Dead Before I Do by Kat Bellemore

Author:Kat Bellemore [Bellemore, Kat]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: KB Press

* * *

The previous evening, Benji and I had discovered exactly one restaurant where we could pronounce the names on the menu. Well, most of them, anyway. It wasn’t casual dining, by any means, but it was the closest thing we’d get to it.

As we waited for the waiter to bring us our drinks, I watched Benji unfold the cloth napkin that held his utensils, then place it on his lap. Sometime in the past twenty years, he’d learned proper etiquette, something I’d never managed, and I followed suit as I placed my napkin on my own lap. I wondered if it had been Candace, his fiancée, who had taught him.

It didn’t matter, really, and I didn’t know why the thought had even presented itself. It was ridiculous to be jealous of a dead woman, but with all these new feelings toward Benji bombarding me, it was hard not to be.

When Benji glanced my way, a small smile tugging at his lips, I averted my gaze, as if by making eye contact, he’d know what had been running through my mind.

That was when I noticed a woman sitting at the next table. She was alone, and her eyes were red and puffy.

I tapped Benji’s hand, then nodded toward the woman.

“Think she’s from the wedding?” I asked, my voice low.

“Pretty good chance, I’d say.”

My thoughts of Benji and his former fiancée fled as quickly as they had appeared as I considered approaching the woman to make sure she was okay.

She glanced up and noticed me watching her.

“What?” she asked with an annoyed tone. I saw now that she had mascara streaks on her cheeks, like she’d been crying for quite some time, and strands of red hair were pulled out of her ponytail at odd angles.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I just wanted to make sure you were all right.” Before I could think better of it, I slid from my seat and into the chair directly across from her.

She looked surprised at my direct approach and wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. I couldn’t help but notice the diamond ring on her finger. It was so large, it looked like wearing it must have been quite the workout.

“I’m Maddie,” I said, sticking my hand out.

She hesitated, throwing a glance over at Benji, like she was wondering if I could be trusted. He smiled and shrugged, as if he was used to me going up to random strangers in restaurants and making myself at home.

“Amanda,” she finally said, shaking my hand. She may have thought it was the only way to get me to go away.

She was wrong, of course. It only encouraged me.

“Are you all right, Amanda?” I asked. “It looks like you’ve had a rough day.”

Amanda looked like she was on the verge of more tears when she said, “If my fiancé dying is considered a rough day, then yes, it has been.”

Okay, not a wedding ring. An engagement ring.

“How awful,” I said. “I’m surprised you even managed to come down to eat at all.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.