83. Chapter 83
Chapter 83
The minute Paige got home, she FaceTimed Jules to tell her the news. When she was finished, she paused and waited for whatever Jules was going to say.
“Well,” she said slowly, “hopefully this is the last time David has to propose to you, because he’s not very good at it.” Heaving a disappointed sigh, Jules muttered under her breath, “I knew it was going to be as lame as the first one.”
“Wait. What do you mean you knew? Did you know he was going to propose?”
Jules pursed her lips, a clear tell she was trying to figure out the best way to lie. “No, that was just a figure of speech. Based on his previous proposal, it’s not surprising that the second one is lame, too. That’s what I meant.”
“Oh, my God, you’re lying. And don’t lie again and tell me you’re not lying about not lying.”
“Fine. I’m lying.”
“So, you did know.”
“Yes, I knew.”
“How long have you known?”
“Since the night I showed you Ashley’s Instagram pictures at dinner.”
“When did you … oh, when I went to the bathroom.”
“Yes. I asked David what his intentions were, he said he wanted to marry you again, blah, blah, blah, I gave him my blessing, and then that was it.”
“That was it?”
“Yeah. As far as I can recall.”
“Hmm. So you don’t recall telling him to threaten me with orgasm denial until I accepted his proposal?”
“No. I don’t recall that.” Jules frowned. “I mean, that doesn’t sound like something I’d do.”
“It sounds exactly like something you’d do, which is why I’m asking.”
“Fine. Yes, I told him to tell you that if you were, you know, resistant.”
“Resistant?”
“You know, to getting married again. And apparently you were resistant, since he said it. And it must have worked because you’re now engaged.” Then, with a burst of enthusiasm, she added, “Congratulations, by the way. I’m so happy for you!”
“Thanks.”
“You don’t seem very excited,” Jules pointed out with a concerned frown. “Wait. Did he drop the ball on the ring, too? He didn’t have it on him at the restaurant, so I wasn’t able to inspect it. Is it ugly? Or worse, small?”
Instead of answering verbally, Paige held the ring up so Jules could see it was neither.
“Oh, that’s nice,” Jules said with approval. “So why aren’t you more excited about being engaged? Is it because he’s your ex-husband? Shit, I was afraid of that.”
“Look, I’ll admit in the beginning, I was really concerned with David being my ex, and letting that be a roadblock to re-establishing a relationship. Or, at least a speed bump,” Paige corrected herself dryly. “But that’s not it.”
“Good. Because exes get remarried all the time.”
“All the time? You mean in movies and books?”
“No, in real life. Elizabeth Taylor married Richard Burton twice.”
“That’s one example, and they got divorced twice.”
“Okay, bad example. You’re not Elizabeth Taylor and David isn’t Richard Burton. You two are more like Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson.”
“Also divorced twice. What else have you got?”
“All right, well I’m sure a lot of people who aren’t famous remarry their exes and then stay married. But, unfortunately, since they’re not famous, I don’t know who they are and can’t cite them as examples. But I know they’re out there, and you and David will be joining their happy ranks. Well, he will be. I’m not sure about you, since you don’t seem very happy.”
“Ugh, I’m happy. And I want to marry him, but we have a history, and part of that history involves failure and—”
“But it wasn’t your fault.”
“I know. But the reasons for the failure are still out there. I still have baggage in my closet.”
“But now you know what’s in the baggage.”
“Not all of it, and I don’t know if any of it’ll come out and fuck things up or not. That’s really troubling to me because there’s more at stake this time.”
“I know. But now you’re equipped to deal with anything that comes out—which Lauren has told you is unlikely, remember? So, I really don’t think you’re ever going to have to deal with anything else.” Jules paused for a moment. “I’m not normally philosophical, or whatever, but I’m making an exception in this case. I believe if things had been ‘normal’ between you and David the first time around, you probably wouldn’t have gotten divorced. So the two of you going through what you’ve gone through and coming out on the other side to find one another again and get remarried, is the universe fixing itself. And the universe wouldn’t go to all that trouble for you, only to let it fall apart again, right? Right.”
“You know, that’s a pretty good way of looking at it. I’m not sure if it’s true or not, but I might be able to get behind that.”
Jules nodded, then added, “Not to mention, the universe could be fixing itself for that little boy.”
Paige thought about that before smiling and recounting all of the questions he’d asked at dinner, and finished with the conversation she’d had with David afterward.
“Wow. He went out on a few limbs, didn’t he?” Jules mused.
“Yes, he did,” Paige agreed, really struck by that for the first time. Earlier, she’d thought David had been crazy, booking a church and buying a ring before they were dating for real, but now she could see it in a different light and be humbled by his determination and optimism. It also made her a little ashamed at what felt like a lack of both on her part.
“It almost makes up for his proposal,” Jules continued, breaking Paige from her thoughts. “Speaking of which, can you give me David’s phone number?”
“Why?”
“I want to call and congratulate him on the engagement, of course.”
“Is that all you’re going to do? You’re not going to give him shit about his proposal, too?”
“No. I would never.”
“You’re lying again. And I’m not giving you his number.”