At Last Read Free Page A

fucking troops on Normandy!”
    “Your place?” Kevin said.
    “That’s where all the wedding gifts and that fucking dress are.”
    “Not your place. So...a hotel?”
    “You got a room?” She perked up.
    “No. I wasn’t planning on sticking around. Just brought a change of clothes and my toothbrush.”
    Liz shot Kevin an unfathomable look.
    “So sue me, I wasn’t gonna stick around for the after party. My flight leaves in two hours.”
    “Well, cancel it! You’re not going anywhere.”
    “Wasn’t planning to. Not now, anyway.”
    Liz bit her lip. “Unfortunately, I already called in all the favors from guys wanting to fuck me to get rooms for Susan’s family. The rest of the city’s booked solid for some god-awful Mary Kay convention. You never saw so many fake blond housewives driving pink Cadillacs in your life.”
    An idea shimmered in Kevin’s mind. Something Tim, the loaded groomsman had said...
    “Mark maxxed out his credit cards booking their honeymoon in Cancun.”
    Liz and Kevin looked at each other with blank stares for a long beat, and then they both smiled with too much satisfaction.

Chapter 2
     
     
     
    TURNED OUT THE TICKETS for the flight to Cancun were lying right on top of Susan’s luggage. A quick call to the airline and Liz confirmed the tickets hadn’t been cancelled. After she’d called, Kevin gathered Susan’s bags and his own flimsy gym bag, and dragged them downstairs to be watched over by Lou, the building’s ancient yet all-seeing doorman.
    Susan had told him that Lou no longer opened the door, but kept a watchful, though admittedly myopic, eye on the comings and goings. And if you needed anything, he was the man to ask. He’d found Susan a date for a company retreat last year. He’d found Liz a surfboard in the middle of winter so she could live out a Beach Blanket Bingo fantasy orgy with three strapping members of the Olympic Gold Medal water polo team.
    Kevin’s request was much simpler. “Hail us a cab that will get us to the airport in record time.”
    “When you come back down, your taxi will be waiting.”
    Kevin went back upstairs and found Liz trying to get a comatose-looking Susan out of the bed and onto her feet. Kevin swooped in, scooping Susan up and carrying her to the front door. “Gotta get going if we’re all going to make it on the flight.” He gave Liz a pointed look. “We have just enough time to stop by your place so you can do a quick packing job.”
    Liz smiled wanly. “I’m not going.”
    “What!” Kevin yelled so loud Susan’s eyes almost focused as she looked right through him.
    “I’ve got Curtis Browning showing his new collection in three days. It’s guaranteed to be the highlight of the season.”
    “And that’s more important than your best friend!”
    Her look was cross. “Don’t be an idiot. Susan’s more important than some middle-aged Picasso’s second coming, but if I ever want his caliber of showing again, I have to be here. I own the gallery, Kevin, so it’s not just my job, it’s my entire future.”
    Kevin shifted his weight uncomfortably, yet never even jostled the woman in his arms. “I get it. But I don’t know if I...”
    “Of course you can,” Liz whispered, her pale blue eyes too understanding. “You love her, don’t you?”
    Kevin felt his face go slack. His mind turned blank and numb.
    “Okay, that was a low blow,” Liz said. “But you can take her down there now. I’d have to wait a week. And even if I could go down with you two now, there aren’t any flights open for four days...I checked.”
    Kevin leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling, blowing out air in a low whistle.
    “It’s only for a week, you pussy!” Liz exhorted. “Then I’ll be down to take over, so you can go have a mental breakdown or something.”
    Kevin laughed. “Mental breakdown?”
    Liz raised her eyebrow slyly, pursing her lips. “After a week of listening to her talk about losing...” Liz started