your ass out and make sure your teeth go down your throat.”
“I can’t believe you said that.” His friend wore a surprised expression, then walked out of the room.
Richard chuckled, and then tried to remember the last time he’d gone to a barbeque. The sad part was he couldn’t remember. He better call his sister Piper and figure out what to wear. He somehow doubted his Armani suit was the answer.
Toni turned to Kayla. “It was a nightmare. Really and truly. If you think my mom is out of control, Mona Bryson takes things to an entirely new level. I wouldn’t be surprised if she has Christmas dinner catered.”
Her friend giggled. “On the bright side, you know the best in Beverly Hills.”
She paused and smiled. “Don’t kid yourself; I know a few in New York and Vegas too.”
“Why am I not surprised?”
Toni studied the other woman a moment. “Because your my best friend and you know me.”
Kayla walked over to where Toni was cutting vegetables for the salad. “I also know something else is bugging you. I think it’s because we’ve been best friends since we were fourteen and freshman.” She shook her head. “What is going on with you?”
Toni had no clue where to begin so went with the easiest answer. “Nothing’s wrong.”
“You’re such a liar and a bad one at that.” She grinned. “Pause.” Toni stopped cutting and Kayla swiped green pepper and some mushroom slices. “Resume and tell me what has you out of sorts.”
“Richard.” His name fell of her tongue in a tone similar to a whisper. She lifted her gaze from the green pepper on the cutting board and stared at her friend. “Richard is driving me crazy. I know it’s been forever since I’ve dated.”
Her friend’s expression lost its luster and she sighed. “Okay, so no man makes it past date two. You officially took yourself off the market after that jackass Donavon and devoted all your time to your charities. I got sick and you went out even less. “
“You had breast cancer and I just knew if you died you were taking Andrew with you. He was so scared. I was too; I love you so much and I didn’t know how I would go on without you. You were the only thing normal in my world, always—you’ve met my parents.” Toni struggled not to cry. Tears showed weakness and she had shed enough in Kayla’s kitchen on Thursday night to last a lifetime.
“You gave up so much for me,” her friend scolded, though she knew Kayla was grateful.
“As I recall, your mom couldn’t handle the stress and jumped into a bottle.” She wasn’t a fan of Kayla’s mom—but despite all, it was her best friend’s mom.
“That’s my mom.”
“You had stage four—I didn’t know anyone who has survived something so severe. It was the scariest time of my entire life.” She hung her head, hiked up her big girl panties within her mind and slowly exhaled while she found her inner Zen. “It’s over, you’re better, you’re married to the love of your life and you’re happy. I’m happy.”
“Something is wrong.” Kayla covered Toni’s hand still holding the knife. “This can’t be easy; getting married to a man you don’t know; you’ve already had to re-arrange your life for the year.” She gave the hand a squeeze. “Please tell me, don’t shut me out.”
She sighed heavy. “I am attracted to my husband-to-be.”
“Imagine that.” Kayla burst out laughing and stole another couple pieces of green pepper. “I think anything with a pulse would be attracted. I’m quite sure the majority of straight women would be attracted to your future husband—only it wouldn’t surprise me if a few batting for the other team crossed the line—if you get my meaning.”
Toni set the knife down. “Joke all you want, really I can take it. Seriously though. He’s more than that. I mean, he didn’t get into law either and you’ve met his dad—just like mine, you know damn well Judge Bryson took it personally.” She
“I can’t believe you said that.” His friend wore a surprised expression, then walked out of the room.
Richard chuckled, and then tried to remember the last time he’d gone to a barbeque. The sad part was he couldn’t remember. He better call his sister Piper and figure out what to wear. He somehow doubted his Armani suit was the answer.
Toni turned to Kayla. “It was a nightmare. Really and truly. If you think my mom is out of control, Mona Bryson takes things to an entirely new level. I wouldn’t be surprised if she has Christmas dinner catered.”
Her friend giggled. “On the bright side, you know the best in Beverly Hills.”
She paused and smiled. “Don’t kid yourself; I know a few in New York and Vegas too.”
“Why am I not surprised?”
Toni studied the other woman a moment. “Because your my best friend and you know me.”
Kayla walked over to where Toni was cutting vegetables for the salad. “I also know something else is bugging you. I think it’s because we’ve been best friends since we were fourteen and freshman.” She shook her head. “What is going on with you?”
Toni had no clue where to begin so went with the easiest answer. “Nothing’s wrong.”
“You’re such a liar and a bad one at that.” She grinned. “Pause.” Toni stopped cutting and Kayla swiped green pepper and some mushroom slices. “Resume and tell me what has you out of sorts.”
“Richard.” His name fell of her tongue in a tone similar to a whisper. She lifted her gaze from the green pepper on the cutting board and stared at her friend. “Richard is driving me crazy. I know it’s been forever since I’ve dated.”
Her friend’s expression lost its luster and she sighed. “Okay, so no man makes it past date two. You officially took yourself off the market after that jackass Donavon and devoted all your time to your charities. I got sick and you went out even less. “
“You had breast cancer and I just knew if you died you were taking Andrew with you. He was so scared. I was too; I love you so much and I didn’t know how I would go on without you. You were the only thing normal in my world, always—you’ve met my parents.” Toni struggled not to cry. Tears showed weakness and she had shed enough in Kayla’s kitchen on Thursday night to last a lifetime.
“You gave up so much for me,” her friend scolded, though she knew Kayla was grateful.
“As I recall, your mom couldn’t handle the stress and jumped into a bottle.” She wasn’t a fan of Kayla’s mom—but despite all, it was her best friend’s mom.
“That’s my mom.”
“You had stage four—I didn’t know anyone who has survived something so severe. It was the scariest time of my entire life.” She hung her head, hiked up her big girl panties within her mind and slowly exhaled while she found her inner Zen. “It’s over, you’re better, you’re married to the love of your life and you’re happy. I’m happy.”
“Something is wrong.” Kayla covered Toni’s hand still holding the knife. “This can’t be easy; getting married to a man you don’t know; you’ve already had to re-arrange your life for the year.” She gave the hand a squeeze. “Please tell me, don’t shut me out.”
She sighed heavy. “I am attracted to my husband-to-be.”
“Imagine that.” Kayla burst out laughing and stole another couple pieces of green pepper. “I think anything with a pulse would be attracted. I’m quite sure the majority of straight women would be attracted to your future husband—only it wouldn’t surprise me if a few batting for the other team crossed the line—if you get my meaning.”
Toni set the knife down. “Joke all you want, really I can take it. Seriously though. He’s more than that. I mean, he didn’t get into law either and you’ve met his dad—just like mine, you know damn well Judge Bryson took it personally.” She
Similar Books
