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Bridget said.
    â€œWe ran into Eduardo on Christopher Street,” Natalie told me.
    When I’d returned to work after my first night with Jean, Eduardo had looked at me, put his hands on hiships and declared, “B.D., I’m glad to see you finally have that W.L.L.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œWell Laid Look. It’s clear what you did last night.”
    I didn’t have to say anything; my flaming face said it all.
    Now, at the brunch table, I felt my face go red again.
    â€œCome on, B.D.,” Bridget said. “Spill. Who is she? Where did you meet her? What does she look like? And when do I get to meet her?”
    â€œYou won’t be able to,” I said. “She’s already gone back to England.”
    â€œI’ve found an ocean to be very useful in terms of managing a relationship,” Maxine remarked.
    I ignored her. “Her name is Jean,” I said. “She lives in London, and was here on vacation. I met her in the subway.”
    â€œYou picked up someone in the subway?” Clearly, Natalie did not approve.
    â€œActually, Jean picked me up,” I said.
    â€œB.D., I’m very happy for you,” Bridget said. “It’s a shame that it was just a fling.”
    â€œWhy?” Maxine asked. “What’s wrong with a fling? I have them all the time.”
    â€œThat’s fine for you,” Bridget said. “but I’d like to see B.D. with someone who will stick around.”
    I thought I knew why. Bridget assumed that if I were involved with someone, my crush on her would disappear. She was wrong, of course. My experience with Jean made me want Bridget all the more. As Erica had suggested the night of our Scotch-tasting adventure, I was in training, preparing myself for the marathon that really mattered. Jean had been a sprint; I was ready for a longer race.

Chapter 9
    The white limousine stopped in front of the McKnight house. It wasn’t the home Bridget had left when she was seventeen; the McKnights had moved since then. Eduardo and I walked up the cement path to the door with its fake forsythia wreath. Mrs. McKnight opened it before we could ring the bell. “Nancy can’t decide which earrings to wear,” she said, ushering us inside.
    â€œI thought we all agreed on the diamonds,” I said.
    â€œYes, but last night at the rehearsal dinner her grandmother gave her a pair of pearl earrings.”
    I caught a glimpse of a porcelain figurine-filled living room as I started up the stairs to the second floor. It could have passed for a Lladro museum.
    â€œHurry up, B.D.,” Eduardo muttered. He loathed Lladro.
    Nancy looked very nice in the dress Natalie had selected for her. Her hair and makeup had been professionally done. After she tried on both pairs of earrings for me, I suggested that she stick with the diamonds as we had originally planned.
    Bridget was already at the church. Natalie had not been invited. “My mother was freaked out when sheheard I would be wearing a tux,” Bridget had told me. “I didn’t want to have to deal with her reaction if I asked to bring my girlfriend.”
    When we arrived at the church, I was pleased to note that Bridget looked as good as I had imagined she would. I didn’t get a chance to compliment her, for she was talking to the wedding guests.
    Everyone was finally seated and the ceremony began.
    Because of my job, I’ve been to more weddings than most people. Yet I still find the wedding itself, whether in a church or synagogue, backyard or country club, to be very moving.
    When the pastor asked Nancy if she took Scott to be her lawfully wedded husband, I wasn’t the only one who held my breath for what seemed to be an interminable interval. After Nancy said, “I do,” the entire bridal party, including the bride and groom, as well as the congregation, seemed more relaxed.

Chapter 10
    Being subservient can get on your nerves. I closed the