"I don't want to."
"I know," she says, letting the balloons bounce to the ceiling as she pulls me in for a hug. "And trust me, if I knew where Landon was I'd first scream at him, maybe punch him, then I'd tell you where I left the body."
I laugh into her hair, choking on a few strands.
"Let me distract you," she says when I pull back. I nod and let her push me into the bathroom. After I take a short shower, I pad out onto the bath mat, trying to forget how it feels when Landon and I shower together and how dangerous: The first step out of the tub is when we were both so slippery and anxious to move to the bedroom. Back when we were luxurious dessert during the sex meal.
"Landon, it's about time!" I hear from the other side of the door. It jolts me so much my feet don't know whether to run toward Theresa or away from her, so I end up falling all over myself and landing between the toilet and the sink.
My ass is officially stuck.
"Theresa!" I yell, and then cover my boobs with the towel.
She comes in, phone to ear, searching around till she sees me stuck on the floor.
"Is that him?" I say, waving wildly for her to pass the phone. She does with suppressed laughter as I move my wet hair away from my ear.
"Where are you? Are you okay? What did I do? Are you mad at me? Please come home. I miss you and I need you, and I don't know what I did wrong or why you won't sleep in the bed with me or what."
"Lizzie … " His voice sends a bunch of different emotions through me. I don't know whether to be relieved, annoyed, upset, sad, or worried. "I'll be home tonight."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
"Do you still love me?"
"Of course."
"Because you sure as hell aren't acting like it."
"I love you."
I pause, debating on saying it back. Not because I don't feel it, but because he has me so pissed he doesn't deserve to hear it. But then, of course, my imagination runs wild about what if something happens to him and this is the last time we talk and I didn't say I loved him.
Damn it.
"I love you, too."
"I'll see you tonight."
Then he hangs up, and I stick the phone out to Theresa.
She shakes her head at me. "You must really love him, because I just heard half of that conversation and he got off easy."
He did. But if he really is coming home tonight and doesn't have some brilliant excuse-which is doubtful-then I really should warn Theresa to wear noise-canceling headphones while she sleeps so all the screaming doesn't wake her.
For now, at least he talked to me.
"He'll get an earful later."
"If you say so."
"Please tell me there will be lots of chocolate at this shower."
"And presents."
Praise the Lord. "Okay … " I wiggle my fingers at her. "Please help me up."
Chapter 24
Theresa and I walk to Penny's place, since her penthouse is gorgeous and I could use the exercise. The balloons constantly bop us in the back of the head with the wind blowing around. Though I'd take this over enduring Theresa's driving. I have to cling to the "oh shit" bar for dear life and say, "Red light," "Crosswalk," and "Shitshitshitshit," whenever she cuts off a semi on the highway.
Jaycee is already there, and she gives me a giant hug when I walk in, almost as if she knows something I don't. So, of course, I immediately start my interrogation.
"Did you see Landon? Did you do reshoots or see Jace and he was there or something because you tell me right now if you know something I don't because I'm starting to freak out."
"Starting?" She chuckles, and Theresa rubs my shoulder before tying the balloons to a singular chair in the middle of Penny's sitting room.
"You'd freak out, too, if your fiancé suddenly went AWOL."
I nod vigorously, internally thanking my best friend for having my back. Jaycee peels my fingers from her forearm, which I didn't realize I had in a death grip.
"He called yesterday to schedule a reshoot for a scene, but that's all we talked about. I had no idea he'd been dodging you until Theresa invited me to an impromptu bridal shower."
The words knock the wind out of me. Hearing someone else say he's avoiding me sends blood rushing through my cheeks. My heart sounds in my ears, and I pray to the high almighty that Landon isn't leaving me. He can't be leaving me, right?
A chink of glass brings all our attentions to Penny at the bar, champagne flute filled to the rim. She sticks her arm straight out to me.
"Drink, chill, and you can Landon-bash later."
