Chapter Seven
For the rest of the car ride, Mei burned with embarrassment. She stared out the passenger-side window, not looking at Joey. Good thing Alexandre was in the back seat so she didn’t have to face him. And really good thing Ali and Luc weren’t there. Then she’d be beyond humiliated.
Ugh. Joey’s sense of humor was a little immature.
She knew that. Sometimes she cringed when he told her friends corny jokes, or when he made Ali and Luc watch too many epic fail videos.
But he never made off-color remarks. Until that moment, Mei had never heard Joey say anything remotely like I are hungry!
After dinner, in their room, Joey reached for Mei’s arm. “Hey, can we talk?”
Mei sat stiffly beside him on the bed. “About what?”
“About what?” Joey parroted. “Cheeseburgers aren’t as tasty when your fiancée looks like she wants to throw you on the grill!”
Mei cracked a smile. “Okay. Let’s chat.”
“I know you’re upset about the car ride. I just wanted to make you guys laugh. I’m sure as hell not racist! You know that.”
Mei inhaled through her nose. This couldn’t be happening. She was having the “I’m not racist” conversation with her fiancé.
“My best friends are Mexican and Chinese. They’re coming to our wedding! You’re Chinese, too, and you’re the love of my life.”
“Well, I’m Chinese American.” She and her parents had all been born in New York. None of them had ever been to China.
“You know what I mean.” Joey took her hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to offend you. It’s just that I’ve had this joke with Bao and Miguel forever. We say it all the time.”
Mei studied their entwined hands. She hadn’t spent much time with Bao and Miguel, but she could see them saying stuff like that.
Bao was an Asian bro. The last time she and Joey had gone to dinner with him and his girlfriend, Chloe, Bao had talked them into doing shots and staying out until two in the morning.
Miguel and his partner, Ivan, tended to be more reserved, but they always loosened up after a few drinks.
“How about you keep that joke between you, Bao, and Miguel?” Mei finally said. “I don’t ever want to hear it again.”
Joey kissed her temple. “Okay, my baby. Anything to make you happy.”
· · ·
They went to bed early. As soon as they shut the lights, Joey sidled up to Mei and cupped his hands around her breasts. “Makeup sex?”
Heat kindled between Mei’s legs. The feeling of Joey’s strong, solid body always put her in an amorous mood. But this evening, her mind wasn’t there.
“Let’s just cuddle.” She nestled against him.
Joey kissed her ear. “All right.”
Moments later, he was snoring. Mei tried to match her breathing to his. Twenty minutes later, she was still wide awake. She wriggled out from under Joey’s arm and pulled on a sweatshirt.
Mei tiptoed into the hallway. As she headed to the bathroom, a gust of wind blew through the window, brushing her arm. She turned, then padded down the stairs.
The porch door was ajar. Alexandre sat in a lounge chair reading. He looked up and gave a little wave. Mei hesitated. Then she slid the door open.
“I hope I’m not disturbing you,” she said as she walked to the wooden railing.
“Not at all.” Alexandre set down his book and flashlight. He rose to join her.
His scent pricked Mei’s nose. Fresh soap and pine, mingling with the salty air. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, Mei could make out the whitecaps on the thundering surf. She let the sound of waves wash over her.
“I love the beach,” she said. “It’s such an escape from the everyday.”
“I love it, too. I need more beach time in my life.”
“Did you go a lot in Oregon? I’ve never been there, but I’ve seen pictures of Cannon Beach. So beautiful.” Mei recalled a photo of the massive Haystack Rock rising out of the sea.
“That was farther north from where I lived, but the whole Oregon coast is spectacular. The beaches are bigger and wilder than here, especially when the fog rolls in. You can go hiking along the cliffs, through towering fir trees, and end up on the sand.”
Mei nodded, envisioning a vast expanse of glittering sand, hazy sunshine reflecting off the waves. She could practically feel the cool Pacific mist against her face. “That sounds amazing. Think you’ll go back sometime?”
“No.”
