Chapter Three
Chapter Two
JESSA
Three months later
T he sound of my phone repeatedly buzzing woke me before my alarm had a chance. I would’ve preferred the usual Stranger Things theme song waking me instead, but this was going to be my life for the next few days leading up to Ellie and Cooper’s wedding.
Ellie:
Are you up?
Don’t forget you said you’d pick up Cooper’s grandparents from the airport.
Their flight comes in at eleven-thirty.
They’re staying at Cooper’s parents’ house.
I hope you set an alarm so you aren’t late.
I flipped the covers back, abruptly sat up, and dropped my feet onto the carpet. But instead of soft, plush fibers, one of my feet made contact with something cold, bumpy, and squishy. I looked over the edge, only to discover I was now wearing a slice of pepperoni and sausage pizza as a flip-flop. I grumbled and nudged the box and slice out of my way, then used a napkin I’d left down there to wipe my sole clean.
I’d stayed up late, working on a web design project, knowing I’d be distracted for several days with all things wedding. When one o’clock in the morning closed in on me, my eyelids drooped and the code on the screen became blurry. I didn’t remember pushing the pizza box onto the floor. I must have done it in a sleep-deprived stupor then fallen asleep the second my head hit the pillow.
I grabbed my phone, turned the alarm off before it sounded, and texted Ellie back to let her know I was up and moving. I wished I had time to go for a run. That always got my days going on the right foot. But the shower was my first stop.
When I came out, there was a barrage of new text messages waiting for me in our group chat.
Ellie: Hey, Ethan was supposed to pick up some of our family at the airport at two o’clock, but his car won’t start. Can anyone help?
Tally: I would, but Jake’s at work, and I have to pick the girls up.
Penny: I can’t get out of work early. I have a bunch of things to do before I take the next couple days off. Sorry, Ell.
Ellie: Jessa, if you see this, could you maybe drop Cooper’s grandparents off then go back to the airport?
Penny: Don’t you have a car?
Ellie: I’m at the salon having my last Day of Beauty with Gram before I’m a married woman.
Penny: Aww, that’s nice.
Tally: Such a sweet tradition.
Ellie: We haven’t had that many of them this year, and I really need this time with her.
There was also a separate message from Ethan.
Ethan: My car broke. Help!
I rolled my eyes and replied to him first.
Me: How am I supposed to help you? I’m not a mechanic.
Then I sent Ellie a private text.
Me: Am I the only other person you know with a car?
Ellie: You said you’d help.
Me: What about Cooper?
Ellie: He and his parents went to pick up his band at the airport then they’re having lunch and picking up tuxes. Please, Jessa.
Me: Of course, I’ll help.
Ellie: (heart-eyes emoji) Thank you!
I closed my phone and was running a brush through my wet hair when another text came through.
Ethan: I was supposed to pick up family at the airport this afternoon.
Me: Ellie already told me.
Ethan: Help me, Jessalyn Kenobi. You’re my only hope.
I smiled at his lame attempt at a Star Wars reference, despite myself.
Me: You really think quoting Star Wars will work on me?
Ethan: So you’ll do it then?
Me: I would have if you hadn’t used my full name.
Ethan: Just be glad I didn’t call you Jar Jar.
Me: I know you don’t have a death wish.
Ethan: (gif of Darth Vader doing the Force Choke)
Me: Gotta go so I can get to the airport in time.
Ethan: Can I ride along?
Me: No room in my car for you.
Ethan: There are only three of them. I’ll fit.
Me: Why do you want to go?
Ethan: Ellie gave me a list of stuff I’m supposed to pick up for the movie night. I thought we’d swing by Meijer and knock that out before the airport.
Me: No time. I have to get Cooper’s grandparents first, bring them to his parents’ house, then go back and get your people at two.
Ethan: Well, we could go to Walmart in town after we drop them off and see if we can find what she needs.
Me: Can’t I just pick your family up alone? Why do you have to ride along?
Ethan: They’re my family. I’d like to be there to welcome them to town. It’s been a while since we’ve seen them.
My first instinct was to say, “Not in a million years,” but I knew this was for Ellie, and I had promised I’d be on my best behavior where Ethan was concerned. I wanted to help make this as stress-free a weekend as it could be. It was going to be hard enough for her to get married without having her parents there. She didn’t need any other worries bringing her down.
Me: Fine. But you’re not riding along to get Cooper’s grandparents too. I’ll be there around twelve-thirty when I drop them off.
Ethan: Awesome! You rock!
I rolled my eyes again and finished getting ready, hopped in my SUV, swung by The Brew for a cup of their house coffee and a ham and cheese bagel, and headed toward the airport in Grand Rapids.