I gulp and clear my froggy throat. "How about we bash him now so I get it out of my system? Then I can love him again for the rest of the night."
Theresa takes the champagne from Penny and raises it. "Okay, I'll go first."
Penny fills three more glasses, and we all grab one and follow Theresa's lead.
"Landon Wangford, my good friend, please stop hurting my best friend and learn to use a damn phone."
"Hear, hear," I say, nodding and moving my gaze to Jaycee, who's on Theresa's left.
"And Landon," she says, "please stop singing on set, especially when you don't know the words."
A smile breaks out on my face. I didn't know he did that, and really, I don't fault him for it at all.
"Landon Wangford," Penny says with a sigh. "You need better friends."
We all raise our eyebrows at her, and she lifts a shoulder.
"What? He does. Seriously, Jace should've kicked his ass out the door and told him to go home and sleep with his gorgeous fiancée. Right? Stupid Jace and his stupid 'I don't do commitment' face."
I press my lips together and just nod. Apparently her grudge has not dissipated over the last six months since Jace broke it off. At least they're civil when we all get together.
They all turn to me, and I shake my head. "Oh right, my turn." I straighten my back, hold my flute out, and take a deep breath.
"Landon, you don't do laundry. You use my conditioner, making the shampoo/conditioner ratio jacked up. You clip your toenails in the living room. You never make the bed. You leave your socks on the floor every day. Every day. Pick up those socks! But I love you, and hell if I can't stop loving you despite all of those things. So thanks for being irresistible to the point that I can't even bash on you without remembering why I want to marry you. Damn you and your adorable flaws."
We all raise our glasses once more before tipping them back to my future husband and all his faults that I can't help but love him for.
Theresa downs her entire glass and sets it on the bar with a smile.
"Okay … time for games."
-
Theresa must've looked up bridal shower games on the Internet, because I don't think either of us has attended something like this, but she has us set for the rest of the night. Penny and I end up modeling toilet paper dresses designed by Theresa and Jaycee, we unscramble a bunch of famous couples, play what she called "Purse Brigade," which is when we win stuff if we have certain items in our pocketbooks. And now we're getting ready to play, as she so enthusiastically titled it, "Light Up the Lovers."
"I'm afraid to even ask," I say through a laugh when she pulls out a giant poster board.
"Rules are simple … I asked Landon questions-"
"When?" I shout, making Penny dump half her champagne in her lap.
"A while ago. How do you think I put this together so fast? I've been planning your bridal shower and bachelorette party since the day he slipped that beauty on your finger."
Theresa tapes the poster board against the wall. There are several colorful cards in the middle, all with a category at the top. Then there are giant pictures on each side, one of me and one of Landon, with a string of Christmas lights dangling down.
"Oh boy … "
Theresa stands back to plug in the lights, which don't go on.
"Okay," she says like it's not supposed to work, "I asked Landon to answer questions all about him. Every question you get right, I'll twist the bulb and light you up. Every question you get wrong, Landon gets a light."
"What do I get when I win?" I ask, batting a balloon Jaycee tosses at me.
"A surprise. And bragging rights." She points at Jaycee and Penny. "These are your lifelines. You can only use them once in each category, so choose wisely."
Penny tips back her flute and pours another. I better use her fast, before she's too out of her mind to be of any help.
"Okay," I say, clapping my hands and rubbing them. "I'm ready."
"Which one you want?" Theresa points to the cards.
I gaze across the categories, immediately dismissing "Parents, Pets, and Siblings" and going for the less scary "Your Body Is a Wonderland."
Theresa plucks off the top one with a grin. "Name a scar Landon has in a place that's usually hidden, and describe how he got it."
"Wow, getting personal right off the bat," I say, and Theresa shrugs with a coy grin. "Well, if it's the one I'm thinking … he has a scar on his inner thigh, really close to his lovely man jewels, and he got it from one of those stand-up roller coasters. Went down the hill and hit the bottom with a delightful pinching. 'At least it missed the goods,' " I say in my "Landon" voice.