AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It was looking like the road might be filled with potholes.
12
“We brought you lunch,” Lane announced, holding up two brown paper bags. “I want all the details about your date.”
Lane and Mike were standing at Mia’s front door. She’d sent her friend a text that she was on her way home this morning after spending an additional night at the resort so she could spend more time with Grant.
Reality was heartless, however, and Mia couldn’t stay with him all weekend. She needed to get home and do a couple loads of laundry and order groceries.
Her friends showing up was quite unexpected, and Mia felt a twinge of irritation that they hadn’t called first. She had several items on her to-do list that she needed to take care of, and she hadn’t planned on entertaining anyone in her messy condo. The floors needed to be vacuumed at a minimum.
“We couldn’t come empty-handed,” Lane said when Mia stepped back to let them inside. “Because we were barging in, and we knew it was rude. Food is our bribe for all the info.”
“Sorry,” Mike shrugged with a sheepish grin. “I couldn’t talk Lane out of it, and I really wanted some wings.”
“You know where the plates are,” Mia said. They’d been in each other’s homes many, many times. “I’m not sure I have much to drink, though. Water, juice. Maybe a few sodas.”
Lane pulled a bottle of wine from one of the bags, holding it up like a trophy.
“We thought ahead and brought something, although Mike wanted beer. I shot that idea down immediately.”
Mike loved a craft beer, but Lane would always make a funny face and pretend to gag. He’d do the same to her when she would eat hotdogs with mustard.
Plates and glasses were filled, and then they all sat around the kitchen table to chat.
“Tell us all the deets. Don’t leave anything out,” Lane demanded. “We’ve been dying to find out what happened, especially since you stayed an extra day.”
“We had a nice time. It was fun.”
For some reason, Mia didn’t want to share all of the details with her friends. She hadn’t dated much since she’d run from Kevin, but when she did it never seemed like a big deal. It wasn’t…personal. With Grant, it felt private, like something she just wanted to share between the two of them. This wasn’t for public consumption.
It was special.
“It was fun,” Lane echoed. “Are you kidding? That’s all we get? We brought the good wings, and the Australian wine. We should get more than that.”
“What can I say? You took a chance, and you didn’t win,” Mia teased. “I’m not really wanting to give every little detail. We went to dinner, we went to a movie, we talked, we went for a walk on the beach. I went shopping in the little downtown area. It was lovely. We’re planning to go away together this coming weekend. Just the two of us.”
She and Grant had made the plans this morning. His family owned a cabin up in the mountains in North Carolina. She couldn’t wait to go and have some quiet time with Grant.
“You’re having a weekend away?” Mike asked. “That’s great. Where are you going?”
“Grant’s family has a cabin in the mountains. It sounds really beautiful and restful. We’re taking a long weekend up there.”
“I want to hear all about that, but I also want to know if you bought anything when you were shopping,” Lane declared. “Did you get anything good?”
“I bought a bathing suit. It’s sapphire blue. I love it.” Then she remembered what had happened afterward. “After I bought it, I ran into Grant’s ex-girlfriend in a bakery. She pretended I didn’t exist.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Lane said, almost dropping her fork on her plate. “You’re killing me here. This is juicy stuff. You met his ex? When? Where? You can’t keep stuff like this secret.”
Mia explained about what had happened at dinner that first night, and then at the bakery the next day. She’d told Grant, too, about it. He’d apologized on Ashley’s behalf, although she’d told him that she wasn’t bothered by it. She’d simply wanted him to know just in case Ashley gave him anymore trouble about dating someone.
“I bet she’s a real bunny-boiler,” Lane said when Mia was done telling the story. “You better keep away from her.”
“I didn’t get a dangerous vibe from her at all, which is funny?—”
Mia broke off, not sure she should even mention that moment of paranoia when she’d been shopping.
“What’s funny?” Mike prompted. “You have a strange expression on your face. What’s up?”