Cooper’s grandparents were sweet people. They hadn’t flown in years, they said, and they spent the whole drive back to Abbottsville telling me all of their airport experiences—from their hassle getting through security in a timely manner, which almost caused them to miss their flight, to the guy seated next to them who snuck some extra little bottles of alcohol, got drunk, and loudly sang every song ever written by The Beatles. Apparently, he sounded nothing like Paul McCartney. Shocker!
Ethan was waiting on his front porch when I pulled up to Cooper’s parents’ home next door. He came right over and introduced himself to Mr. and Mrs. Mason and helped bring their bags into the house, which was honestly very gentlemanly of him, and then we headed back to the airport.
“I don’t understand why Cooper didn’t pay for a car and driver to pick everyone up and take them where they needed to go,” I said. “It’s not like he can’t afford it.”
“I said the same thing, but Ellie didn’t want that,” he explained. “She wanted everyone to be welcomed by friends and family so they would feel at home, not by some hired dude named Cadbury in a chauffeur hat. They are renting a van for the wedding to take guests without cars to and from their hotels, though.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Cadbury?”
“The chauffeur from Richie Rich.”
I shook my head. “Richie Rich’s chauffeur was Bascomb. Cadbury was his butler.”
“What? No, he wasn’t.”
“He absolutely was.”
“I watched those movies all the time when I was a kid,” he said.
“Well, I read the comics, and you have it wrong.”
We shot each other looks, but he didn’t fight me on it.
After several long moments of silence, I glanced over at him. “So, what happened to your car now?” He’d been keeping that ten-year-old, tan Honda Accord running for years.
He shrugged. “Beats me. Probably just needs a new battery.”
“Or you need a new car.”
“I love my car.”
“It’s seen better days,” I said.
“Well, it’s going to see many more.”
I shook my head. “How many miles are on that thing?”
He didn’t answer right away, and I looked at him again.
“Two hundred and sixty thousand,” he admitted.
A loud laugh burst out of my mouth.
“Don’t laugh. She’s my baby.”
“She’s no baby. She’s elderly at this point, Ethan.”
“I respect my elders.”
“You need to put it out of its misery.”
He gasped. “That’s a horrible thing to say.”
“It’s not a person.” I laughed some more. “It’s just a car. Why do you want to keep it so bad?”
He didn’t answer right away, and I stole another glance.
“It was my mom’s car,” he answered quietly.
My heart sank. “Oh.” I didn’t know what else to say. Way to go, Jessa.
The silence between us made me sweat. I hated awkward breaks in conversation. And I was mortified for giving him a hard time about something that reminded him of his mom.
“I wondered why you drove a mom car.” I tried for humor to dispel the lull.
“Better than no car at all,” he replied. “And it was free, so there’s that.”
“Free’s good.”
The quiet returned, and I was immediately second-guessing letting him ride along.
Someone pulled off a side road just then, leaving me little room to do anything but step hard on my brakes. “Moron!” I cried. “You looked right at me and pulled out. You can’t get where you’re going if you’re dead.”
“They can’t hear you.” Ethan reached across and pressed on the horn, and I pushed him back with my elbow.
“Stop!”
“That’s what the horn’s for.”
“The horn is for the driver to use. Are you the driver?”
“Right, for the driver to use , and you weren’t using it.”
“If you’re in the driver’s seat, you can lay on the horn all you want, but if you reach across me like that again, you’ll wish all you got was my elbow.”
He started laughing.
“I’m not kidding, Ethan. Stay on your side of the car.”
His laughter continued.
“What are you laughing at?”
“Nothing.”
“You know I don’t make empty threats.”
“Oh, I know you don’t.”
I shook my head, doubly irritated by the car that had pulled out in front of me and was now driving 45 mph and by Ethan’s ridiculous amusement over what I’d said.
“Good thing Ellie’s not here,” he said.
“Why’s that?”
“Because of the whole ‘us getting along at the wedding’ thing.”
“We’re not at the wedding right now. I think we’re fine.”
“Why do you think it is that we fight all the time?” Ethan asked.
“Is that a trick question?”
“I’m serious, Jessa. Why can’t we get along?”
“We get along.” I thought he’d laugh at that, but he didn’t say a word, and his seriousness was making me sweat again. Did I remember my deodorant this morning?
“I mean, what is it about me that you find so detestable?”
I could see him watching me in my peripheral vision, and I hated being put on the spot. There was no way I was going to tell him what I really thought. It was one thing to bicker back and forth about dumb stuff. It was another thing entirely to have an actual serious conversation with him about the reasons for all the bickering.
