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Suze looked at me. "I'm really sorry, but I'm going to have a hard time remembering who's who."
"Don't worry. Sometimes I forget who's who," Megan said, "especially after a few drinks."
I was immensely grateful that she was putting Suze at ease.
I loved my sister's apartment. It had a very cozy feeling. I especially liked the egg-shaped swing that hung from the ceiling in one corner of the room. The pink carpet she had between the couches was so fluffy that I loved going barefoot on it. Her home looked lived in, whereas mine was still sparsely furnished. I honestly hadn't had the energy since moving back to truly throw myself into decorating it.
"Oh, the party's in full swing," I added once we'd joined everyone.
I looked at the kitchen counter in awe. Liz didn't just bake a cake. She'd also brought cupcakes from her bakery.
"I'm trying some new recipes," she told us after I introduced Suze to the group. "Please give me your honest opinions."
"We're not good at that," Reese replied. "I can stuff my face with everything."
"So can I," Kendra agreed.
"I'm making drinks," I declared. "Who isn't drinking any alcohol?"
Lexi, Bonnie, and Suze all informed me they were not.
Suze looked at the two of them. "Either of you have a small baby?"
"Yes," Lexi and Bonnie said at the same time.
I smiled as I started prepping margaritas for Reese, Megan, Liz, Kendra, and myself. It was good for Suze to meet other people who were going through similar experiences. Not when it came to having a shitty husband, thank God, but they all had small kids.
Reese cleared her throat. "Okay, Suze. Just so you know, and you're not overwhelmed by the crazy, we sometimes share personal stuff when we get together."
"It's fun," Megan said.
"But you don't have to," Kendra added. "Only if you feel like it and if you have something to say."
"Yeah, lately, I'm the only one with stories," Reese said. "But that's just because I’m dating, and it's not going well." My sister took a sip of the margarita I'd just handed her.
"I thought you looked a bit under the weather back at Tate's," Kendra said. "What happened on the date?"
"The guy was a jerk. The kind that makes you run for the hills."
"So why didn't you?" I asked.
"You know me. I always like to be polite."
"Yeah, I don't know why you do that." Although, perhaps I shouldn't speak. I still remembered that fateful evening I met Drake, when I'd made up silly excuses, hoping my date would catch the drift, and he never did.
"Besides," Reese continued, "I was trying to prove a point to my ex."
That got my attention. I stilled, my margarita halfway to my lips.
I chose my words carefully. "I didn't know he was still in touch." The last time we'd heard from him, he'd tried to blackmail Reese by saying he'd contact the press and give a tell-all interview about the canceled wedding. After that, my cousins put the fear of God into him, and he moved away from Chicago.
"We're not in contact, but sometimes he likes to remind me that I won't find anyone."
"What the hell? How does he even do that? Why didn't you delete his number?"
Reese gave a humorless laugh. "Like that would stop him. It doesn't matter. The point is, I stayed on that date far longer than I should have, trying to prove the point. But I think he might be right."
"No, he's not," I instinctively said.
