Page 16 of The Fake Date (Brides of Beaufort 4)

“Yeah,you,” she said with a chuckle, parroting my words from earlier. “Aren’t you moving in a few months? I don’t think I’ve heard where you’re going.”

“Ah, yes. That. Um, I’m going to Hawaii.”

Not quite as far as Okinawa, but too far for her.

“Hawaii?” she asked. “Wow. Big change. I went there on vacation once.”

“Yeah? How was it?”

“It was beautiful. We went fishing and I caught a puffer fish with a Moana fishing pole.”

Considering the fact that the Disney movie she referred to was far too recent for this to be a childhood memory, I tilted my head at her. “How old were you?”

“Twenty-four.” She grimaced, her cheeks staining like she was surprised she’d even told me about this. “It was four years ago.”

I laughed, some of the tightness in my chest dissipating. “And why were you using a Moana fishing pole as an adult?”

“Hey, I love Moana.”

“I’m sure it’s a great movie.”

“It is. But if youmustknow, it was a spur-of-the-moment idea and there were slim pickings at Target. Layla used a Batman one.”

Again, a laugh came easily from my lips as I shook my head at her. “Wow. Well, good job with the puffer fish.”

“Thanks.” She held the smile for a second longer, then looked away restlessly. “How long do you think it’ll be until we know anything?”

I turned and peered at the hospital entrance like I expected there to be some kind of Countdown to Baby Paxton sign on the window. Then, I shrugged, scratching my neck. “I’m not sure. I have exactlyzeroexperience with any of this. If you believe the movies, it should have already happened, right?”

“Right. Though, if this were a movie, that baby would have been born on the dance floor at the wedding.”

“With the bride playing doctor,” I added, enjoying the new turn of this conversation and the length of it too.

I didn’t know if it was because she was so wigged out about Aria that she needed the distraction, but I didn’t think I’d had this long of a conversation with her in the year that I’d known her, and it was… amazing.

“Of course. Andmiraculouslythere wouldn’t be a single blemish on her perfect white dress afterward.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Oh, absolutely not. Not if we’re talking about a rom-com. Horror movie, though? Maybe the dress wouldn’t even be white anymore.”

“Oh my word, hush,” she exclaimed, throwing her head back to laugh. “That isnota good image.”

“Sorry. But you have to admit, it would make for great photos.”

Her eyes twinkled as she peered at me. “What do you know about rom-coms, anyway?”

I shrugged. “I’ve seen a few. Before I realized I could make more money by booking weddings only, I used to do everyday stuff, too. Movies, dinner, holidays with the family.”

“What? Why would someone need to hire you to take them out to dinner? New restaurant in town and they wanted to try it but didn’t want to go alone?”

“Actually, yeah, one time. But usually, it was a double-date situation. Same with the movies. Always rom-coms.”

“I bet youlovedthat.”

I pursed my lips. “You know what? I actually don’t mind rom-coms.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I practically live through them every weekend with my clients, so I’m pretty well-versed in the patterns. I guess it’s like what you said yesterday about the formula of romance novels. They fit the same pattern, right?”