“Because I don’t find you detestable, Jessa,” he said. “Not in the slightest. In fact—”
The guy in front of me suddenly slammed on his brakes right before turning without using his blinker. This time definitely warranted the use of my horn, and I stepped hard on my brakes so we didn’t end up having his tailpipe for dinner. I held the horn longer than necessary to stop Ethan from saying whatever nice thing it was that he was about to say. I’d rather dance The Funky Chicken in front of a bunch of strangers while wearing a frilly pink dress than have him compliment me.
I turned the radio onto the local classic rock station and raised the volume.
“Yes! ‘Bohemian Rhapsody!’” Ethan used the dashboard as makeshift drums and banged along to the rhythm as he sang. He knew every word, which was no doubt from our multiple viewings of Wayne’s World over the years. He even headbanged at the part in the song where they did that in the movie. I couldn’t help myself and bounced my head along with it, albeit more gently than he was, and we sang the rest of the song together.
When the song ended, our eyes met across the car.
He smiled, and I smiled back.
“You should smile more often,” he said right before he leaned forward, gripping his head. “Oh, man! Ow! I’m dizzy now.”
A strange warmth spread through me as I looked over at him. He looked ridiculous with his eyes squinted, circling his fingertips against his temples. But he also looked different somehow.
“Did you get a haircut for the wedding?” I asked out of nowhere.
“No.” He peeked one eye open at me. “Why? Should I have?”
I shrugged. “It might help distract from your face.”
He frowned. “Harsh.”
I circled my hand in the air between us. “And what’s going on with the facial hair?”
He sat up and flipped the vanity mirror down. “What’s wrong with it?”
“Did I say something was wrong with it?”
“You didn’t have to.” He combed his fingers through his short beard.
“Paranoid much?”
It actually suited him, and I wondered when he’d started wearing it that way. I hadn’t really noticed until now.
“Should I shave it off for the wedding, you think?”
“No,” I answered a little too suddenly.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him look my way, and I gave him a quick glance.
“I just mean, if Ellie wanted you to shave it, she would’ve told you. I’m sure it’s fine.”
I tried to ignore the weird swirling in my stomach. Probably indigestion.
When we arrived at the airport, I parked the car rather than waiting in the cell phone lot for his family to text him. He insisted we go in to help them with their luggage and greet them properly, not just a quick drive up, toss the bags into the trunk, and go like I’d done with Cooper’s grandparents earlier.
Ethan’s uncle, aunt, and teenage cousin found us not long after we entered the airport lobby, and my heart skipped a beat at the sight of his uncle. I’d seen him once before at Ellie and Ethan’s parents’ funeral, but I’d forgotten how much he resembled Ethan’s dad, Dwayne. Same dark hair, square face, long nose with a slight curve to it, and stocky stature. And he had the same smile.
Dwayne and Jody Sweet had been like second parents to me growing up. And considering I only had one parent in my life, having an extra set had helped me a lot, especially having Jody around through my teen years. They might not have been my actual parents, but losing them felt as if they were. And seeing Dwayne’s brother now made my heart ache from missing them.
“Hey, Uncle Doug.” Ethan embraced him.
“Hey, Ethan.” Doug patted him on the back.
Ethan hugged his aunt and fist-bumped his cousin then motioned to me.
“Everyone, this is my friend Jessa. She’s one of Ellie’s bridesmaids.” He turned to me. “Jessa, this is my Uncle Doug, Aunt Carrie, and cousin Carter.”
That weird stomach swirling was back when he called me his friend, but I ignored it.
“Nice to meet you,” I told them.
On our way out of the airport, I led the way toward where I’d parked the car, and Aunt Carrie caught up with me.
“So, how long have you known Ethan and Ellie?” she asked.
“Since we were all in diapers, probably.”
She laughed. “Oh, that early? Were your mothers friends?”
My heart sank as it always did when people mentioned my mother. “Uh, no. We met in preschool.”
“That’s a long time. How special your friendships must be.” She glanced over her shoulder and smiled at the guys. “Are you and Ethan …?”
I wasn’t sure what her pause was all about. “Are we what?”
“You know.” She gave me a grin that revealed exactly what she meant.
“Oh my gosh, no.” I screwed up my face. “I’ve known him too long for that.”
“The best relationships are often with a best friend.”
I chuckled. “We’re far from best friends, that’s for sure.”
“That’s too bad,” she said as we neared my car. “I thought I sensed a vibe between you two.”
We loaded up the car and headed toward Abbottsville, but I couldn’t shake her comment. A vibe? What kind of vibe?
This whole day felt off, and I couldn’t seem to get my brain to reset it back to normal. I wasn’t used to spending so much time with Ethan in one day. And we still hadn’t gone to the store for Ellie yet.
When would this day be over? Actually, rewind. When would this weekend be over?