Chapter 24
S ix months later…
“You look so beautiful,” Emily breathed, staring at Jane in the mirror as she stared at herself.
“Gorgeous,” Nick added absently, the apple he was munching taking up the main part of his focus.
“It’s way too big for me,” Jane said, fluffing helplessly at the wedding gown’s long, white train.
“Of course it is,” Emily agreed. “But you still look good.”
“I’ll say she does,” Nick echoed. “Heartbreakingly so.”
Jane rolled her eyes at him and returned her attention to Emily. “Tell me again why I’m wearing the dress if you’re the one getting married.”
“I needed to see it on someone else to make sure I like it.”
“But you’re way taller and curvier than I am,” Jane said.
“It’s not about that. It’s about the feeling I get when I see it on someone. And I like the feeling. I think this one is a keeper,” Emily said.
“What does it mean that you’re taking longer to pick out a wedding dress than it did to meet and fall in love with your fiancé?” Jane asked.
“Don’t poke at it, Janie. I’m happy,” Emily pled.
“I’m not poking. Well, I am, but with love. I’m happy you’re happy, but it doesn’t mean I get to stop teasing you,” Jane said.
“Never,” Emily agreed. She sucked a sharp breath. “I can’t believe I’m going to be married in two weeks.”
“I can’t believe I’m finally getting an actual bedroom in two weeks,” Nick said, beaming. “I could have it now, if Jane would stop being stubborn.”
Jane held up her phone and pushed a button. Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” began to play.
“Stop it,” Nick said, covering his ears. Jane had refused his proposal as soon as she returned from Philadelphia. He had nearly cried—with relief. After some prodding, he confessed he had only proposed out of the blind panic her interest in Blue caused. But seeing as how she and Blue amounted to nothing, and she hadn’t seen or heard from him in six months, Nick felt safe and secure once again. Annoyed by his proprietary certainty she wasn’t going anywhere, Jane had put the song on her phone and played it every time he hinted they should be a couple again. She played it a lot, and it never ceased to annoy him.
“You’re going to be the most beautiful bride in the universe,” Jane said, hugging Emily. “And I’m going to get all my weeping out now before the big day so it will be nothing but sunshine and rainbows.”
“Me, too,” Nick agreed, hugging them from Jane’s other side.
“I know it seems like I’m breaking up the team, but you guys are going to get married someday, too,” Emily said.
“I know we are,” Nick said confidently.
“She meant to other people,” Jane snapped.
“The more you fight it, the more I’m certain of your undying love,” Nick said.
Jane reached for her phone.
“Jane, play that song again, and you’re going to regret it,” he threatened.
She played the song. He let go of Emily and lunged for her. Jane gave a strangled scream of alarm, not for herself, but for Emily’s wedding dress. “No,” she said, dodging away from him. He caught her from behind, and the front door flew open.
In one fluid motion, Jane pivoted out of Nick’s embrace, picked up a wooden kitchen chair, and bashed it into the intruder’s body. Blue dropped to the ground, clutching his arm. “Ouch, Jane, ouch . Why? Why a chair? Why not a pillow?”
Jane stood over him, breathing hard, chair still held aloft. “Don’t you ever knock?”
“You screamed.” His eyes scanned her up and down, reminding her she was still wearing Emily’s wedding dress and holding a chair over his head. “Are you going to have that altered? You’re swimming in it.”
Jane set the chair down without answering. She scanned the dress for signs of wear and tear, breathing a sigh of relief when she found nothing. The dress was still perfect and perfectly white. “I need to take this off.”
“I’ll help,” Nick volunteered, reaching for the back of the dress.
Jane held her phone aloft, warning him away.
“I swear, Jane, do it and I will break off every one of your delightful little fingers and bake them in a pie,” he threatened.
“You’re too lazy to make a pie,” Jane returned.
“I’ll help with the dress,” Emily volunteered, herding Jane into the back bedroom to help remove the heavy, cumbersome dress.
“What is he doing here?” Jane whispered, standing still with her arms over her head while Emily unzipped her and lifted the dress over her head.
“I don’t know, but I think he’s gotten cuter,” Emily replied, also in a whisper. “Nick’s probably out there drafting a new proposal right now.”
“He’s not allowed to come barging back into my life when I’ve been trying to get over him the last six months,” Jane continued.
“And failing miserably,” Emily added helpfully. She hung up the dress and tossed Jane her clothes when she remained rooted to the floor, staring dazedly into space.
“I don’t want to go back out there. You go. Tell him I’m sick.”
“He just saw you. Do you think he’s going to believe you miraculously came down with the swine flu in the short time we’ve been away? Go see what he wants. You’ve got this.”
Jane nodded dumbly and turned for the door. Emily grabbed the back of her bra and hailed her back. “You should probably put clothes on first, unless you’re trying to send a whole different kind of message.”
“Yeesh,” Jane muttered, reaching for her pants with shaking hands. She slipped back into her shirt. “I’m going to cry.”
Emily pinched her arm, hard. The only thing that made Jane not cry was anything that should make her cry. Against pain, fear, and heartache, she was stoic, a champ. But tiny frustrations and disappointments seemed hardwired to her tear ducts.
“Thanks,” Jane said, taking another steadying breath. She reached for the door and paused again. “He has gotten cuter. What do you think he wants?”
“Go ask him,” Emily urged, giving her a little shove forward.
“You’re really not going to let this go until I do it, are you?” Jane said.
“No, and send Nick back here so he doesn’t stand there like the unwanted interloper he is,” Emily commanded.
“I think I might want him there. I need the buffer to remind me why men are bad and I want nothing to do with them, and no one does that better than Nick,” Jane said.
“Good point,” Emily agreed.
