For a moment, the weight of sadness drags me down. “Are you doing okay? How’s the new medication?”
Her eyes stay as bright as ever, and a rosy glow highlights her freckled cheeks. “I’m doing amazingly. The new research and treatment seem to be on the right track.”
“That’s amazing. I’m so happy for you.” Something Dax said pops into my mind, and I can’t help asking someone who might know the right answer. “Were you happy that we threw a benefit to raise money for your treatment?”
Confusion creases Meghan’s chipper exterior. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I was just wondering, would it’ve been better if we had donated all the money to the cause instead of spending a big chunk on the event?”
Meghan pouts. “Oh, I never thought of it like that. Are you mad about how much money the committee spent on my benefit?”
“No, it’s not that,” I rush.
Her bottom lip quivers. “Because I really enjoyed that party. I’m stuck at home all the time, and it was the first time I saw all my friends and felt normal again.”
I clutch her hands and look her square in the eye. “It’s okay, Meg. I just wanted to know if you were happy it happened. Clearly you were, and that’s amazing. I mean it.” I let her hands go, scared I’m squeezing the feeling outof them. “It’s just that someone asked me why we don’t donate all the money instead of hosting an event.”
Meghan scrunches her nose. “Eww. Does this person not like parties?”
I giggle. “I don’t know, actually.”
She shakes her head. “Doesn’t sound like our type of person.”
I shrug. “He’s okay.”
Her eyes sparkle with excitement. “He?”
I cup a hand over my smile. “Don’t look at me like that.”
She grabs hold of my upper arms. “Oh, come on, Ness. You know I’m a diehard romantic. Let me live vicariously through you.”
She releases me, and I can’t help smiling. “The next time I see you, if there’s something to tell, I’ll spill my guts.”
Meghan holds out her pinky. “You swear?”
I hook my pinky around hers. “I swear.”
Once Sylvie and I are in her car and on our way to Ashworth Estate, it doesn’t take long for our conversation to circle back to our arrival at the country club.
“Don’t worry about Hope,” Sylvie says, turning the car around a corner. “She’s just jealous.”
“It would make sense if she wanted LJ,” I reply. “But she’s angry that Idon’twant to be with him.”
“It’s probably because LJ’s parents want him to be with you, and Hope’s parents haven’t been able to gain their attention.”
“Can’t she just be happy she has a boyfriend and leave my love life alone?”
“Oh my gosh, I know.Hello. I don’t have a boyfriend, and I’m not as crazy as she is.”
I turn to her with a sigh. “Thank you for not taking it out on me too.”
She shrugs with a happy smile. “It’s no problem. I’ve never had trouble finding a date I wanted. The only problem is that my goal is to piss off my parents.”
When she winks at me, I recoil. “That’s not what I’m doing.”
She gives me a doubtful look. “Who are you talking to?”
I flick my thumb against my bracelet and stare out the window. “Just drive me home.”
