The One Before by Smith Miranda

Author:Smith, Miranda [Smith, Miranda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery, thriller
ISBN: 9781838889371
Goodreads: 55757621
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2020-11-02T08:00:00+00:00

Thirty-One

Madison

Our appointment was supposed to start a half hour ago, and Anne still hasn’t arrived. I’m worried; she’s usually punctual and alert, as though our consultations are the highlight of her week. I dial her number.

“I’ve been trying to call you, but there are so many patchy areas entering Whisper Falls. There’s a ton of traffic leaving Knoxville,” she says when she answers, her voice breathy and rushed. “I’m sorry for making you wait.”

“It’s no worry,” I reassure her. She’s right; reception is unreliable this far out in the country. “We’ve actually had a change of plans.”

“Oh, really?”

“Josephine won’t be joining us. She called about an hour ago complaining about stomach cramps.”

“That’s awful,” Anne says, but she doesn’t sound completely displeased. I wonder if, like me, she’d been dreading the addition of Josephine. “If you’d rather reschedule—”

“No, no. I’m happy to meet,” I say, eyeing the clock. “You’ve already driven so far. I hope the cakes haven’t spoiled.”

“They should be just fine,” she says. “And we have invitations! Be there in fifteen minutes.”

When she arrives, she doesn’t seem flustered at all. She’s carrying four boxes stacked atop one another. I love that Anne maintains poise even when she’s running behind; it gives me reassurance for the big day. She places the boxes on the kitchen counter, turns and sniffs the air. Her eyes catch the pot on the stove. “What’s this?”

“This might be our last meeting for a while. I thought I’d make you dinner, as a thank you.” Anne strikes me as the type of person who doesn’t like to make a big fuss of things, which is why I wanted to surprise her.

“That’s so kind.” She rolls up her sleeves and peers into the pot. “Now I feel worse for being late.”

“It still needs time to simmer. I’d thought we could get the planning stuff out of the way, eat and sample the cakes last.”

“Sounds delightful.” She walks into the dining room and takes a seat. “It’s a shame Josephine won’t be joining us.”

“More cake for us.” I force a laugh. “She thinks she might have suffered food poisoning, and to make matters worse, the food came from Nectar, Regina’s restaurant.”

“Oh, dear,” she says, pulling a package from her bag and placing it on the table. “Should we get started with invitations?”

“Oh, they’re here!” I hurriedly open the box, running my fingers over the perforated cardstock. All our details are in print: the date and time and location. This makes the wedding feel real, and immediate. “Anne, they’re gorgeous. Thank you for picking them up.”

“My pleasure,” she says, folding her hands on the table. “We can stuff them, then I’ll pop them in the mail on my way out of town.”

We organize our own assembly line. I stuff and seal, she stamps and addresses. The final guest list came in at just under sixty people, which mostly consists of Douglas family acquaintances. As we prepare the envelopes, we discuss the remaining details on our to-do list. Anne’s booked the band and placed an order with the florist.

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