We’ve played two games, and we’re halfway through our third, after Alex and I beat Ethan and Jen in the first game, and Ethan decreed another game was in order. Ethan and Jen won the second one. At which point, both AlexandEthan decreed a rubber match was necessary.
Alex turns down the ten of spades on top of the kitty, which is a relief. I have a handful of hearts and diamonds. Next up is Jen.
“Pass,” she says.
I pass, then Ethan does. Alex calls hearts trump, andmyheart does a little leap. I’m so tired, but I’m not too tired to want to win, even if the prospect of victory isn’t quite as gripping as it seemed when we first decided on this vacation and I made Alex promise me we’d crush them.
Jen leads with a king of clubs. No clubs in my hand, I can ruff it. I throw off a queen of hearts, so Alex knows I have a decent bit in my hand, and hopefully so that Ethan, if he’s also out of clubs, can’t outtrump my trump.
Ethan has clubs, and Alex throws off a low diamond, letting my trump win the trick for us. Alex sweeps up the cards, setting them beside him with a snap, and nods my way.
Just as I’m about to lead with an ace of diamonds, Jen blurts, “Ethan and I have to tell you something.”
Alex and I peer up, glancing from her to Ethan. Ethan’s looking at her with an expression I’ve never seen on him before, can’t put my finger on, a soup seasoned with so many flavors that nothing’s discernible.
Jen glances between us. “We asked you to come here because… we’re going to get married this week on the beach.”
Ethan’s still watching her, saying nothing.
I stare at him, searching for some clue to guess what he isn’t saying, what’s happening in that brain of his.
Jen smiles at him, then at us. “We haven’t told Mia yet. Just that we’re going to have a special day and wear special dresses.”
Alex draws in a breath, looking over at Jen. “Whenareyou going to tell her?”
Jen looks to Ethan.
Ethan finally speaks up. “We thought the night before would be wise. To diminish the… anticipation? Mia doesn’t seem to handle waiting for things very well.”
Alex throws Ethan a scathing glare. “You mean she ‘handles waiting’ like a kid who gets excited about the things she’s looking forward to?”
Ethan shrugs. “Sure.”
I rest my bare feet on Alex’s below the table, then hug his calves between my ankles. Touching to touch. Telling him I’m here. Reminding him that Ethan isn’t worth getting fired up for.
Alex meets my eyes and exhales slowly, then turns to Jen to make it clear he isn’t speaking to Ethan as he says, “Thank you for telling us.”
My heart clutches. He saidus.
Jen glances back and forth between Alex and me. “You don’t seem… surprised? Not that I wanted you to be, I just…”
“Mia,” I explain. “She was very excited about her new white dress and the ‘special occasion.’?”
“Oh.” Jen smiles. “I should have thought about that, that she’d be eager to tell you. Would you please keep this between us?” she says to me, then turns to Alex. “Until I tell her?”
“When do you plan to tell her?” Alex asks again.
“The night before,” Jen says, smiling over at Ethan. “Thursday night. We’ll get married on Friday morning.”
Ethan smiles, reaching across the table, clasping her hand. “Friday morning,” he says.
Alex and I meet eyes across the table, feet still touching beneath it. He throws me a wink that reminds me of his dad, that makes me smile. I wink back the only way I can, a clumsy double blink.
Alex grins, then peers down, focused on his cards.
“Your lead, Ted,” he reminds me.
I throw out the right bower, the jack of hearts, so he knows I have it and he doesn’t have to worry about Ethan or Jen having it in their hands. As I do, I sense it in him, despite his excellent poker face, the relief, the confidence. With this trick in the bag, he knows, based on his remaining cards, that we’re going to take a third trick, get the point we wanted, and with that, win.