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Despite her warnings, I was looking forward to going home with Liam, although I was a bit apprehensive about meeting his parents. Hopefully I’d meet a HOT cowboy there. They had cowboys in Alabama, right?
I pulled myself up from the sofa and headed to my room where I collapsed on top of my bed. I was so tired.
Chapter 2
Thalia
Both Callie and I were still suffering the effects from last night’s wine drinking; Callie had been sick and I’d woken up with drums beating in my head. I’d taken some painkillers about an hour ago so the drum in my head had dimmed enough that I’d stopped feeling sick, which was just as well because we were in one of Callie’s favorite stores trying on dresses.
I’d bought a pair of cowgirl boots about six months ago on a trip home with Callie to Texas for her parent’s thirtieth wedding anniversary, and I loved them. They were authentic cowgirl boots from Allen’s Boots in Austin, in soft, light brown leather. Deep brown, embroidered poppies decorated the boots making them the perfect accessory for any event. They’d set me back a bit, but I’d always wanted a pair and they were so worth it.
All I wanted were some dresses to wear them with. You see, I had it in my head that I was going to fall head over heels in love with a cowboy, but I’d worked out that ‘said cowboy’ had to fall in love with me too, hence the dresses to go with the boots. I mean what guy could resist a woman in cowgirl boots and a short dress? Flashing naked thighs!
As I wiggled into the third dress, music started blaring from somewhere close by. Oh my God! Where the hell was that racket coming from? My head was about to explode.
I could hear Callie groaning in the changing room beside mine. ?
??Thalia, answer your goddamn phone,” she shouted.
It was me? Shit. My fogged brain hadn’t registered the fact. I grabbed my jeans from the floor where I’d thrown them in my haste to try on the white lacy dress, and quickly retrieved my iPhone from the back pocket. My stomach rolled with nausea, so after taking some deep breaths, I answered, which cut off one of my favorite songs, ‘Here Without You’ by Three Doors Down.
“Hello,” I answered, sliding to the floor, shutting my eyes, praying that everything stopped spinning.
“Thalia, dear. Is that you?”
“Mom,” I groaned, just what I needed, a lecture when I was still feeling the effects of too much red wine from the night before. “Yes, it’s me.”
“I just wanted to know when you’re going to arrive home for the summer. We need to make plans.”
“Ah… Mom, about that.” I took a deep breath, mentally bracing myself. “I’m not going to be coming home. I’ve been invited to a friend’s home in Alabama for the summer. So, having never been to Alabama before, I’ve accepted. I mean it’s not as though you and Dad will be there all the time, you both usually head out on a cruise.” I crossed my fingers.
“Well! Do we know this person who you prefer over your own parents?”
Ugh. Why did she always have to make me feel guilty? “No you don’t know him.” The silence on the phone was icy. I sighed before continuing, “His name is Liam. His father has a law firm which he jointly owns with another guy, so totally trustworthy.”
“Now Thalia, lawyers are not trustworthy, they’re sharks.”
Here we go again. All because one lawyer swindled Mom and Dad out of a load of money, they’re all sharks!
“Mom, I don’t want to argue. His parents are already expecting me, and I’m sorry for not telling you sooner. I’ll come and visit before I head back here to school, okay?”
“Look after yourself, Thalia. I’ll email you our schedule. Please make sure you email your contact details for Alabama.” She hung up.
I rested my head against the wall of the changing room staring at the phone. No goodbye, the guilt trip had been minor for my mom. Sighing in relief, I realized the spinning in my head had stopped, and I felt much better having spoken to my mom, a conversation that I’d been putting off.
“Thalia, you alive in there?” Callie banged on the door.
“Yeah! Give me a minute.” I removed the dress and decided to take all five, even though I’d only tried on three of them. There was a mixture of colors: white, cream, pale lemon, pale green and pale lilac. Yeah, I liked pale colors.
My jeans were in a heap on the floor so I picked them up, shook them out before I wiggled back into them. I gathered the dresses together and left the changing rooms in search of Callie. As it turned out I didn’t have far to look. She stood talking to Liam outside the door to the changing rooms.
“Hey, Thalia.” He leaned forward, kissing me on the cheek. “Let me take those. You both finished here? I thought I’d take you and Callie to lunch.”
Liam took the bundle of dresses from me so I took his arm and let him lead me to the check out. “Lunch would be great, now that my hangover has more or less disappeared.”
“Hangover? I thought you said you were staying in last night,” Liam queried.
“Girl’s wine night at our apartment,” I replied.
