“Do we have everything?” Jack asked Katie as he surveyed the tote bags they both had slung over their shoulders. Jack was famous for his marinated lemon pepper wings, so for the party at Grace’s he had prepacked ziplocks full of them, along with various sauces and a selection of other vegetables and meat for grilling. Katie’s contribution, as always, was picking out the rosé.

“You know, we don’t have to go,” Katie purred, lowering her bag full of wine bottles to kiss Jack. She had already tried getting him to cancel earlier, but the man loved a grill. She tossed and turned all last night thinking about her ex-love and current love coming face to face. It made her stomach actually ache.

“Mmm...we can definitely arrive fashionably late,” Jack said softly as he kissed her back. “But I do want to meet this star intern--and I have all these wings…” 

“Okay, okay,” Katie pulled back, steeling herself for the afternoon. “We’ll do it for the wings. But I don’t want to stay long--I want to have some you and me time tonight, ok?” And she meant it. She loved Jack, and she wanted to remind herself why--it had been a confusing week spending so much time around Tyler.

***

“So this is the famous Tyler!” Jack exclaimed the minute he saw Tyler standing in Grace’s kitchen. Katie thought she might be able to somehow keep them apart for at least a few minutes while she gathered her thoughts--but no such luck. 

Jack extended his hand to shake Tyler’s firmly. “Anyone who helps out Katie at work the way you did--I owe you one, man.” 

“No way--she helped me. She made the new guy look good to the boss.” Tyler shook Jack’s hand back and smiled at Katie. Jack seemed genuinely charmed by Tyler, like everyone else. Katie felt sick.

“I’m just going to grab a water and throw these bottles in the cooler,” Katie said, forcing herself to smile. “Tyler, have you seen Grace?” 

“Oh yeah, she’s out back.” Tyler pointed out the sliding door to the exterior porch, where Grace was standing over the grill in a hot pink mini dress.

Katie made her way outside to Grace. “Hey!” Katie held up her bottles. 

“Lifesaver!” Grace replied. “Let me take those.” She swiftly deposited the bottles to chill in a jumbo cooler next to the grill. Katie noticed the grill wasn’t on yet.

“You need help with that?” Katie asked, with a hint of tease in her voice.

“No, but I want Tyler to think I do,” Grace smiled back.

The two women watched Tyler and Jack through the glass door having an animated conversation inside, laughing and nodding at each other. They looked like they were meant to be best friends. Katie’s stomach turned over, making a noise.

Grace looked at her. “Aw, honey--you hungry? C’mon, let’s get you a snack.”

“I’m actually not feeling great,” Katie said. “We may not be able to stay long--”

“I know what will fix that,” Grace said.

“Pepto? A probiotic? Fiber?” Katie asked.

“Champagne!” Grace replied, half cutting her off, grabbing a nice bottle from the cooler. 

She waved it in front of her. “Oh boys! I think it’s time for a toast.”

***

Katie thought back to her first anniversary with Tyler.

“You know you didn’t have to do all of this,” she told him, gesturing towards the champagne, strawberries, cheese plate, some kind of decadent chocolate dessert, and the blanket spread out on the grass full of food in front of them, like a photo shoot from an Instagram influencer’s dream.

“I know,” Tyler said, “But I wanted to.” He picked up a strawberry and plopped it in her mouth.

Tyler poured them each a glass of the very nice champagne--into solo cups.

“There’s something about drinking fancy wine in plastic cups that just seems perfect for our relationship,” Katie said, giggling.

“What do you mean?” Tyler said, genuinely curious.

“You know...something easy on the outside, is much more...interesting underneath.” Katie said, working it out. “Also, delicious.”

“Cheers to easy but delicious,” Tyler said, pleased with himself. They clinked cups.

“Thank you,” Katie said to him.

“For what?” Tyler asked.

“Giving me that pen. Don’t think I ever said it.” Katie looked at him, full of love.

“Best decision of my life,” Tyler said, setting aside his champagne solo cup so he could pull Katie towards him. 

***

“A toast!” Grace declared in the kitchen, filling all four of their glasses with the bubbly. “To Katie,” Grace continued. “Our fearless leader.”

“To Katie,” Tyler raised his glass, “Who has great taste in boyfriends.” 

“I’ll toast to that,” Jack laughed, “And my beautiful, smart, boss of a girlfriend.” 

“You guys, I--” Katie started, embarrassed.

“Just bask in it,” Grace encouraged her best friend. “You deserve the attention.”

“I really don’t,” Katie tried to protest. But she looked around seeing all of them looking at her and said, “Just this once. Cheers.”

They all raised their glasses, clinking together and then drinking. The cool champagne again reminded her of that picnic with Tyler, and the bubbles danced in her stomach making her lightheaded. Katie looked around the kitchen and saw Grace sliding closer to Tyler, who was busy continuing his conversation with Jack.

All of a sudden, Katie felt nauseous.

“I’ll be right back,” she managed to get out, before she hurried to Grace’s bathroom.

Katie heaved into the toilet, sweating. What was going on? Could her guilt actually be making her sick? Katie flushed her face with water from the sink and took a swig of mouthwash from Grace’s cabinet while she looked at herself. 

All of these people looked up to her. She didn’t want to let them down. She had to tell the truth--to someone.