Page 109 of The Difference Between

“Of course. You think I trust just anyone with all this makeup?” I scoff. “Most of it’s Chanel, Addie.” My brows raise. “Chanel.”

She hugs me like she at all cares about Chanel then pulls back and lets me finish her makeup. Glasses back in place, she beams at herself in the mirror.

“Beautiful,” I tell her.

“Can I do yours?”

I sigh long enough my urge to say hell no passes. “Sure.”

She gets to work, doing God knows what, focusing as she does with her tongue perched between her lips.

When she’s finished, I’m the ugliest person to ever live. “Lovely.”

Addie looks at me like I’m a masterpiece.

“You could live with us,” she says. “Uncle Gav has a big bed.”

My heart stops—both from her question and the mention of Uncle Gav’s bed. “Oh.” I busy myself with gathering the makeup. “I don’t know if that’s how it works. I have a condo.”

And though that’s true, I picture the same thing I did days ago: Me, her, Gavin, apple trees, kids.

“Annie lived with Charlie, Joey, Greg, and Travis.” It takes a second for me to register the Overboard people. “She was their new mom.”

Her words knock the wind out of me. “Is that another reason you like the movie?”

She nods. “And it’s funny.”

“Hm.” Addie might be magic. Like a prism of glass transmitting light in a way that can’t be replicated, she makes everything sparkle—shinier and more colorful. Better. “It is pretty funny.”

“Can you live with us?” she repeats.

Three quick knocks hit the bedroom door before it swings open and Remy fills the doorway. She laughs immediately. “Why, Ree, I think that’s the most beautiful you’ve ever looked.”

I’d flip her off if Addie wasn’t watching.

“I did it,” Addie says, proud.

Remy’s gaze drops to the makeup then her brows raise. “Sharing your precious Chanel, I see.” She smiles as she looks at Addie. “I think you’re rubbing off on my sister, Ads.”

“Don’t listen to her, Addie.” I obnoxiously apply another layer of lipstick. “Remy’s just mad that she can’t afford such luxury.” I blow my sister a kiss. “Can we help you with something?”

She shakes her head. “I stopped by to see Mom and wanted to say hi before I left.” Her eyes bounce back and forth between Addie and me, and she snorts a laugh. “Glad I did.”

Addie tells her about her day at school and does her best Toto.

“Should we look at my shoes?” I ask once Remy’s gone. “I have a pair covered in glitter.”

Addie smiles, then we do.

Thirty-One

Wine flies when you’re having fun!

Never in a million years did I expect to be writing those words in chalk, but here we are.

I’ve had my hands in a lot of businesses over the years. I’ve dealt with tech conglomerates, pet food manufacturers, perfume bottle makers, even a company that makes trash cans, but this is the very first one that I’ve ever had my hands this far in. My usual day-to-day consists of phone calls and meetings with the C-suite employees—I don’t run registers or write cheesy lines on a welcome sign.

Part of it’s the size. Glass of Vine is anything but a corporate empire with its mere ten acres of vines and lone man filling community service as it’s only reliable nonemployee.