I carefully gathered up the mess of napkins and rolling them in another to keep from spilling everywhere. “It doesn’t matter. He just did it to get Andrew to go away. It didn’t mean anything.”
“Honey, a man doesn’t kiss you and then take you on a weekend getaway if he doesn’t want it to end up with more kissing,” Ember said. She’d been in a relationship since high school, not a serial dater like I was or a dater-avoider like Layla, so we mostly deferred to her when it came to the opposite sex.
But she was wrong about this. “Not Liam. He didn’t try anything else afterwards and we talked about it.”
Layla jabbed her finger in my direction. “You’re in complete denial, but we’ll circle around to that.” Her face fell and I reached for her hand on the table.
“What’s wrong? Here I am blathering on and I haven’t even asked how you guys have been.”
“Mymother. I can’t believe I still let her get to me, but you know I’ve been applying to the internship at Thornhill? Well she called to tell me the other day if I insist on keeping my major in education that I can forget any financial assistance for senior year and not to even think about asking her for help with graduate school.”
Layla’s mom was a straight bitch. She was a living testament to why I never bothered looking for my own. Whereas mine abandoned me, hers never lets up. My phone rings, but I don’t recognize the number, so I send it to voicemail and shift my attention back to Layla.
“Now you’re the one who needs to listen. You don’t need to live your life according to what she wants. She doesn’t get a do-over. You deserve to be happy,” I told her.
Layla took a deep drink from her wine and signaled for another. “I hear what you’re saying, but that’s a whole lot easier to say than to do.”
“One step at a time, sweetheart. You have to cut those strings at some point,” Ember said.
“And just when are you going to realize when you don’t have to take care of your brothers and that it’s your parent’s job?” I asked Ember.
“Not up for discussion,” Ember said. “Besides, my twin terrors are a hell of a lot less of a pain in the ass than Layla’s mother and Liam put together.”
I giggled and slurped down the rest of my third sangria. “Look who can dish it, but can’t take it.”
Layla was giggling, too, her cheeks flushed. “I think we’ve opened enough wounds for one Girl’s Night.”
“Yeah, but I always feel so much better after,” Ember lifted her glass in a toast.
Layla and I touched ours to hers. “I’d say we should do it more often, but you two ladies drink too much,” Layla said, then polished off her wine.
I did the same with my own. “Way too much,” I said with faux graveness.
We were still laughing as we stepped out into the chilly night air. Their Uber was waiting by the entrance and I gave them a hug and helped them into the back seat.
“Text me when you get home, okay?” I said as I waited for them to buckle up.
“Yes, mom,” they both said.
“You too,” Ember added sternly, ever the mother hen.
“I will,” I promised. I waved at their smiling faces in the back window as the Uber pulled away.
I may have had to concentrate extra hard on my way to the bench at the front of the restaurant. Remembering I promised to text Liam when I was done, I pulled out my phone and fumbled with the lock screen.
Me: I’m reaaaadddyy.
It only took a few seconds for Liam to respond.
Liam: Omw
I wanted to think it was the sangria, but the delicious anxiety I felt had nothing to do with having too much to drink. It was Liam. All Liam. The cool breeze laden with the scent of grease from a burger joint nearby did little to combat the flush in my cheeks. I had to get a grip on myself before I did something stupid.
Like kisshimthis time.
Talking myself out of my nerves wasn’t helping, so I decided I needed to walk it off. As soon as I stood up, the blood seemed to drain from my head and I swooned, reaching out a hand to grip the back of the bench before I stumbled and fall face-first into the concrete.
But I didn’t.
