Darcy breathed out a dark laugh. “Tell me about it; I’ve been going to yard sales with her my whole life.”
She stood up, unable to stop herself from checking her phone again before tucking it in her back pocket.
Nothing. For now.
And instead of making her feel better, it only made the anxious knots in her stomach tighten. Something had to be coming.Hadto.
Chapter Thirteen
Emerson – 6:43P.M.
I know you’re focused on other things right now
Validly
But take at least a second to realize that you are in SHELBY LINWOODS HOUSE!
Darcy – 6:44P.M.
You could have joined me, you know
She couldn’t helpbut remind Emerson, who was currently home in Pineford, but was definitely fangirling. An all-caps sentiment was a rare showing from Emerson even via text. Shelby was maybe the only person that could make her react like this, given the number of people they’d met this year.
The shine, the newness, thecrazinessof it all did start to wear off, eventually. Slowly. Everyone was, technically, just a person. Just like they were.
But Shelby Linwood was Shelby Linwood.
Emerson – 6:44P.M.
So I could vomit all over the gardens she’s famous for? No thanks. I’ll keep your sister company while she’s deciding paint colors
She rolled her eyes.
Darcy – 6:45P.M.
Damn, I should have canceled my RSVP to stay home with Blythe to do that, too
Emerson – 6:45P.M.
Well, I didn’t come out to Juliet Jacobs…
Yep. There was her mission tonight.
If something was coming her way from Juliet, she wanted to be ready. They’d reached somewhat of a truce before; maybe Darcy could figure out how to keep them there, even with… whatever was playing out between them.
She’d been told via email – because Shelby Linwood emailed her, now – that she could bring a plus-one tonight, so she’d extended it to Emerson. But her best friend was self-aware enough to know that this dinner party and her anxiety wouldn’t be a perfect match.
She’d also extended the invitation to Blythe. But her sister was so wrapped up in her house preparation, unless there was an obligation shehadto complete, she wasn’t interested. Blythe had whole diagrams around their apartment about her plans for this house. Her blueprints had blueprints. Not evendinner at Shelby Linwood’s houseenticed her away. Which was so unsettling to Darcy.
But she’d had to go forward with the belief that it was probably for the best.
She’d been telling Juliet the truth at the studio: she didn’t want to go out without Blythe or Emerson. She was fine doing things by herself, but it wasn’t nearly as much fun as experiencing new things without her sister or best friend.
Tonight, unfortunately, wasn’t about fun.
It was about zeroing in on Juliet.
She nearly forgot about that when the door opened, and she was face-to-face with Shelby, herself. Her eyes widened as surprise shot through her. “I didn’t think you’d answer your own door.”
