Layla – Present
I pass by Dad on my way to the kitchen. He’s dressed in his suit with a coffee mug in his hand.
“There’s coffee in the pot, Lays,” he says. “I’ll be back late tonight.”
I pour myself some coffee and grab some fruit from the fridge. Rhett is sitting on one of the stools at the island.
“I saw you with Jacob last night,” Rhett says.
I take a bite of a strawberry and chew. “Did you?”
“Dad wasn’t happy.”
I take another bite. “Dad doesn’t really have a right to an opinion. And neither do you.”
He smirks. “Is that right?” he says. “I got rid of Jacob once. I can do it again.”
“What the hell is your problem, Rhett?”
He shrugs. “I don’t have a problem. You, on the other hand? You definitely have a problem. And Jacob, well, he’s about to have a problem.”
“Is that a threat?”
His eyes pierce mine. “I warned you, Layla. And you didn’t listen. We’ll see how much you still like him when he has nothing.”
He slams his laptop closed and strides to the front door. I lean against the counter and take a few breaths before grabbing the fruit and throwing it in the trash. I’ve lost my appetite.
***
I wait in the living room for a knock on the door, and when I hear it, I all but run to open it.
The man gives me a half smile. “Layla Matthews?”
My heart squeezes that Jacob gave him that name.
I nod.
“Jacob asked me to drop the car to you this morning. Sorry I’m a little late, I actually live on the mainland, and the ferry had some technical difficultly this morning. Held the whole harbor up.”
“What a nightmare,” I say. “Thank you for bringing it to me.”
He hands me the key, and I follow him out to the drive.
“There are a few scratches on this side,” he points them out, “otherwise, it’s a good car. Never gave my wife any hassle.”
I stare at the car in disbelief. There’s no way he sold this for four hundred.
“This is definitely the car meant for me?”
He looks confused. “Do you not like it?”
“No, no, I mean, I do. I really like it.”
“Good.” He points toward the rear of the car. “I put a full tank in it for you.”
“Thank you, you didn’t have to do that.”
He smiles. “I best be off, or else I’m really going to be late.”
“Yes of course. Thank you again.”
He waves goodbye as he gets into a car waiting for him across the street and then they take off.
I find Jacob’s number on my phone and hit call.
“There’s no way he sold that to you for four hundred dollars.”
I hear him laugh. “Do you like it?”
“It’s immaculate, Jacob! How much did it really cost? I’ll pay you back.”
“I told you already, it was four hundred.”
“Owen’s car was more expensive.”
“Owen was ripping you off. And Linc’s a friend of mine, he gave you a good deal.”
“I’m not sure I believe you.”
He laughs again. “Believe me or not, it’s your car now.”
I’m about to speak when I hear someone talking to Jacob in the background. He responds to them.
“Thank you,” I tell him. “I’ll talk to you later.”
“You don’t need to thank me,” he says. “I–”
He’s interrupted again.
“Sorry about that,” he says. “We’re on a site.”
“Oh. Sorry. I shouldn’t have called.”
“You can always call me, Layla.”
I’m glad he can’t see my face, because it’s the color of my new car.
“I’ll talk to you later.”
“Talk to you later, Layla. Enjoy the car.”
***
I hesitate before knocking on Amie and Parker’s door, glancing down to re-read the address she gave me. I lean back on my heel and double check the door number is 385. It’s only five doors down from where Amie grew up. I knock, timidly.
Parker answers the door mid eye roll.
“I’ve never been so glad to see you.” His face lights up. He grabs my arm and pulls me inside.
I laugh at his abruptness.
“What’s going on?”
“She’s in the kitchen, organizing the menu, and I swear, Layla, if I have to talk about this wedding one more time, I’m going to take her to Vegas.”
He guides the way into the kitchen, and once Amie sees me, he makes his escape.
“Layla! Perfect timing. I need your help.”
“I don’t know how much help I can be.”
She points to a chair at the table, and I pull it out. She has a list of names with some red lines scribbled through some of them.
“You’ve planned a wedding before, right?”
I look at her list. “It was a lot smaller.”
She waves her hand like that detail isn’t important. “I need to write down everyone’s meal choice here so I can let the hotel know.”
“Okay.” I glance at the names again. “I can help with that.”
“What about Jacob?”
“What about him?”
