Free The Wedding Sisters by Jamie Brenner Page B

up on the screen.
    â€œHey—everything all right?” she asked, trying not to sound breathless and finding it pathetically easy.
    â€œHi, honey. I just wanted to say congratulations again. Your father and I are just so thrilled. And I can’t wait to start planning with you. But,” Meryl paused, “I also wanted to give you a heads-up. Jo and Caroline broke up. She’s devastated.”
    â€œOh no! Is that why she didn’t show up tonight?”
    â€œApparently. I’m hearing this all secondhand from Meg.”
    Amy frowned. Of course Jo called Meg first. Jo had always idolized her eldest sister, and Meg—despite her impatience with Amy—always had time for the beautiful baby of the family.
    â€œI’ll call her in the morning. I promise,” Amy said. “Love you.”
    She hung up and set her phone to Do Not Disturb except for Jo’s mobile number. Just in case.
    â€œJo and Caroline broke up,” she said to Andy.
    He nodded sympathetically. “That sucks.”
    â€œShe’s devastated,” Amy said.
    He pulled her close. “We’re very lucky to have each other.”
    â€œI know,” she said, pulling on her T-shirt and rolling away from him.
    *   *   *
    Jo woke, dry-mouthed and overheated, under a heavy down comforter. Groggily she pushed herself up and reached for the water glass on her bedside table. It took her a few seconds to remember where she was and why, and then it all came rushing back to her. She moaned, quickly blinking away the tears that threatened to start falling again.
    She glanced at the other side of the bed. Toby wasn’t there. She groped around in the dark for her handbag and retrieved her phone.
    Finally, in a darkness broken only by the glow of her phone, she dialed Caroline’s number. It went straight to voice mail. She imagined Caroline’s phone in its purple plastic case, sitting on some strange nightstand in some strange guy’s apartment.
    â€œI can’t go through this alone,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “I can’t do this without you. What am I supposed to do, Caroline?” Starting to cry, she hung up.
    She quickly gulped down her water and stepped shakily out of bed. Tears blurring everything, she stumbled over her shoes as she wandered into the living room. Toby was asleep on one of the couches. She crouched in front of him, willing him to wake up.
    When he didn’t, she touched his arm. “Tobe?” she said.
    He stirred. “What’s wrong?”
    â€œI don’t want to be alone,” she said, voice wavering.
    He sat up, running his hand through his mop of blond hair. “Aw, Jo. It’s going to be okay.”
    â€œWill you keep me company?” she asked.
    â€œYeah, all right. God, my head hurts.”
    He followed her into the bedroom.
    Jo crawled back under the covers on her side, and Toby fell under heavily on his side. She lay flat on her back, staring into the darkness of the ceiling. “I just left her a message,” Jo said.
    â€œNot a good move,” Toby sighed. “Though, I blame myself.”
    â€œWhat? What are you talking about?”
    â€œFriends don’t let friends drunk dial.”
    â€œI’m sober.”
    â€œThen there’s no excuse.”
    She groaned, turning her back to him.
    â€œI’m trying to bring some levity to the situation,” he said.
    Her crying grew louder.
    â€œOh, Jo—come here.”
    She didn’t move, her body shaking with sobs.
    Toby rolled closer, draping an arm over her, spooning her, pulling her in tight. “I know you’re hating life right now. But it’s going to be okay, Jo. Look, how many people end up with the person they dated in college? It doesn’t happen—not in New York, at least.” He kissed the back of her head. “Try to get some sleep.”
    He moved away, and she turned, grabbing his arm. “No,