Jimmy said, “All right!” at the same time that Sandrine said, “We’re good, thanks!” And the waitress only heard Sandrine and hustled away, calling, “Okay!”

Sandrine watched the waitress leave. And Jimmy watched Sandrine watch the waitress leave. And when Sandrine turned back to Jimmy, she was met with Jimmy’s hopeful mug and a question. “So … what do you say?”

“Huh?—Oh, um—”

“You wanna come over, for fun?”

“No, Jimmy. I can’t. I can’t. I really gotta get back with the girls.”

“Naw—”

“Yeah, Jimmy, yeah,” she said, standing. “I gotta. ’Cause, see…” She blew air out through her cheeks as if she was about to do something really difficult, like deadlift a lot of weight. “Oh, gosh.” She laughed a little and then continued. “I’ve been meanin’ to tell you this for a while…” And she looked her ex-boyfriend right in the eye and confessed, “There’s a guy, Jimmy. I’ve got a guy.”

Jimmy felt like he was going to throw up. Or pass out. Or both.

He had totally forgotten to consider the fact that Sandrine might have met someone else.

“Oh,” he said, trying not to let on how completely devastated he was.

Sandrine nodded apologetically. And she had much more to say. But she couldn’t say it. Because she didn’t want to hurt Jimmy any more than she felt like she already had.

And Jimmy didn’t want to let Sandrine know how hurt he was by this news. So he stepped up and forced himself to handle it like a champ.

“Well … good for you,” he said, mustering a smile, and quoting Mrs. Roy. “Gettin’ yourself out there again. Movin’ on.”

Sandrine said, “Yeah.” And almost left it at that. But that wouldn’t have been the whole truth. And she needed to tell him the whole truth.

So she did.

“Um—Jimmy,” she began gently. And then she paused and braced herself for what his response would be to what she was about to tell him. “It’s actually more than me just gettin’ myself out there and movin’ on. Um … this is my…” She looked toward the front of the Moose Paddy and then back to Jimmy, and then finally came out with it. “This is my bachelorette party.” She smiled and shrugged. And gestured toward the front. And Jimmy didn’t seem to be comprehending. So she added, “I’m gettin’ married.”

The words hit Jimmy like a slow-motion left hook to the face. And a right jab to the gut.

Sandrine smiled weakly and shrugged apologetically.

And then she showed Jimmy her engagement ring.

Seeing the ring hit Jimmy like a slow-motion right hook to the face. And a left jab to the gut.

And he felt like he was falling. Even though he was sitting.

And felt again like he was going to pass out.

Or throw up.

Or both.

And he looked so sad—like he was never going to feel any kind of happiness again. Ever.

And Sandrine couldn’t bear to see him looking so sad. That’s why she had left Jimmy by slipping away in the middle of the night. It’s really hard to tell someone who loves you that you don’t love them back. It’s easier to just disappear. So you don’t have to see their sadness. So that’s what she did. It was her way.