need help?” I ask, concerned. Usually Georgie is in a fun, playful mood. But something has changed lately. She always seems tense.
“No,” she says tightly. “I’ve got it under control.”
“Okay, but… look, can I see you? For an hour? It’s important.”
Georgie sighs. “Yeah, I can meet you at four. Where’s a good place?”
When four o’clock comes around, I am getting a little jittery. I made a plan — a big, grand plan — and now I need Val’s best friend to weigh in and help assure me this is a good idea.
Georgie runs down the sidewalk, clearly in a hurry. “Hey, Vance, it’s been a few weeks.” She gives me a hug. I take a good look at her. She looks like her normal self, no red flags in that department. Still, I give her an extra-long hug.
“What’s that about?” she asks.
“I just worry about you,” I say. “I think Val is worried too.”
Georgie frowns. “When did you talk to Val?”
I swallow. Hard. “We need to talk, Georgie.”
She’s wearing a pair of overalls and her curly blonde hair is pulled up on the top of her head. She has new freckles on her face that she only gets when she’s out in the sun. What has she been up to? And why is she being so secretive?
But she isn’t interested in talking about herself. “Be honest, Vance, what’s wrong? You look… wait. Why did you want to meet here?” She looks around the downtown sidewalk, trying to figure out why we’re here.
Across the street is an antique store. “Look,” I say to my sister. “I need your advice.”
She twists her lips. “I can count the number of times you’ve wanted my advice. You’re kinda freaking me out.”
“Well you’re freaking Val out. She is worried about you, and honestly, so am I.”
“Don’t be. I’ve got it all under control.”
“You’ve got what under control?” I press.
“Can we just please focus on you?”
I look at the time on my phone. “We need to go.” I drag her across the street with me.
“The antique store?” She frowns.
“I need a piece of jewelry. For Val.”’
Georgie’s eyes bug out. “For what?” she shrieks.
“I’m going to marry her, Georgie.”
“Seriously?” Georgie laughs. Shaking her head. Shocked. “God, I thought something bad had happened. This is… this is… oh God. Does she have any idea?”
“An inkling,” I say with a grin.
“I can’t believe you’ve been dating and somehow kept this a secret.”
I tense. “Actually, we haven’t been.”
Georgie frowns as we walk inside the store. “What, so you mean you haven’t been dating?”
“I don’t need to date her to know.”
“Know what?”
I smile, confident and at peace. “To know that I love her.”
Valerie
When Georgie enters our apartment, I’m mostly naked and deciding between two dresses. “Which one, the red or the pink?”
She purses her lips together and pushes around the hangers in my closet. “I think this blue one. It makes your eyes look good.”
“Uh, okay,” I say laughing as she pulls out a bottle of champagne from her purse. “What’s that for?”
“What? A little pre-date champs is nothing out of the ordinary.”
I narrow my eyes. “How did you know I was going on a date?”
She laughs, uncorking the bottle. “A lucky guess. Anyways, since when are you one to turn down champagne?” She pours us each a glass and we clink the rims together. She frowns. “You need to get those nails done.” She isn’t wrong — my purple polish is chipping.
“Right, because I have the money for that.”
“Let me,” she says, plucking a blush nail polish from my dresser.
“You’re in a good mood,” I say slipping the blue dress over my head.
“I miss you,” she says, taking my hand. “I know I’ve been busy lately.”
“Where have you been?” I ask.
She shrugs, slowly running the polish over my pinky. “Can we talk about you right now?”
I laugh. This is why I love Georgie. She has a big personality and an even bigger heart. “Fine. But… I need to tell you something.”
She bites her bottom lip. “Yeah? What is it?”
“Well… actually… I don’t want you to be upset but… the date tonight? It’s with Vance.”
She sets down the polish and claps. “Oh my God! It’s about time!”
I laugh. “What do you mean?”
“I mean you’ve been in love with him since forever, Val.”
“You knew?”
She tilts her head, shaking it. “You’re my best friend, of course I knew.”
“And you don’t mind?”
“Why would I? I love my brother and I love you. I couldn’t be happier.”