“Is he coming or not? Because if he is, I need to add him to your table, and I’ll need his meal choice documented here.” She points over to a large piece of turquoise colored cardboard with little round tables drawn on it, sticky notes with names placed at each one.
“This is next level Amie.”
She grins. “I know. Isn’t it perfect?”
She eyes me. “So… is Jacob coming?”
“Yes.”
Her smile spreads across her face. “Finally got up the nerve to ask, did we?”
I roll my eyes. “He’s going as my friend.”
She sets down the wine glass she’s been drinking from. “Jacob has never been just your friend.”
“That’s not true.”
She leans her head on her palm. “Did you forget that I was there the first time you fell in love with him?”
“No. But things are different, Amie. I’m different. He’s different.” I pause. “And besides all of that, I invited him because you told me to.”
“Mmm hmm, I’m sure you did.” She laughs, and then it fades. “You were both so good together back then.”
“Until we weren’t.”
“Things are different now, like you said. You’re both adults. You don’t have anything standing in your way this time.”
“Can we drop this?”
“Amie, I’m heading out!” Parker yells from the hallway.
“Hold on!” Amie shouts.
She looks at me and points to her to do list. “This conversation isn’t over.” She rips another list off from her notepad and hurries into the hallway. I can’t hear what she says to him, but I’m certain I hear him sigh.
I turn my attention back to the task at hand and start writing down the guests’ food choices beside each name.
“Write your own choice down,” Amie says, taking a seat again.
I scribble chicken, then lift my phone.
“Just text him. Layla.”
She’s right. I should text him. What’s the big deal? I’ve already invited him to the wedding, we’ll have to see each other for three whole days. I should be able to send a simple text.
I search for his name and start to type my message. I write about five, deleting them all because they sound too forward, or not forward enough, or too flirty, or too blunt. I’m really overthinking this.
Layla: Amie wants to know if you want chicken, steak, or fish at the wedding? Thanks.
I delete the thanks and hit send. I put my phone out in front of us so I can see when he replies. I feel like I’m in high school, and part of me is glad he didn’t have a phone back then for me to overthink like this.
I’m writing in the other guests’ choices when Amie’s mom calls to tell her there’s been an argument between her cousin and her aunt. Amie throws the phone down.
“We should’ve of gone to Vegas!” She lets out a breath, then picks up the turquoise board with the table plan. “I swear my family are doing this on purpose.”
“It’ll all be worth it in the end.”
She raises her eyebrow. “What was your wedding like?”
“It was small, so Ben and I didn’t really have to do any of this.”
I smile, then open the photos I have on my phone to show her.
“You looked beautiful. I love your dress.”
She clicks through a few more, one of us dancing, one of us kissing, one of us eating cake.
“Ben’s friend, Clark,” I point to him, “his dad owns a restaurant. He closed it off for us for the night. He took care of the food, and menu, and music. All we really had to do was show up.”
Amie hands me back my phone, and I notice her wiping away a tear.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. Sorry.” She sniffs. “Maybe we should move onto the song choices.”
She starts going through the ceremony and first dance options, and I check my phone again. Still no reply from Jacob.
I re-read the message I sent him. I’m definitely overthinking this.
Amie leans back. “He still hasn’t texted back?”
I shake my head. “He’s probably busy. Or having second thoughts about going to a wedding with me.”
“There’s no way he’s having second thoughts.” She smiles. “He’s probably just busy. Keith and him are doing really well. Parker’s dad works on their accounts and, although he can’t say much, confidentiality and all that, he did mention that they’ve had considerable growth in the last few years.”
She takes a sip of wine. “And considerable growth for Parker’s dad is a lot.”
“Yeah, you’re right. He’s probably busy.” I change the subject. “I like the second song better.”
I put my phone down.
It vibrates off the counter top.
I pick it up so fast I’m a little embarrassed that Amie witnessed it.
Jacob: Tell her steak, please.
I read it, and then read it again. I don’t know what I was expecting, other than an answer to the question I asked, but I can’t help the distinct tinge of disappointment I feel.
“Well?”
“He replied.”
I find his name again and write down steak next to it, then drop the pencil.
“Oh dear. What did he say?”
“He wants steak.”
“Anything else?”
“No.”
Amie chews on her lip. “Well, I guess that’s a completely acceptable thing for your friend to reply.”
I glare at her.
She laughs. “Layla, my friend, whether you’re ready to admit it or not, you have it bad for Jacob Evans, again.”