“You think Leo in town isn’t going to change things? We’re getting married in ten days, Joey.”

The we’re getting married soothed her a bit. “We’ll table the whole secret, obviously. Deal with everything after we get married.”

“If we get married,” Grant said, just as there was a clatter by the foyer.

“If?” She felt the same stunned terror as the night Leo pulled her from Taverna Salto.

Grant went to the door and returned holding up two pieces of their mezuzah. “Looks like I did a shitty job nailing it.” He didn’t smile.

Another time Joey would have teased him about his subpar handyman skills. Anything he tried to fix eventually collapsed. Bookshelves fell. Toilet rolls clanged to tile.

“Doesn’t bode so well for us.” He sat back down on their couch and slapped the mezuzah fragments on the coffee table. One broke into more pieces.

“Lucky we got gifted a few others,” she said with a weak smile.

He didn’t respond.

“Grant…please don’t say the if we get married thing again.”

“I don’t know.” Grant stood. He pulled her up with him, his hands drifting languidly to her hips. Gratefully, Joey sank into his chest. “I’m so sorry about your mom,” he whispered. “About Lily. I really am, Jo.” His voice broke, and she pulled him tighter even as she felt him go. Sure enough, he set her back at arm’s length. “I need to get my head straight. I’m gonna sleep at Evan’s tonight.”

“Don’t leave! Please, Grant, don’t. I won’t ever see Leo again! He asked me to meet tomorrow, you know, to discuss when to tell Dad and Lily, but I’ll tell him I can’t!”

Grant just stepped his way through the maze of shower gifts without glancing back. “Well, this Lily thing has made that all moot, don’t you think? You’re gonna have to see Leo eventually. So go ahead. Meet him tomorrow. If we’re so strong like you say we are, it shouldn’t change anything, huh?”

When Joey was left alone in the dark, she knew he was right. She had wanted to see Leo before her wedding. Before she committed. Joey might be furious at Bea, but right now that paled in comparison with her fury at herself. She’d finally put Corfu behind her, only to let it come right back through her door.

*  *  *

In the morning, no call or text from Grant. Just a reminder from her mother of their long-standing appointment for lunch and urgent wedding decisions. Joey responded I’ll be there, but please don’t think what I know now is in any sense of the word dropped. With a hazy detachment, she surveyed her puffy eyes. They begged for concealer. She indulged them.