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“Thank you again.” Emily squeezes Serena tight.
“Any time.”
“I’m sorry we can’t stick around.” Shelby hugs Emily again. “I hope she has the best time.”
As we’re watching them drive off, a white GMC Yukon pulls up to the curb.
A tall, gangly guy with floppy hair gets out of the passenger side. Another guy and a girl step out of the back seat. The girl’s in a short, tight yellow dress. The guy has a matching yellow tie.
The first kid shuffles up to Emily. “Is Libby ready?” he asks, his voice squeaking on Libby’s name.
“I think she just finished.” Emily gestures toward the house. “Come on in.”
Troy’s mom, I guess, gets out of the Yukon. Emily walks over to greet her and share a few words.
Libby’s date stares at me, then glances away.
I follow everyone inside.
Emily tried to brighten up the house by opening the drapes and turning on all the lights, but it’s still shadowy, especially by the stairs where Libby wanted pictures taken. But Libby ends up racing down the stairs so fast, Emily only has time to grab one or two pictures anyway.
Troy seems mesmerized and maybe intimidated by Libby. I consider offering him a napkin to wipe the drool off his chin.
Libby twirls her dress in a circle, then stops in front of me. “I wasn’t sure you’d be here before I left. What do you think?”
I’m not sure what to say. She’s not my kid or even my little sister, but I’m still a bit choked up. Serena must’ve spent hours on the detailed, shimmery butterfly wings in soft pastels fanning out from Libby’s eyes. It’s a lot but still somehow looks age-appropriate for Libby. Damn, Serena’s talented. “You look like a princess,” I finally say. “That’s a nice color on you, Libby.”
“Thank you.” She beams.
Troy hands her a huge wrist corsage of white and purple lilies. I chuckle, amused kids still do that these days.
Emily eventually steers everyone to the front yard. More of Libby’s friends arrive. I try to stay in the background and out of the way.
Her friends’ parents want to take a never-ending number of pictures, posing the kids in all sorts of awkward combinations and positions.
I wrap my arm around Emily’s shoulders. “Are you okay?”
She nods quickly and forces a bright smile onto her face. Maybe she’s thinking of her parents and wishing they were here to see this milestone for Libby.
I lean down and whisper against Emily’s ear, “This Troy kid, if I raise my voice, is he going to piss himself?”
“It’s possible, so maybe don’t do that,” she says. Laughter replaces the sadness in her eyes. At least I can do that much for her. “He’s been tutoring Libby in math all year and really helped her raise her grade. So be nice.”
I reel back, pretending to be offended. “I’m always nice.”
She turns and circles her finger in front of my face. “You’re scowling.”
“I always scowl.” I curl my arm around her waist and yank her closer. “You say it’s sexy.”
She presses her hands against my chest and tips her head back to stare up at me. “It is. To me. To everyone else, it’s scary.”
“Good.”
“Um, guys,” Libby moans. “Please stop.” She wags her hand at us. “With the gross PDA.”
Emily snakes her arms around my middle and snuggles up closer, doubling down on the affection. I shrug at Libby like there’s nothing I can do about it and return Emily’s embrace.
Libby lets out a disgusted snort. “I expect better from you, Dex,” she says in her best disapproving tone.
“Sorry, kid.”
When she turns away to talk to her friends, I kiss the top of Emily’s head. “Did someone take one of just you and Libby together?”
She blinks up at me. “No.”
I pull out my phone and call Libby over. “Let me get a picture of you and your sister.”
She glances at me, then Troy.
“Just you two,” I clarify.
Who knows how long this kid will be a part of her life? When Libby’s my age, she’ll hopefully be happy to have a memory of just Emily and her.
Boys might come and go, but sisters are forever.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Emily
I think I’m more nervous about what I want to talk to Dex about tonight than Libby was about her prom.
I’ve thought about this for so long, but I don’t know how to bring it up. I already discussed it with Libby and she gave me an enthusiastic yes.
Now I just have to ask Dex.
After the kids leave in their black stretch limo, Dex takes my hand and we walk inside the house.
“Thanks for taking pictures of just the two of us. Everything was so busy, I…”
“No problem. Let me send them to you.” He pulls out his phone and a few seconds later mine buzzes.
“Thanks.” I stare at the image for a few seconds. My lips curve up. The heels she chose to wear bring Libby up to my height.