When Jane returned to the living room, Blue was now standing. He and Nick faced each other, as if they’d been having a conversation, but no one was talking when Jane entered the room.
“That took a bit, darling,” Nick said. Jane tossed him a look, annoyed by his blatant and undeserved possessiveness.
“So,” Blue said, drawing her attention to him.
“Not to be rude, but what are you doing here?” she asked.
“I need you.”
“You…need me?” she echoed.
“I mean the team needs you. For work purposes.”
“I thought that was over,” she said.
“Nothing’s ever really over,” Blue said.
“Amen to that,” Nick agreed, nudging Jane.
She reached for her phone and discovered she had left it in her bedroom. “I can’t now. I have a busy couple of weeks coming up.”
“I don’t think you understand—I’m only asking as a formality. I’m here to bring you in.”
“Are you telling me I don’t have a choice over whether or not I work with you?” she said.
“Not when it’s a matter of life and death,” he replied.
“Does this have anything to do with your da…” Nick began, but Jane cut him off.
“No, I’ll explain when it’s over,” Jane promised.
“Probably not because it will still be classified,” Blue added. “You should pack some things. It might be a while.”
“I don’t like this,” Jane said.
“You can tell me all about it in the car,” Blue said. “Do you need help with the packing?” he added when she remained rooted to the spot.
“No.” She blinked at him, her mind slowly coming to terms with two things: first he was standing in her living room asking her to come with him. Again. Second, despite trying hard to put him out of her mind and get over him in the intervening six months since she’d last seen him, she was ridiculously and overtly in love with him. Also, she was staring at him or, rather, she was staring at his mouth.
“Pack,” the mouth said, and she finally tore her gaze away and headed for her bedroom.
Once there, she closed the door and leaned against it, feeling slightly woozy. “What did he want?” Emily whispered.
“He needs me.”
“He needs you?” Emily asked hopefully.
“For a work thing. Consulting. I have to pack things.”
“Can’t move away from the door, can you?” Emily guessed.
“Not if I want to stay upright.” She bent over and released a puff of air. “How am I going to do this, Em? How am I going to see him again and pretend it means nothing and then say goodbye?”
“Maybe you won’t. Maybe the work thing is a cover. Maybe he just wants to see you,” Emily suggested helpfully.
“If that’s the case, where’s he been the last six months?” Jane stood upright, shaking her head. “No, I was always the instigator there, always more into it than he was. But not this time. I’m going to play it cool, keep myself in check.” Someone knocked on the door behind her. Jane yelped, stumbled forward, and fell into a heap on the floor before sitting up on all fours like a dog.
“Starting now, you mean,” Emily asked.
“That didn’t count. Starting now, I’m going to be cool,” Jane said, using the bed to pull herself back to a standing position. “Who is it?”
“Jane, not to bug you, but kind of time sensitive here,” Blue called.
“Yes, I’m coming.” Turning to Emily she added, “Help me.”
“You get your toiletries, I’ll gather your clothes,” Emily said, springing into action. She tossed Jane’s suitcase onto the bed and began gathering things to put into it while Jane whipped open the door and ran face first into Blue who was still on the other side.
“Okay?” he asked, grasping her biceps to keep her upright.
“Nose print,” Jane blurted.
“No,” Blue replied.
“I meant I think I left a nose print on your chest when I bounced off it,” Jane explained.
“I knew what you meant, and you’re good, no nose print.”
“Toiletries?” Jane said, and why it came out like a question she had no idea.
“Bathroom,” he replied, letting her go and sidestepping out of her way.
“I see you downloaded the most current version of the Jane nervously awkward translation app,” Emily commented.
“Virus free,” Blue replied, and Emily chuckled.
“How long am I packing her for?” she asked.
“Three days, maybe?” Blue guessed, leaning in the doorway to watch. “Can I help?”
“I’m good, thanks,” Emily said.
“I can’t think of one person I would trust to pack my clothes for me,” he remarked.
“Jane and I go back a long way,” Emily said. “She’s extra special to me.”
“I know the feeling,” he said, but he sounded a bit melancholy. Emily bit her tongue against the urge to interfere. Jane returned with her toiletries, double checked what Emily had packed, zipped the suitcase and pulled it off the bed.
“I love you,” Jane said. Unfortunately the motion of twisting her suitcase off the bed now meant she was facing Blue when she spoke. He stared at her, blinking without expression. “Emily,” she added, swiveling to face her friend. “Love you.” Kill me now, she mouthed.
Emily laughed, scurried over the bed, and drew Jane into a comforting hug. “Love you, too. Be back in two weeks or I’ll hunt you down like a dog in the street.”
“I positively would not miss what’s coming, no matter what,” Jane promised. She kissed Emily’s cheek, gave her one final squeeze, and let her go.
Blue picked up her suitcase and carried it to the living room where they were waylaid by Nick who scooped Jane into his embrace and kissed her full on the lips, something he hadn’t done since before the last time they broke up well over a year ago. She shoved away from him, shell shocked and dumfounded, but in notorious Nick fashion, he was grinning at her, well pleased with himself. “Goodbye, darling. I love you so. Do be careful.” To Blue he added. “Take good care of my girl.”
Jane came to and reached for her phone, but Nick preempted her, snatching it out of her fingers. “Let me get that for you.” He turned it off and handed it back to her before she could play what had become their theme song in life. With a little smack on her bottom, he shoved her toward the door. Blue preceded her out, suitcase in hand. Jane hung back, poking her head inside the door to speak to Nick.
“I’m going to kill you, slowly and painfully,” she promised.
“Something to look forward to then,” he said. He kissed his fingers and tossed her a wave. Aggravated beyond reason, she slammed the door and stalked away.