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As much as I hated the position I was in, I didn’t think I’d want to go back.
“What are you going to do now?” Em asked.
I ripped off a piece of the bread bowl and chewed on it.
“I’m not going to tell her. I can’t. And I’m not going to tell Wyatt either. As much as I still hate that smug bastard, I’d feel worse about hurting Esme. So I guess that’s that. My brilliant plan has officially blown up in my face.”
I held up my glass.
“Cheers to Paige’s failure!” Em said, and we all clinked our cups together.
“Another one for the books.” I cringed at myself. “I’m really bad at this. You need to stop letting me plan shit from here on out.”
Em raised her hand. “Can I plan your life from now on?”
“I don’t think so. That would be giving you too much power.”
“I could handle it.”
Linley and I shared a look.
“Definitely not,” I said.
Now that I’d made a decision about Esme, some of the weight lifted off my shoulders. I was more than happy to shift the topic from my disaster plan to Linley’s new relationship.
“My mom is already asking when he’s coming over for family dinner,” Linley said. “If this doesn’t work out, I think she’s going to be more upset than me.”
“How does he feel about your mom?” I asked. We’d moved on to mixing the strawberry lemonade with wine to make a weird sangria-like thing that was totally delicious.
I was still totally exhausted, but it was good to have my friends with me. Everything last night had felt so surreal.
“He’s probably carving her a set of birds right now,” Emerald said with a laugh. Linley’s mom collected all kinds of bird items including ceramic figures, paintings, plates. I never have to think about what to get her for any holiday. I already had a stockpile of bird puzzles that I’d saved up to give her next Christmas.
“He said he’s open to meeting her, but that’s only because he hasn’t met her yet,” she said with a laugh. “She’s trying to send me on my next date with a basket of baked goods. I told her I’m not doing that, but I think she’s going to break into my car and hide bread in the console.” I wouldn’t put it past her. That woman was intent on grandchildren, and she would stop at nothing to make them happen.
“You should just let her. It’s cute,” I said.
“It’s all cute until she has the scones blessed or puts a spell on the pies or something.” Oh, she would totally do that.
“But you like him, right?” Em said. “So, what’s the problem?”
Linley rubbed the bridge of her nose and poured more wine into her glass, diluting any remaining lemonade.
“Because I don’t want her to like him too much. And I don’t want to get her hopes up. And it’s weird!”
She had that right.
“I get it,” I said. “I really do.” My own mom wasn’t the queen of boundaries either.
“Well, now that you two have shit going on, I’m feeling left out. Can we find me a fuck?” Em asked with a pout.
“I mean, fucks are plentiful, but is that what you want?” Linley asked.
Em thought about that. “I guess not. I’ve never really been a fucky kind of person anyway.” That was true. She’d always been far more serious and committed about her relationships. I’d even been with her when she’d turned down a fling and made vague excuses.
“What are you looking for?” Linley asked.
Em blew out a breath and looked at the ceiling. “I have no idea.”
