your tongue, Juno. What the hell are you thinking? I’m thinking that the last thing I want to witness is her and Colton dancing. All I can envision is the movie Dirty Dancing. Which brings to the surface memories of how I made Colton practice that lift in the lake behind my house the entire summer when we were twelve.
“I’m not taking no for an answer. It will be fun. Give me your number,” she says, phone poised in her hands.
Colton walks in with an armful of drinks and snacks. I widen my eyes at him, hoping he can distract his fiancée from wanting to become besties.
“What’s going on?” He drops everything on the table.
“Brigette wants my number, and she’d like Jason and I to go to your dance class next week,” I say sweetly but hope that Colton catches on.
“We almost
