Liar's Guide to True Love (29 page)

“I talked to Robert when I got home last night,” Emma says. I know from her tone that it was The Talk, which I had thought she would wait until she got home to have in person, but I try not to react. The sooner the better, really, and I don’t want her to think that it was a bad idea. I needn’t have worried since it apparently went really well. “In fact, he’s kind of relieved,” she continues. “He’s pretty worried about a re-organization that the company is going through. He said he doesn’t need the added stress of a baby right now, much less the expense. I wish he didn’t have to be so concerned about his job, but I guess whatever the reasons, we both agree it’s not really the right time to get pregnant.” She looks thoughtful for a moment. “I thought he might be a little sad about all this, but he honestly sounded really excited for me to be working on the wedding business with you. I’ll have to be away from home more, but he’s on the road so much anyway, it’ll be nice to have work to do myself.”

“Well I can’t pay you much, even if you are a partner, but you’ll be able to have a little pocket money of your own.”

She looks at me meaningfully. “You know I’m not in this for the money, right?”

“I know.” It’s going to be great having her around.

After Emma leaves I go to my computer to check email. Nick has already written. “I miss you already,” he says, all in the subject line. I try responding to a few consulting inquiries, but I just can’t concentrate. I have a Boyfriend! And he’s someone I’m actually excited to be around and comfortable with all at the same time. Forget it, I decide. It’s Sunday and I worked hard last night.

Ten minutes later I’m pulling up in a cab outside Nick’s building, taking the chance that he didn’t change his mind when he said he’d be hanging out at home all day. When he opens the door I can tell that he is genuinely, openly happy to see me, and not just because he scoops me into his arms with the door still open for any passerby to see. There’s no guesswork with him, no evaluating every word he says, or gesture he makes. When he lets go I see that he has SportsCenter on and some paperwork strewn on the couch, as if he just jumped to get the door when I arrived. “I missed you too,” I say to him, and he grins. Will it always be this easy?

I hear a text message come in and try to ignore it, but then I hear two more alerts come in rapid succession. “Just get it,” Nick says. “Must be a bridal emergency!” He gets it, he really does.

The first message is from Kate:

The second message is from Suzanne:

The third is also from Suzanne, but only to me:

I show them to Nick, with my mouth agape. “She must be kidding,” he says. “She’s
Kate.
Or maybe it was love at first sight? I sure was smitten the first time I saw you.” He pulls me in for a long kiss.

I sigh. “I should probably go. See what this is about.”

“Obviously.” He smiles. “Let me know what happens.” We kiss again and I don’t want to stop. But I just know there will be plenty of chances for him to kiss me, the real me, the true me.

Wendy Chen is a New Yorker by birth and at heart, and is currently trying out suburban life in northern Virginia. She planned her own nuptials more than a decade ago, but still suffers from wedding nostalgia.
Liar's Guide to True Love
is her first novel, but not her last. Visit her online at www.facebook.com/wendychenbooks.

ISBN: 978-1-4268-9272-1

Copyright © 2011 by Wendy Chen

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