Sam’s laugh stops abruptly.
“What’s wrong?”
“The… You…”
Now it’s my turn to get up and out, only I do it like a blanket fort Godzilla, dragging three different chenilles and a twinkle light with me. “What is it?”
“That’s me.” Her voice is nothing but a scratch. “The little person sitting at reception. You stuck me in there.”
“I’ve missed you.”
Sam lets out a sob and reaches for me, and we’re hugging. After at least a minute, I let out a long, shuddering exhale and draw back.
“That’s what you get for having secret boyfriends.”
“Pot, meet kettle.”
My sisters pop up to standing at almost exactly the same time. “Secret boyfriend? Who? What?”
“I was seeing a guy.” Sam glances quickly at Hannah and back at me. “He was married.”
A weird buzzing starts up in my head. She wouldn’t. She really wouldn’t.
“I’ve got something to tell you. About him.”
“Oh god.” I’m pretty sure my whole face collapses. Was my best friend sleeping with my brother-in-law? She’s pretty weird when it comes to men, but… no. No way. No.
“I was pretty sure he’d given me a fake name, so I looked in his wallet the last time I saw him. His real name’s Dane Wabash.”
Shock hits me so hard I can’t think.
“Who’s that?” Otty pipes up from where she’s collapsed back on the love seat.
“Our boss’s son-in-law?” I can’t help but grimace. “Ew, Sammy. Ew.”
“I know. I just… you know how I am about assholes.”
I shake my head and sink down next to Otty. It’s a tight fit.
“I called Dorothy. Talked to… Grant. Look, I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you that. I just… My taste in men sucks balls.”
“You suck balls!” yells Otty, the way she used to as a kid. Minus the balls part.
“Nothing wrong with it,” Sam replies.
“Your choice,” I add.
“No judgment,” Hannah pipes in.
“Yeah, we’ve sucked worse,” Otty finishes.
We all look at her.
“Have we, though?” Hannah asks.
“Well… I mean…”
All eyes switch back over to me.
