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Nowthatwas normal.
So was the next.
“And don’t let the fact that you have this new man in your life mean that you shirk your responsibilities.”
“I won’t,” I promised.
“See that you don’t.”
I didn’t get the chance to make any further promises because my dad hung up (something that was also normal). I sat back in my seat as the click of the call disconnecting echoed through my speakers and processed.
Then knew I couldn’t process.
I needed wine. And more wine.
Sighing, I cut the engine and because my dad was my dad (and I was me, with my planning tendencies) I immediately pulled up the calendar app on my phone, cross-referenced it to the Rush schedule I’d bookmarked for emergencies (namely, first for avoiding Joel, and now liking to know when he was playing), and picked a few dates to offer up as tribute.
Then I grabbed my purse, pocketed my phone, and headed up to Bailey’s house.
Wine. Board games. More wine. Ignoring the fact that my life was changing.
Ignoring the fact that in a short amount of time, I’d accepted ahockey playerin my life. As my boyfriend. And I was going to have dinner with his family.
And we were going to have dinner withmyfamily because my dad had chosen a date by the time I’d made it up to the door—something I now needed to tell Joel that I’d arranged.
Dinner with myparents.
Sweet baby Jesus. What was I thinking?
I paused, sucked in a breath, let it out, and whispered. “Going for it.”
Thatwas what I was thinking. I was going for it. I was doing this.
It was going to be interesting.
it was going to beinsane.
Because I just had the sinking suspicion that it was all going to go wrong.
Thirty-Five
Joel
She was late.
Late.
Billie Rose was never late.
She had those planners and her life programmed down to the minute, and even despite the various pulls on her time, she wasn’t late.
Notever.
Except today.
When my family was here. Waiting for her.
Which was something that I was trying not to take personally.
