Lucky Fall Read Free

It’s more than that when he’s staring at you like you’re the last bagel in Manhattan.” Libby should write a book called Libbyisms—she had a million sayings no one else was likely to get. She leaned in, lowering her voice, “Don’t let his betrayal impact your self-esteem.”
    My jaw dropped. “How can it not? What’s worse than your husband trading you in on your fortieth birthday for a twenty-year-old?”
    Libby smiled crookedly. “He could have traded in for two twenty-year-olds and gotten even change for his money.”
    I almost spat out my wine as a result of my completely unladylike laugh. Libby could always lift my spirits.
    Then the birthday cake came and all I could do was scowl. It looked like a floating, blazing inferno with all the colorful glowing wax sticks perched on it. I counted quickly. Forty fucking candles… Was she crazy?
    “I hope you got the fire marshal’s approval for this,” I said. I noticed that even the waiter was holding it nervously away from his body before he set it down with apparent trepidation in front of me. I felt the heat on my face like I was in front of a roaring fire, but there was nothing cozy about his cake.
    “I thought it would be fun,” Libby said, clapping her hands.
    I shook my head. I blew out the candles, hoping I had enough breath in my lungs for this exercise in embarrassment. I didn’t. They all flickered, went out then came back on.
    Libby giggled with a child-like glee. “Trick candles.”
    I shot her a venomous glare. “You know I’m forty-three and not three, right?”
    “Sorry, it might have been too much,” she said, looking contrite.
    I couldn’t stay mad at her. She had spent too many nights pulling me out of dark places. A person has to be willing to go to hell to save someone from it, and Libby had done that for me.
    “Help me out before we burn the place down,” I said, putting my arm around her. We managed to blow out all the candles after three attempts.
    A heavy, festively wrapped box was thrust upon my lap. I looked up to see Jeff standing there, running his hands through his thinning hair, covering the beginnings of a steep widow’s peak. “I was in charge of buying the present. I hope you like it.”
    I smiled. “You guys shouldn’t have gotten me anything.” The dinner was extravagant enough and the last thing I wanted was a present.
    “ We didn’t. That’s from Jeff,” Libby said.
    “Thank you.” I was both surprised by and uncomfortable with the gesture. I carefully tore through the wrapping paper, ripping at the corners.
    Libby leaned in, whispering in my ear, “I bet you wish you were unwrapping Mr Tall, Dark and Sexy back there.”
    I giggled, shaking my head and tore off more of the paper. As soon as I read the flourishing script on the box, I decided to refrain from opening the whole thing.
    “It’s very nice. Thank you so much, Jeff,” I said, hoping it sounded sincere.
    Libby peered over my shoulder to get a better look. “I don’t even know what it is.”
    “It’s a doughnut maker,” Jeff responded with pride. “I know how much she loves doughnuts and now she can make her very own.”
    I wondered for a moment why he thought that before I remembered. We’d discussed our favorite pastries for some reason during a lull in his complaints about his family. I realized he’d purchased this with sincerity, and possibly as a way to create the pretense of a deeper relationship than existed. In an odd way, it was touching.
    “You bought her a doughnut maker? She doesn’t even know how to bake cookies for God’s sake.” Libby’s voice rang out, halting all side conversations at our table.
    Jeff turned beet red, making the wide expanse of his forehead more noticeable.
    I shot Libby an admonishing glance. “It’s a very nice present, and I’ll treasure it. I’ll learn how to use it and make you all doughnuts.”
    Libby tapped her long nails against the table. “Yeah, I’ll believe it when I see it.