The Waiter by Bradleigh Collins (bill gates books recommendations .txt) 📕

be fightin’ over that bouquet,” she said, pointing at Katie and me.

“The only person I’m fighting is Wendy, for the last piece of fudge.” Wendy immediately chased me into the kitchen. My mom’s fudge was legendary, and every year Wendy and I fought over who would get the last piece. This year, I prevailed.

“Mom!” Wendy yelled. “You’re gonna have to start making more fudge.”

“And miss the two of you fighting over it?”

“So,” I said, sitting down next to my mom. “What did you say to him?”

“I said you couldn’t come to the phone. And then I said, ‘Merry Christmas.’ And then I hung up.”

“And then she unplugged the phone,” Wendy said.

“Thanks, Mom.”

“I haven’t seen you this happy in a long time. I wasn’t about to let him ruin it.”

“I’d be that happy too if I had this bag,” Wendy said, picking up the Chanel.

“It’s not the bag,” Mom said. “It’s the boy.”

The next day, Josh, Katie, The Waiter and I met Dana, Simon, Deb and Sean at El Azteca for dinner.

“I can’t get over this weather,” Katie said. “I can’t believe we’re sitting outside in December.”

“Welcome to the south,” Simon said.

“It’s not gonna be this warm in New York,” I said. Lucy invited Dana and Simon to the wedding. They were flying up on Thursday.

“I know,” Dana said. “I’m packing appropriately.”

“Where’s the wedding gonna be?” Deb asked.

“It’s at the Marriott Marquis. The reception will overlook Times Square and all the New Year’s Eve festivities.”

“Are her parents rich?” Sean asked.

“Very. Her dad’s an executive at the Bank of China and her mom’s a prominent artist.”

“Wow,” Deb said. “That’s gonna be some wedding. Aren’t you guys concerned about the whole Y2K thing though? I mean, being right there in the middle of Times Square?”

“Not really,” Josh replied. “I figure if the world’s gonna end when the clock strikes midnight, that’s pretty much how I wanna go out.”

“Well, speaking of signs of the apocalypse,” Deb said, “Bitchy Brenda told me to tell you ‘hello’ and that she hopes you’re doing well.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. She must’ve found Jesus or something. She’s been ridiculously nice to me ever since you left.”

I thought about the last time I was here at El Azteca and how Dalton and I had taken Brenda home. That was also the night I took Dalton back. It seemed like a lifetime ago. From where we sat on the patio, I could see the Clermont Hotel sign and the water tower on top of my old apartment building. I stared off in the distance.

“You okay, Red?” The Waiter asked.

“Yeah. I just miss home.”

“I can see why. It’s beautiful here.”

“No, our home,” I said. “I miss New York.”

CHAPTER 31

◆◆◆

“You have to stop crying!” Lucy said. “You’re going to ruin that perfect makeup I paid for.”

“I can’t help it! I’m just so happy for you guys!”

At 6:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, Lucy and Kyle said “I do” in front of two-hundred guests in the Marriott Marquis Manhattan Ballroom. The reception was now happening in the adjacent lounge, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the absolute insanity of Times Square on New Year’s Eve. I couldn’t stop crying happy tears.

“She’s already gotten some of that makeup on my tux,” The Waiter said. “She’s been like this all night.”

“Just don’t get it on that Gucci.” Lucy managed to obtain a long backless Tom Ford number on loan from the Vogue closet for me to wear as my bridesmaid’s dress.

“Don’t worry. I’ve been treating it like a newborn.”

“That’s why I couldn’t borrow anything from you,” Katie said to Lucy. “I knew I’d be too worried about it all night. I’ve already spilled champagne on this dress.”

“Twice,” Josh added. Katie was wearing a black tea-length strapless dress with a beautiful tulle skirt that made her look like a prima ballerina. I’d helped her pick it out at Macy’s.

“Lucy, this is the most amazing wedding I’ve ever been to in my life,” Dana said. “Thank you so much for inviting us.”

“I’m so glad you guys came! Now, everybody drink lots of champagne while Kyle and I make the rounds. Then we’re all dancing.”

I watched them make their way from table-to-table, greeting their guests and graciously receiving envelopes filled with cash, checks, and general well wishes for a lifetime of happiness. Lucy, the ultimate belle of the ball, floated across the room in her custom Vera Wang gown with her handsome forever prince by her side. Once again, I was crying.

I cried when she walked down the aisle. I cried when they exchanged vows. I cried during their first dance to Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind.” And now I was crying again. It was New Year’s Eve in New York, and I was surrounded by people I loved. And we were surrounded by thousands of people outside in Times Square, anxiously awaiting a new millennium.

Inside the reception, a big band was playing and a Sinatraesque singer was cooing, “It Had to Be You.” The six of us - Josh, Katie, Dana, Simon, The Waiter and I - sat down at our table just as dinner was being served.

“You think I could spot Dick Clark from here?” Simon asked as he leaned over in his chair and looked out the window.

“I don’t know how you could spot anyone in that sea of people,” Dana replied. “It’s incredible.”

“They’re all tourists,” Josh said. “Nobody that actually lives in New York crowds into the streets of Times Square on New Year’s. And you know why?”

“Why?” Simon asked.

“No alcohol,” The Waiter answered.

“Exactly,” Josh said. “They stand there for hours in the cold with no alcohol just for the slight chance they might end up on TV. You couldn’t pay me to do that.”

After dinner, the band took a break and a DJ took over. That’s when we took over the dance floor. The eight of us danced nonstop for at least an hour until the wedding planner notified Lucy it was time for the bouquet toss. All the single girls were asked to