The women around the table exchanged amused glances.
“A lot,” Emily stated firmly. “If it’s all sloppy and wet, or you find out he’s a tongue-thrusting uvula plunger, that’s pretty much the end of things right there. But if that first kiss is good, it sets the tone for everything else. So, was he a uvula plunger?”
I found myself laughing. “No, he was not, and it wasn’t too sloppy or too wet, either, Goldilocks. It was . . . it was perfect.” Crap, I hadn’t meant to say perfect. That gave the whole situation way too much weight, but the word was already out there, floating gently overhead, bouncing like a balloon off everyone else’s conversation bubbles, and now they were all repeating it to each other and exchanging meaningful looks.
“‘Perfect,’ she says.”
“Oh, just nothing special. Just a perfect kiss.”
“Leo is perfect; have you seen his eyes?” someone said with a sigh.
“And this is why I never tell you people anything,” I snapped, irritation flaring. I didn’t like being teased, especially about men and my lack of romantic history. “I didn’t mean it was, like, you know, oh, perfection. I only meant that it was just the way I like it. It was a perfectly acceptable kiss by my standards.”
My lame attempt at clarification only served to fuel their teasing, and for the next fifteen minutes they interrogated me on everything from his cologne to the size of his hands. Had he gotten to second base? Was there any ass-grabbing? Did his mouth taste good? When was I going to see him again?
“For goodness’ sake, please stop. We didn’t make any plans,” I said with a groan. “I usually see him at the city council meetings, so I’m sure we’ll talk then.”
“The city council meetings are on Wednesdays. This is Friday. You have to talk to him before that. You should text him. Right now.”
“I’m not texting him. I’ll see him when I see him. Could we talk about something else now? You guys are making me perspire.”
Emily finally took pity on me, evidently seeing that I was so very over being filleted for information.
“Fine, fine, fine,” she said. “Gloria, how goes the wedding planning?”
“Fantabuloso!” Gloria said with a grin, and the talk moved on to everything matrimonial. “Everyone has been so great about pitching in to help. We thought we’d just end up grilling a few burgers in Tiny’s backyard and call it good, but it’s turning into a real reception. Buddy at the Imperial Hotel is letting us use one of the rooms at the hotel for a bargain price, and they’ve offered to reuse flowers that will be left over from a banquet the day before. Georgie Reynolds and her band have offered to play for free drinks. Most of the bars in town have donated a bottle or two of liquor, which seems like the least they can do, because Tiny is a very reliable patron. And believe it or not, April Mahoney offered me a dress that her daughter bought and never wore. Not sure if it’s bad luck to wear a dress from a bride who got dumped the week before her wedding, but hey, I tried it on, and if I do say so myself, I look divine in it.”
“You’re allowed to say that. You’re the princess of the day.” Marnie reached over and squeezed her hand.
“Tiny makes me feel like a princess every day. I’ve been so flippin’ emotional with these pregnancy hormones, and he just keeps telling me everything will be fine. He’s a saint, that man.”
“And to think I introduced you. I’m pretty proud of myself for that one.” Emily preened.
“You should be. Speaking of that, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” Gloria’s eyes started to well up. “Emily, would you be my maid of honor?”
My sister’s surprise was evident from her expression, and from the sudden sparkle of a tear in her own eye. “Oh my goodness. Of course. I’d be honored. I’d be maid of honored!” She laughed as she hopped up from her chair to give Gloria a hug, and everyone yayed and hoorayed and asked more questions about the ceremony.
We were walking home later that evening when Emily asked, “What exactly does a maid of honor do for a wedding that’s eight days away and essentially already planned? I guess I should have asked, but she caught me off guard.”