I chuckle. “Does Martin know?”
“Have you seen his face flashing on your TV screen for homicide yet?”
I cough behind a fist. “No?”
“Yeah, so he doesn’t know.”
“You’re–”
“Crazy, I know; you’ve said that before.”
I grin. “Alright, gotta go. Thank you for cheering me up. It means a lot; love you.”
“Don’t mention it. I’ve got you, babe. Take as much time as you need to feel better, and once you’re sure you’re ready,talktohim.” She clears her throat. “Before it’s too late.”
Before he goes back to New York, is what she means.
I enter the bathroom. “I will, I promise.”
I have to, right? I gave him a second chance, and he did everything to live up to it; respected the risk I took on him. Until Amanda happened. It would be stupid if I let him go again without a proper conversation. He most definitely doesn’t deserve that, and neither do I.
“Good,” Emma states. “So, I’ll see you at Gerald and Jasper’s party tonight?”
I smile and grab my toothbrush. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”
17. Nia
“Ihave never seen a girl as pretty as you,” Bob says, and makes as if to lean in, but stumbles sideways when Emma pushes him.
“Oopsies; my bad,” she sings as she gives Bob a clinical smile.
He huffs and rights himself, then looks at me again. “So, I was thinking maybe you’d like to–”
“Nope,” I cut him off, keeping my gaze, and my complete attention, on something that is happening only a few feet from me.
“But–”
“Not gonna happen, Bob, so beat it,” I state without facing him, and get more comfortable in the chair I’m sitting in.
Ger and Jas’s party is in the back garden of their beautiful house. The setup isn’t as grand and decorative out here as it had been on their wedding day; it’s more cozy, comfortable, and serene – something I really appreciate.
A gentle breeze whips by me, bringing with it the smell of crisp snow, and the beautiful catnips Gerald grows in his back garden.
As I glance around the area, I find Ger grilling steak with some of the guests, whereas Jas – whose company I have yet to be graced with today – is in the kitchen with his book club friends.
The kids present at the party are either pre-teens running around chasing each other, or horny teenagers trying to come across as subtle as they check each other out. The adults, however, are busy discussing their businesses with suffocating interest.
And I? Well, I’m manning the refreshments table to make sure the sassy, adrenaline-induced kids don’t grab alcohol from underneath it. And also to make sure they get at least 1 glass of Jas’s special lemonade.
Nowthat’sthe dream job, isn’t it?
The day has set, and I’m both tired of smiling at townies, and frustrated by the lack of alcohol in my body. I have to stay sober so that I can tend to the minors without looking like I took a dip in a pool of Jack Daniels.
Bob mutters something under his breath, but doesn’t move away from the table.
2 schoolgirl-like giggles make me flinch. I know who they belong to. I’ve been looking at its owners for the last few minutes, after all.
Clary and Chloe Williams. The mayor’s twin daughters.
