buffet, then she sent a separate text to Zoe, asking her to swing by her room when she got a chance. Five minutes later, Zoe, looking as though she’d gotten ten hours of deep sleep, arrived with a plate of croissants. When the door was shut behind her, Abigail told her everything that had happened.
“Jesus,” Zoe said. “That’s not like you.”
“I know. I don’t know what happened. I was drunk, but I wasn’t that drunk. I think … maybe I’m telling myself something. Maybe I don’t want to marry Bruce.”
“This is what I think,” Zoe said. “Don’t make any rash decisions now. Wait a few days. See what it feels like to see Bruce again. See if you keep thinking about this guy—”
“It wasn’t about him. It was romantic, but he’s married, and he’s not even my type—”
“And you don’t know his name.”
“Oh God,” Abigail said, and laughed, the act of moving her facial muscles painful. “I don’t even know his name.”
“Just don’t beat yourself up. Wait a few days and see how you feel. Maybe it did mean something, and then you can talk to Bruce.”
“It would destroy him.”
“Don’t worry about that right now. If you need to break it off, he doesn’t have to know about what happened here.”
“Okay,” Abigail said, and took a deep breath. Zoe, despite the complications of her own life, always gave great advice. Abigail held a croissant in her hand but hadn’t taken a bite. She took a small one now, flakes falling down onto her lap.
“One question,” Zoe said. “Condom?”
“Yes, we used a condom.”
“Good. He had it with him?”
“Well, it wasn’t mine. So, yes. You think it’s creepy that a married guy on a trip brings a condom, right?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“God, it is creepy, isn’t it? Did I get totally played?”
“Shh, relax. Did you have fun?”
“It was actually pretty nice.”
Better than pretty nice, Abigail told herself, but didn’t say it out loud.
“Maybe that’s all this is. You had a fling before getting married, and no one ever needs to know about it besides me. These things happen. Better now than in a year.”
“Okay. Don’t tell anyone, please.”
“Fuck you. Who would I tell?”
“I know. I just had to say it out loud.”
“I’m not telling anyone. Don’t beat yourself up about it. It happened.”
Abigail took her advice and tried not to make any decisions until she saw her fiancé. And now they were eating a normal lunch, and Bruce was so pleased to see her. She was still guilty, but maybe she’d been making too much of a big deal about it. She’d be faithful in their marriage, and this was one last moment of singlehood. For all she knew, he’d done the same thing on his bachelor trip.
Maybe because she was so relieved that the lunch was going well, Abigail drank two margaritas. Then, over coffee, and while they were splitting a slice of key lime pie, she said, without thinking too much about it, “I never heard the details of your bachelor weekend. Anything I should know about?”
He smiled, his eyes half closing. “Why? Do you have a confession to make about your trip?”
“No. I’m asking about yours. Was it a strictly guy thing, or did you all go to some strip club?”
“Puget Sound strip clubs are the best. You didn’t know that?”
“Yeah, you should have seen the Piety Hills Chippendales show. Very impressive.”
His smile was gone, and he said, “Even though we’re not married yet, I consider myself betrothed to you. I have since we first kissed. I know you didn’t feel the same way about me in the beginning, but I hope that you do now.”
“God, yes. Sorry. I was just kidding you.”
“Are you sure nothing happened in California?”
She could feel her cheeks flushing, and she hoped he thought it was simply the alcohol she’d drunk. “Zoe got a little handsy when she was zipping up my dress.”
Finally, he smiled. “Sorry I got serious. I wish I was the type of guy who didn’t worry about these things, but I’m just not. I believe in loyalty.”
“I do, too.”
After lunch she walked slowly to her apartment, starting to feel better, and realizing just how much tension she’d been holding in her body the past few days. When she got home, she felt herself missing Bruce already and called him.
“Hi,” he said, concern in his voice.
“Hey.”
“You forget something at the restaurant?”
“No. I just wanted to keep talking to you. Is that okay?”