If everyone in the South talked and acted like Bobby Jay and Shelby, I really needed to visit.
Jenna was next to grab Miles’s attention while bouncing Elliott, who was more than ready to be home and napping by the way he was rubbing his eyes, on her lap. “Miles, did Aspen tell you that Brad and I own a comedy club here in Edenvale?”
“She has mentioned that.” Miles swirled his ice water.
Jenna, who was sitting next to me, nudged me with her leg under the table. “You should come with Aspen one night. Maybe you could use it in your book. It could be a research trip.” She nudged me again.
I nudged her leg back, indicating she should be quiet now.
“That’s a great idea. I can babysit the kids,” Mom offered.
I craned my neck toward my mom and tried to convey with my eyes she should also refrain from speaking anymore on the subject.
She didn’t heed the warning in my eyes. “We can even keep them overnight if you want to make a late night of it.”
I rubbed my forehead and grimaced. Before I could say a word, Emma voiced her thoughts.
“That would be a lot of fun. We could all make a night of it together and do dinner afterward.”
“Ooh, yes,” Shelby agreed.
“Miles is busy, and Henry might not feel comfortable spending the night with people he hardly knows,” I hurried to say before anyone else got a word in.
Several fits of laughter erupted as most eyes turned toward Henry, who had no issue with being passed around from person to person enthralling them with his cuteness. Not once had he complained about being with anyone he didn’t know all that well, even burly Bobby Jay. It was a lame excuse, but Miles and I weren’t a couple. We didn’t need to get babysitters to watch our children because there was nothingoursabout it.
To top it off, my daughter betrayed me too. “I could always watch him at home.” Did she grin mischievously at me? I was beginning to smell aconspiracy.
“Aspen,” Miles directed my attention to him.
I had been trying hard since our odd conversation on the soccer field to avoid long periods of direct eye contact. But Miles had forced my hand. To be polite I faced him, once again embarrassed because my family and friends were imagining things that would never be.
Miles gave me a warm smile, trying to put me at ease. “Do you think the comedy club is a place Isabella would enjoy?” That was a totally unfair question. By the playfulness in his tone he knew it.
I could feel everyone staring at me. I wanted to lie, but that lie would hurt one of my best friends. Jenna prided herself on her club. As she should. It had been one of my only sources of entertainment since I always got in for free. I didn’t only love it for that. The place had honestly given me a reprieve from the difficult circumstances of my life. Laughing really was medicine for the soul. I believed it would do the same for Isabella. You know, if she were real.
Mom squeezed my leg after what I was sure she considered too long of a pause.
“Yes,” I blurted, “she would.”
Miles looked between my parents. “Cindy and Russ, we would love to take you up on your offer. I’ll let Aspen choose when.”
“We?” Jenna said not so quietly under her breath.
I would have smacked her arm if Miles wasn’t still staring at me, drumming his fingers against the table, knowing exactly what he had just done. The question was why? Why was he willing to let everyone believe we were more than we would ever be? Why did he want to push the bounds ofour friendship? Or was this how friends of the opposite sex behaved? Maybe he treated all his female friends this way.
All the blood drained out of Chloe’s face. “Mom,” she yelped, transfixed on the entrance.
I whipped my head in that direction and my worst nightmare walked in with his douche bag friend and supposed new boss, Mike.
I jumped up, not sure what I was going to do, but knowing I needed to act. “Chloe, stay here, honey.”
My parents’ heads darted toward the entrance too. Red anger flooded each of their faces.
Miles too was alerted and stood immediately.
Chloe, who was sitting next to my dad, buried her head into his chest. My dad securely wrapped her up in his arms.
By now, everyone at our table saw Leland. For those who didn’t know who he was, Brad filled them in.