The finality in Alexandre’s voice was clear. Mei stared out at the water. Why had she brought up Oregon? Between that and the car ride, Alexandre probably thought she was socially inept. Mei steeled herself to apologize. “By the way—”
“I just wanted to say—”
They laughed.
“You first,” Alexandre said.
“I’m sorry for mentioning Oregon. And I’m sorry Joey and I fought in front of you, and that he was rude.” Mei winced, remembering Joey’s “professor” comment.
Alexandre let out a sad little laugh. “You don’t have to apologize about Oregon. I did love it out there. I should be okay talking about it without having a total meltdown.”
Alexandre’s tone was self-deprecating, but given what he’d told her earlier, Mei suspected he might be serious.
“You don’t have to apologize for this afternoon, either,” Alexandre continued. “I’m sorry for butting in.”
Mei waved her hand. “It’s fine,” she said lightly.
“Sometimes I need a little help with Joey.” As soon as the words left her mouth, they felt a little too real.
Why didn’t Joey know not to say things like I are hungry?
Why wasn’t he more proactive about his career?
Why does he only ever wear silly graphic T-shirts? Mei gnawed guiltily on her thumbnail.
She felt Alexandre watching her. Mei glanced up.
The intensity of his gaze made her breath catch.
He’d never need hand-holding like Joey. During mini golf, she’d noticed how Alexandre eyed the hole intently, then tapped the ball with a sure hand.
Mei could see his careful focus extending into all areas of his life—in teaching, in research, with women.
She pictured Alexandre in a darkened lab, his hands gentle yet firm on the shadowy figure of a woman, kissing her as zebrafish swam in glowing tanks.
In the distance, a seagull cried, bringing Mei back to the present. “In all seriousness, Joey’s great. He helps me remember where I’m from. He’s always up for anything. He doesn’t take life too seriously, and I need that.”
Alexandre was silent for a moment. “Yeah, but is that enough?”
The clouds parted. Under the moonlight, Mei could see the angles of Alexandre’s jaw. She felt a wild urge to grab his face and kiss him deeply, roughly, her hands clawing at his hair. She looked away, her cheeks aflame.
“I don’t mean to upset you.” Alexandre’s shoulders dropped. “Now I’m overstepping again,” he mumbled, seemingly to himself.
Mei stared at him. Was Alexandre giving her relationship advice? She knew nothing about his love life, other than that he was forty-two and single.
“It’s just that sometimes,” Alexandre began hesitantly, “when you talk—not just about Joey, but Livin, too—you remind me of me. And I don’t want what happened to me to happen to you.”
Irritation flitted through Mei. Yes, what Alexandre told her at mini golf was terrible.
She couldn’t see herself deteriorating the same way, though.
The American Dream was a myth, but her family was one of the lucky few who’d achieved it.
Her grandparents had come to the United States and toiled twelve-hour days at their hand laundry.
Her mom had raised her and Ali on a receptionist’s salary.
During high school, she and Ali worked thirty hours a week at a local café to pay for college.
Work hard, save money, create a better life.
That survival instinct ran through her blood.
Sure, Alexandre was a public school kid, too. But his parents were happily married, tenured professors who expected him to get a PhD.
Mei barely suppressed an eye roll. She and Alexandre were nothing alike. I’m killing it at work. I’m getting married. She wasn’t depressed and stagnated like he had been.
She turned to go. “I should get back inside.”
“Wait.” Alexandre touched her arm.
A charged current shot through her. Mei froze. Alexandre dropped his hand. He felt it, too.
He took a step away from her and swallowed. “Just look out for yourself.”
Mei opened her mouth to object. Then she caught the concern in Alexandre’s eyes. Something in her heart clenched. “I will.”
Alexandre nodded.
Mei forced herself not to glance back at him as she slipped into the house and headed up the stairs.
· · ·
The next morning, a light rain fell. Everyone ate banana pancakes at the kitchen table. Though she sat between Joey and Kaia, Mei was uncomfortably aware of Alexandre’s presence a few seats away. The questions he’d asked last night echoed above the breakfast din.
