His Favorite Shirt novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: The Date Is Mine

The owner's office was behind the front desk, with a window onto the dock and a framed photograph of the lodge in 1962.

Nolan's mother sat behind a dented oak desk and waited until Bea and I were both seated.

"The twenty-eighth is yours," she said. "I've read the contract three times. Your deposit, your date, your lawn."

"And if someone else wants it?"

"Then they need your signature, and I will not be taking theirs."

I took the invitation out of my pocket and put it on her blotter.

She read it with her lips pressed together.

"Printed six weeks ago," she said. "Six weeks ago nobody came to me and asked for a vow renewal. They asked for a quote on a wedding."

"For me."

"For you. And I said yes to you." She slid the card back across the desk. "Do you want it held here?"

"No."

It came out so fast that Bea looked at me.

"No," I said again. "I don't want a wedding on that lawn, and I don't want theirs. If they ask you, tell them the date is mine and nobody is using it."

"Good." She almost smiled. "That's what I'd have said."

The door opened without a knock, and Brielle stood in it with her hair brushed and her white sweater buttoned to the neck.

"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were in a meeting."

She sounded sorry. She looked at the invitation lying on the blotter and her expression did not change.

"Thora. I was hoping to find you."

"Here I am."

"I wanted to tell you before you heard it from someone who'd twist it." She folded her hands. "The invitations are real. I'm not going to pretend. Heath and I have talked about the vow renewal since the spring."

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