Chapter Twelve
When Megan went downstairs, Megan’s mother was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping her coffee and eating a piece of dry toast while looking over several papers. That had been Nicole Westminster Vandemeer’s breakfast for as long as Megan could remember, which was one of the many reasons why she still wore a size two dress. Megan, on the other hand, was a size eight, a huge disappointment to her mother.
She gave Megan a slight glance before returning her attention to the papers. “Megan, we have a very busy day ahead of us. Perhaps you could run upstairs and get ready?”
Megan, who’d been refilling her coffee cup, stopped mid-pour. “I am ready.”
The bridge of her mother’s nose wrinkled as she gave Megan a scrutinizing glance. “Really?”
Megan set the cup down on the counter. “What’s wrong with how I look?”
Her mother’s eyebrows rose, and she released an exasperated sigh. “We need to make a hair appointment for you at the salon. Honestly, I thought you would take care of it in Seattle before you came.” She picked up her phone. “I only hope they can fit you in.”
“I had a haircut three weeks ago.”
Her mother released an exasperated huff as she searched through her contacts without even looking up at Megan. “How about we start with the color? It lacks depth. We’ll want highlights to show off your waves when we put it up for the wedding. And it wouldn’t hurt to ask them to do a dry run for your up-do.”
“I want to wear my hair down,” Megan said. She wondered why she was wasting her time arguing the point when there wasn’t going to be a wedding. Maybe she was just tired of letting her mother railroad everything.
Her mother pursed her lips and tensed her shoulders in irritation. “Megan, we discussed this.”
“No, Mom. You discussed this, or to be more accurate, you dictated it to me and I just went along with it to keep the peace.”
Her mother gasped. “Megan Nicole, what on earth has gotten into you? Why can’t you just be compliant?”
“Maybe I’m tired of being compliant.”
Her mother waved a manicured hand covered in glittering rings. “Don’t be silly, darling. Now run upstairs, change your clothes, and put on some makeup.”
“I am wearing makeup!”
“Obviously not enough. Maybe they like the natural look in that rainy, brooding, mold-encrusted place you live in, but you’re home now and you’re getting married in three days. What will people think, Megan? Honestly. Now stop acting like a petulant child and do as I say. I’ll have your amended itinerary ready for you when you get back downstairs. As it is, I’m reshuffling everything since your father dragged Josh off to his office.”
“Yeah, I saw the itinerary. Don’t you think it’s a bit much?”
“You obviously need it. Now go. And check on your grandmother while you’re up there. She’s coming with us. Yesterday we were almost late picking you up from the airport because she refused to get dressed.”
Megan didn’t even try to hold back the laughter as she walked up the stairs.
“Gram, are you dressed?” she asked, knocking on her grandmother’s door.
“Not because I want to be,” the woman muttered as she opened the door. “I can’t untie this knot with my arthritis.” She motioned to Megan’s robe.
Megan flashed an apologetic grin. “Sorry about that. You freaked Josh out. I had to make sure you wouldn’t accidently flash him again.”
“He’s already seen it all.”
“So he said.”
“You need to loosen that boy up.”
“So you said, but look at it this way, Gram—he’s about to commit himself to me for the rest of his life, and you’re showing him everything he’s giving up.” She gave a half-shrug. “It’s a bitter reminder of the fact that he’s stuck with me.” The statement was for her grandmother’s benefit, but she’d spent plenty of time brooding about whether Josh had rejected her for that very reason. This morning he seemed reluctant to leave her side, which made her re-evaluate her reasoning. Had Josh McMillan left her sexually frustrated because he was a gentleman? She’d been too embarrassed to even entertain the idea the previous night, but now it rang true.
The older woman patted Megan’s cheek. “He’s lucky to have you. And I’m only giving him a glimpse of what he’ll get in about fifty years.”
Megan smiled as she reached for the belt and began to work on the knot. “Mom says you have to get dressed so you can come with us.”
“I’d rather have a colonoscopy.”
“Do it for me, Gram. She’s extended her claws today.”
“When doesn’t she have her claws extended?” But the older woman’s frown softened as she studied Megan’s face. “Fine, I’ll go, but only for you. And it’s my constitutional right to wear whatever I want.”
“The key part of that is wear. You have to wear something.”
Megan’s grandmother looked up at her, her face beaming as if a particularly exciting idea had occurred to her. “Not to worry. I’ll wear something.”
“I’ve seen that look before—” Megan finished untying the belt and flashed the older woman a grin, “—and I approve.”
“Ha! I’ll meet you downstairs in about fifteen minutes.”
Megan had no desire to wait downstairs with her mother, who would only continue to bully her about her outfit, so she went into her bedroom and grabbed the two itineraries on the dresser. She sat down on the freshly made bed and opened each cover, flipping to Thursday and then Friday. Josh had been right. He was scheduled for a mani-pedi tomorrow. Ironically enough, Jay would have appreciated how organized the itinerary was . . . not to mention the spa time. Josh, on the other hand, was obviously as horrified as she was. Not that there was any point in comparing the two. Jay was gone—good riddance—and Josh was going to break up with her tonight. She would probably never see him again.
The thought was like a knife driving straight into her gut.
Her cell phone rang and she jumped, digging it out of her purse and then cursing under her breath. The power was at twenty-six percent. She’d forgotten to charge it. Then she saw who was calling and cursed again.
“Hello, Blair.”
She was silent for a half-second. “I called to apologize. I came on too strong last night.”
Megan couldn’t stifle her gasp.
“Yeah, I know,” Blair grumbled. “It’s as rare as finding a leprechaun under a double rainbow.”
“Actually, rarer.”
“Nevertheless, I’m sorry. I just love you too much to see someone else hurt you. I feel partially responsible for not cold-cocking your ex when I visited you in Seattle last February.”
Megan laughed. “I found out he was cheating on me after your visit. What grounds would you have had to justify that in February?”
“For breathing and taking oxygen away from worthier creatures. Like slugs. Or lice.”
Megan’s chest burned with gratitude and love. “Thanks, Blair. I love you, too.”