Page 53 of The Boss and the Wedding Mess

“Hey, do you have a minute?” I start chattering as I sit on the bed, makeup brush in hand. Before Vanessa can even answer, I keep rambling: “Something happened, and I absolutely have to talk about it!”

“Well, go ahead,” she says with a quiet laugh. Sometimes I just can’t help myself—I talk like a waterfall. Terrible.

“Alex touched my hand.” I draw the words out like I’d just met the king and been granted a handshake.

“Okay?” She sounds puzzled. “I need context, my dear,” she says, laughing as I hear her walking through her apartment. A bottle opens with apopand fizz. Hopefully it’s just sparkling water and not champagne. She’s been drinking a bit too much lately.

“We were driven from the office in the limo to the inn I already told you about, right?”

“I remember,” she says.

“Well, when we got in, he was so sweet and offered me his hand to help me. And I took it.” Silence.

“Okay… and then?”

“We touched. He held my hand.”

“Uh, yeah, I got that. But what am I supposed to say? I need more context, London… was it awkward, or… wait. Wait!”

“Yes!” Finally, she gets it.

“Oh my God!”

“Yes! Exactly! Oh my God times ten!”

“Holy crap!”

“You can say that again!”

“Holy cow patties on toast, fuck, that’s… are you sure?”

“Cow patties? What?”

“Fits with a country inn, doesn’t it?” she teases.

“There aren’t any cows here. There are apple trees. They’ve gone completely overboard with the apple theme. Appleseverywhere. Pictures on the walls: apples. Wallpaper: apples. The soap? Apple-shaped and apple-scented. The headboard? Carved with…”

“Apples?”

“Branches with apples on them.” Silence again.

“Forget the apples,” Vanessa sighs. “So, you touched him and suddenly it wentka-ching?” She mimics a shrill bell.

“Kind of. It felt good. I mean,reallygood…”

“And you don’t like that?”

“He’s my boss.”

“Well, he’s good-looking. And a real gentleman.”

“He. Is. My. Boss.”

“Polite and friendly, too.”

“Nessa. He is my BOSS.”

“Really? He’s your boss? Gee, I had no idea. You never told me that,” she shoots back sarcastically, then sighs. “It’s wonderful you got a good vibe from him. Maybe it doesn’t mean anything. After all, you’ve been single forever.”