Outside the Lines(6)
“Hey!” I call over the small crowd gathered in front of a display of colorful cupcakes. Erin’s sister, Andrea, smiles and waves.
“She’s in the back,” she tells me and boxes up a cupcake for a little girl. I pass by and duck behind the counter. Erin is frosting a cake when I step through double doors into the back room. She looks up and beams.
“About time! I was wondering if I was going to have to call out a search party.”
I laugh and shake my head. We’ve been friends since middle school, and though we’ve gone a while without seeing each other since I took this job, nothing is ever awkward around this girl. “I run on my own time.”
“I’ve noticed. How was the drive?”
“Not bad, actually. Traffic flowed, which means I’ll get stuck when I go home for sure.”
“I’m almost done,” she says. “I’m just doing the first layer now.”
“Have anything to taste test?” I ask.
“Actually yes,” she replies and carefully spins the cake. “Not really to test, but there’s a batch of cupcakes that didn’t turn out the right shade of green. Over there.” She uses a spatula to point. I shuffle over and grab one. The green is kind of a puke color, but the cupcake tastes delicious.
Erin is washing pink frosting off her hands by the time I’m done eating. We go into the tiny break room to catch up for a few.
“I like the blonde,” Erin says, eyeing my hair.
“Thanks. I figured I’ll leave it for a while before going back to my original color. It’s kind of a pain to keep up with.”
A natural blonde herself, Erin laughs. “Yeah, but aren’t dark roots showing trendy now? Or was that last season? Er, maybe last year?”
“You’re guess is as good as mine.”
We chat about work, our Comic Con costumes again, and how annoying Erin’s husband David is. Really, he’s a good guy and is good to Erin. She married him rather young while they were still both in college and I couldn’t think of anyone better for my best friend.
“What kind of wedding duties do you have to do tonight?” she asks as we walk to the front of the store.
“I’m not really sure. I think just dinner at my parents, house then get to the country club a few hours before the shower to decorate.” I roll my eyes. “Is it really going to take that long to decorate for a shower? I get going all out for a wedding, but for a shower … come on.”
Erin laughs. “I’ll be there like half an hour before with the cake. And your new sister-in-law is going all out. The cake she ordered cost as much as a wedding cake. You don’t even want to know what the actual cake for the wedding looks like. It’s gorgeous and big, and I’m excited to make it, but damn, her parents must have some money.”
“They do,” I say and feel bad that I don’t know what they do. I should know this girl better, right? I pull my sweater closed, the mist had turned into rain, and give Erin a one-armed hug. “See you tomorrow.”
“See ya. Have fun tonight.”
I force a smile. “I’m sure it will be loads.”
*
I tip the glass of wine, getting the last bit of red moscato. Waste not, right? I set the empty glass down on the coffee table next to me and listen to my brother tell what I assume is a funny story about work. Everyone is laughing, but I’ve zoned out a bit, thinking of who I could take as a date to the wedding. It was still a while away. I had time to find someone. Maybe even a boyfriend.
And if not, there’s always Cameron. He’d at least be well dressed.
I look at the clock, wondering how much longer it will be before my dad orders pizza. My eyes wander around the living room. I know Mom’s nervous about what Danielle and her parents think of the house.
I’m fond of my childhood home, of course, but it really is nice. Mom and Dad kept it that way, with upgrades every few years, redecorating, and obsessive cleaning. I didn’t realize how much work went into it all until I moved out and had my own house to take care of. Along with the house, they have the cabins by the lake, renting out to vacationers who come to the serene town of Mistwood, Michigan. Between managing the dock and the rental boats, maintaining the Pinterest-worthy cabins, and keeping their own house clean, I don’t know how Mom and Dad do it.
My brother and Danielle are sitting on the love seat, arms linked and looking so in love. Jake is tall like Dad, but has dark-brown hair like Mom and me. We both have green eyes, much unlike our parents, who have brown and hazel eyes. People say they can tell we are siblings, but I’ve never seen it. He’s three years younger than me and has been a pain in the ass his whole life, but he is my baby brother and I love him. I want him to be happy. He’s a good guy and deserves it.