back once. So you’d do it again, if you had to.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I did come back.”
Bev set her elbows on the bar and directed her focus on Libby. “You said you talked to Dr. Bull.” Her eyebrows lifted and the gleam in her eyes said she wasn’t about to let it drop. “What’d you say to him? I’m dying to know.”
Libby sighed. Talking about Dave sounded depressing. Then again, maybe it would be good to hash out that conversation. “I told him I quit and that I was working at the stables. He wasn’t too happy. No surprise there. To be honest, he was such a jerk that I also asked him to postpone the wedding.”
“Oh my gosh!” Bev’s jaw dropped, her mouth forming the perfect O . “You postponed the wedding? What was his response?”
“I stunned him. You know, by speaking my mind. I can’t believe I kept quiet all those times he pushed me to do things I really didn’t want to do.”
“Well, it’s about time you let him know what you think.” Bev’s harrumph sounded more like a snort. “Libby, if you’re planning on spending the rest of your life with him, he’s got to know what you’re really like.”
“I honest to God am coming to believe he thinks of me as some kid without any sense.” Libby picked up her beer and stared into the glass as if the amber liquid held the answers to her problems. “That I’ll meekly accept anything he says as gospel,” she added a second later. She took a long draft and shook her head. “He won’t be making that mistake again.”
“Good for you.” Bev clapped her hands and practically jumped up and down.
“I’m not even sure I want to get married. I thought Dave was the one when I said yes, but too much has happened since then to change my mind.” With all these doubts, canceling seemed the best thing to do, but then her trip to the past came to mind and she looked at it from a different angle. Bev was right. Dave had no clue as to what she was really like because Libby had never stood up and let him see the real person. That thought only depressed her more.
“I’m sure he didn’t like that. Dave’s never struck me as the kind of guy who lets a little thing like his bride’s reluctance get in his way,” Bev warned.
“He will if I dig in my heels and say no. I’m part of the couple, I just realized. If he wants to talk about our future, not just his, I’m willing to listen.” Libby crossed her arms, unwilling to yield on this stipulation. “I was pretty clear about not accepting that my wants and needs are taking a back seat to his. There are two of us.”
“My sentiments exactly.” Bev slammed down her empty beer mug. “I hope you stick to your guns.”
“When I think of it all I get so mad at myself. I can’t believe I was so na ive as to change who I am to please him.” The idea set off a nerve and anger filled her all over again. No wonder he made all the decisions.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. He’s your first love, so you have no one to compare him to. Now that you have a firmer grasp on you, he’ll come around. That is , if you want him to.”
Libby blew at her bangs and nodded. “Yeah, you’re absolutely right.” She set her empty glass next to Bev’s , wondering how her life got so mixed up in just a few short days.
Giorgio set a separate check in front of each of them. “Don’t stay away so long next time.”
Libby smiled and thanked him, paying no attention to her friend’s usual bantering.
Bev’s lips curled into a pout. “Giorgio, if you keep making goo-goo eyes at my friend, I’m going to think you don’t love me anymore.”
Giorgio laughed in obvious enjoyment. “I told you, sweetcakes, I have a big heart. You name the time and place and I’m yours.” He then reached across the bar to take Bev’s face in his hands and gave her a big, noisy kiss before striding away like a peacock.
Hiding her smile, Libby turned to leave. Bev was usually immune to guys and their come-ons,
“Yeah, you’re right. I did come back.”
Bev set her elbows on the bar and directed her focus on Libby. “You said you talked to Dr. Bull.” Her eyebrows lifted and the gleam in her eyes said she wasn’t about to let it drop. “What’d you say to him? I’m dying to know.”
Libby sighed. Talking about Dave sounded depressing. Then again, maybe it would be good to hash out that conversation. “I told him I quit and that I was working at the stables. He wasn’t too happy. No surprise there. To be honest, he was such a jerk that I also asked him to postpone the wedding.”
“Oh my gosh!” Bev’s jaw dropped, her mouth forming the perfect O . “You postponed the wedding? What was his response?”
“I stunned him. You know, by speaking my mind. I can’t believe I kept quiet all those times he pushed me to do things I really didn’t want to do.”
“Well, it’s about time you let him know what you think.” Bev’s harrumph sounded more like a snort. “Libby, if you’re planning on spending the rest of your life with him, he’s got to know what you’re really like.”
“I honest to God am coming to believe he thinks of me as some kid without any sense.” Libby picked up her beer and stared into the glass as if the amber liquid held the answers to her problems. “That I’ll meekly accept anything he says as gospel,” she added a second later. She took a long draft and shook her head. “He won’t be making that mistake again.”
“Good for you.” Bev clapped her hands and practically jumped up and down.
“I’m not even sure I want to get married. I thought Dave was the one when I said yes, but too much has happened since then to change my mind.” With all these doubts, canceling seemed the best thing to do, but then her trip to the past came to mind and she looked at it from a different angle. Bev was right. Dave had no clue as to what she was really like because Libby had never stood up and let him see the real person. That thought only depressed her more.
“I’m sure he didn’t like that. Dave’s never struck me as the kind of guy who lets a little thing like his bride’s reluctance get in his way,” Bev warned.
“He will if I dig in my heels and say no. I’m part of the couple, I just realized. If he wants to talk about our future, not just his, I’m willing to listen.” Libby crossed her arms, unwilling to yield on this stipulation. “I was pretty clear about not accepting that my wants and needs are taking a back seat to his. There are two of us.”
“My sentiments exactly.” Bev slammed down her empty beer mug. “I hope you stick to your guns.”
“When I think of it all I get so mad at myself. I can’t believe I was so na ive as to change who I am to please him.” The idea set off a nerve and anger filled her all over again. No wonder he made all the decisions.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. He’s your first love, so you have no one to compare him to. Now that you have a firmer grasp on you, he’ll come around. That is , if you want him to.”
Libby blew at her bangs and nodded. “Yeah, you’re absolutely right.” She set her empty glass next to Bev’s , wondering how her life got so mixed up in just a few short days.
Giorgio set a separate check in front of each of them. “Don’t stay away so long next time.”
Libby smiled and thanked him, paying no attention to her friend’s usual bantering.
Bev’s lips curled into a pout. “Giorgio, if you keep making goo-goo eyes at my friend, I’m going to think you don’t love me anymore.”
Giorgio laughed in obvious enjoyment. “I told you, sweetcakes, I have a big heart. You name the time and place and I’m yours.” He then reached across the bar to take Bev’s face in his hands and gave her a big, noisy kiss before striding away like a peacock.
Hiding her smile, Libby turned to leave. Bev was usually immune to guys and their come-ons,
Similar Books
