“Does Sierra want to come with me?”
What? That had come out of left field.
“I mean,” Drew continued, “I was planning on going to my sister’s and tossing the football with my nephew, Owen. You know Owen, right Sierra? He’s on the team.”
“Yeah. Of course.”
“Anyway, I thought if she wants, she can come along.” He shoved his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.
“I don’t know.” My thoughts pulled in different directions. On the one hand, it would be nice for Sierra to have a positive male figure in her life. She had her dad, but Greg wasn’t always stable and often left her disappointed. Although, who could say if Drew wouldn’t do the same? And was it smart to let her get close to him?
“Please, Mom.” Sierra copied the little girl’s look when she’d stared longingly at the Elsa costume.
“Oh, all right.”
Drew and Sierra high fived again, and I shook my head at their antics.
Fifteen minutes later, the girls and I gathered in Molly and Jocelyn’s living room. Jocelyn had retreated to the kitchen, and the sound of the refrigerator opening and closing plus the tinkling of glasses hitting each other came from that direction.
Amanda let her head fall to the back of the couch. “Do you need help in there?” She shouted like a child instead of getting up and walking to the other room and asking the same question in a volume that wouldn’t shatter everyone’s eardrums.
Jocelyn emerged carrying a tray with champagne flutes and a chilled bottle of sparkling cider.
Molly perked from her position on the floor, her gaze honing in on the tall bottle. “Does that mean what I think it means?”
Jocelyn set the tray on the coffee table, then lifted her face to meet Molly’s eyes. “Molly Jane Osbourne, it’s time to try on your wedding dress for the very first time.”
Molly clapped her hands, then jumped up to race around the table and squish Jocelyn in a tight hug.
“Careful. I’m going to need to breathe to make any alterations,” Jocelyn teased.
Molly pulled away. “I’m just so happy.” A telltale sheen appeared in her eyes, and she took a couple of rapid blinks. “I never thought…and you guys…it’s just…”
“Okay, enough of that now,” Betsy interrupted with a scowl. “Don’t make me slap the hysterics out of you.”
Molly laughed and took a deep breath. “I’m good now. No slapping required.”
“I know you haven’t picked out wedding shoes yet, but I need you to put on a pair of heels you think will be about the same height you’ll end up choosing,” Jocelyn said.
Molly chewed on her bottom lip.
“Dun, dun, dun,” Amanda and Betsy chorused.
“What’s with the face and the doom twins over there?” Jocelyn straightened. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Ummm…” Molly hesitated. “I kind of already did buy a pair of shoes for the wedding.” She ducked her head as if afraid of backlash from her announcement.
“Why am I getting a sick feeling in my stomach?” Jocelyn placed a hand at her middle.
I reached forward and opened the bottle of sparkling cider, pouring each flute about half full. “Cider?” I offered the first glass to Jocelyn to try and distract her.
“Can you go get the shoes, please?” Jocelyn asked in a controlled voice.
Molly left and came back, her shoulders hunched and gaze warry.
From my spot on the loveseat, I was able to get a peek at a pair of pristine white high-tops before Jocelyn was able to lay eyes on them.
“Jo Jo.” Her nickname slipped out of my mouth. Thankfully, she looked over. I widened my eyes at her and gave her a small shake of my head. Hopefully she got the message. This was Molly’s wedding. If she wanted to wear canvas shoes on her feet instead of a pair of bedazzled pumps, that was her choice.