After they cleared the table, Mei returned with her laptop and a full French press. “Wedding planning calls for lots of coffee.”
Ali opened her own laptop. “Luc and Alexandre are taking Kaia to the grocery store and the doughnut shop. We should have two hours. Is Joey joining us?”
“No, he’s working on his files.” Part of Mei wanted to ask Joey to help. The other part of her just wanted a bride-to-be/matron-of-honor planning session with her sister. “I’ll share my spreadsheet with you.”
For the next hour, they worked through the task list. Mei added photos and event details to their wedding website. Then she purchased the digital invitation template she and Joey had chosen. Ali organized the guest list with everyone’s email addresses.
“Okay, so we have you and Joey, obviously.” She paused, consulting her spreadsheet. “Me, Luc, Kaia, Mom, Henry, and Joey’s parents. Aunt Rose, Uncle Arthur, and Evie.” Their cousin, Evie, was several years younger than they were.
Mei nodded along as Ali named Joey’s extended family members. Should she invite Alexandre? No, she didn’t know him well, and they could only invite thirty guests.
“Kathy and Luis,” Ali said.
Mei smiled at the mention of her best friend, who lived in Chicago.
At the advertising agency where they’d worked years ago, colleagues always mixed them up, even though Kathy was Korean, five inches taller, and sported a pixie cut.
In addition to commiserating over the ongoing slights, Mei and Kathy were always the first ones in the kitchen after meetings, scrounging leftover bagels to stretch their minuscule salaries.
“They’ve met Joey, right?”
“Once, when they were here in February.” She and Joey had just decided to move in together. Kathy and Luis were over the moon for them.
“Oh right! Are you inviting any other friends?”
“No, given the space. But Joey’s inviting his best friends, Bao and Miguel. Bao is bringing his girlfriend, Chloe, and Miguel is coming with his partner, Ivan.”
“Should I invite them to the bachelor/bachelorette?” A smile tugged at Ali’s lips.
Mei groaned. “Yes.”
“I love how Joey’s set on having one.”
“He won’t take no for an answer! You’d better plan something low-key.”
“I already booked the pink Hummer limo. And ordered shirts with your faces on them.”
Mei threw a balled-up napkin at her sister. “Very funny!”
Ali cackled, then attempted to pull a straight face. “We’ll have a fun night out. And I have a surprise for you.” She paused dramatically. “I made an appointment for you at the Little White Dress.”
Mei gasped. “How’d you know I wanted to get my dress there?” The Little White Dress wedding boutique in Tribeca carried ready-to-wear dresses geared toward city hall elopements and smaller, casual ceremonies.
“It’s so your type! Mom and Kaia are coming, too. We’ll get brunch after.” Ali clicked on her laptop. “Just sent you the confirmation. The appointment’s two weeks after we get back.”
The front door opened, unleashing Kaia, who came running in toward Ali. Luc and Alexandre followed.
“What’ve you been up to?” Alexandre asked.
“Just some wedding planning.” Mei shut her laptop before he could see the bridal email.
Joey bounded down the stairs. “Success! I finally identified a bunch of Mongolian metal songs that were stumping the programs!”
Alexandre stared at Joey. “That’s what you’ve been doing while Mei and Ali plan your wedding?”
Mei shot him a look. Why was he asking that?
Joey’s eyes narrowed. “What are you implying? That I’m not helping?
I actually came down to tell you all my brilliant idea.
” He took the seat beside Mei. “I know you’re always so busy with work, and it’s hard to find time for wedding planning.
How about we set aside one night a week to bang out whatever we need to do? ”
Mei raised her eyebrows. “I like that.”
“We’ll put it on our calendars. I know how much you like calendars.”
Mei laughed. “I can never resist a good calendar invite.”
Joey snapped his fingers. “I got it. Wedding Wednesdays. We’ll order in something yummy, too, like Egyptian from Astoria or dosas from Jackson Heights.”
“I love it.” Mei hugged Joey’s arm. She tried not to notice how Alexandre forced a smile, then quietly retreated upstairs.