Her bed is made, but all her throw pillows are gone. The purse she always leaves on her dresser is gone. I walk over to her closet. Empty.
But there is something lying at the end of her bed that gives me chills. A bouquet of multi-colored marigolds with the stems of the bright yellow and orange flowers wrapped in white silk ribbon.
No.
This can’t be happening.
I rush out of her bedroom, telling Adria to get her uncle as I fly up the stairs to my bedroom and yank my phone off the charger.
No messages.
The phone rings for an eternity before she finally picks up. “Good morning, Joey.”
“Give me a safe word. Say Winston if you’re with Arush right now. I’m sorry I forgot my phone, but I didn’t think your brother would show up in the middle of the night and force you out of our apartment. Wasn’t Bex there? Did anyone try to stop him?”
“I’m not with Arush, I promise.”
I’m pacing and whacking the balloons out of my way as I do. “Don’t lie to me. I saw the bridal bouquet. You have one just like it pinned to your Pinterest board. He must have seen—”
“Joey,” she interrupts me in a carefully subdued voice that makes me nervous. Where is she right now? “Maybe it’s good that I forgot the bouquet. Maybe some part of me did it on purpose. I could use a witness, and a man of honor. Do you think you could get dressed and come over to the courthouse? A shirt with buttons would be nice.”
I can’t believe she’s saying this. “I’m not agreeing to witness a crime. He can’t force you to marry anyone.”
“I love how you’re so protective you won’t actually listen to the words coming out of my mouth,” she says, some of the sharpness that I recognize creeping into her tone. “Pay attention now. This is my choice. I want to do this. If I marry the person I choose to marry, my parents will still be happy. I’ll be happy. And Arush will be miserable. We all win. Which is why I proposed to my future husband in the first place. Well, one of the reasons.”
I freeze in shock. “I failed the big friendship test this time, didn’t I? I’ve been so busy I didn’t notice that you’ve completely lost your mind.”
She makes a sound of frustration. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to give you the chance to talk me out of it. Now get your butt over to this courthouse and fulfill your best friend duties right this minute, Joey Redmond. I want my damn flowers.”
There she is. Almost. “You said you never wanted to get married. I mean, I knew you were lying, but you always said it.”
“You’re the one who wanted me to move here,” she throws out. “This is happening in less than two hours, I’m not changing my mind, and I’d rather you be here to hold my hand.”
She hangs up and I’m left staring at the phone.
I remember her mentioning needing to tell me something, but after the interview and Elliot’s return, when I asked, she said it could wait. She was fine.
Lies.
I shoot her a follow-up text, but before she can respond, Elliot walks through my bedroom door.
“What’s wrong?” he asks. “The kids said you looked upset. Oh shit, why are there balloons in your bedroom? Did I miss someone’s birthday?”
He sounds so upset about it, I send them floating his way. “The surprise is ruined. It doesn’t matter at the moment. Tani needs me down at the courthouse now, so pancakes will have to wait.”
He reads the balloons while I search for a pair of clean pants and a button-down shirt. “I thought you wanted to wait and see.”
“I’ve seen,” I tell him, still clutching my phone as I slip off his t-shirt and reach for my clothes. “Enough to know there’s no point to waiting. I love you today. I’ll love you in fifty years.”
“And you know I love you. That I’ll never leave.” The wonder in his soft words have me pausing, turning back to him.
“You prove it to me every day.”
He takes a step closer. “So you’ll marry me?”
“Whenever you want.” I wrap my arms around his neck. “I’m not giving you an out or letting you get away ever again. You’re stuck with me for life, so I hope you’re serious about this. I’ll be cheering every game. Massaging things every morning. Singing with—”
He’s kissing me as if his life depends on it. As if I’ve given him the world. If this were a movie, cue orchestra and fade out so I can get his pants off again.
I need—
My phone buzzes in my hand and Elliot lifts his head.
“Ignore it,” I moan, trying to follow his lips.