Her head snapped up.
“Jerry asked me to play there every Friday night as part of their permanent live show.” My smile grew once I told her.
She spun toward me, almost jumping into my lap with excitement.
“Chase! Oh my God, that’s amazing! What did you tell him? Are you going to do it?”
My head fell against the couch. “Yeah, I am. I never thought something like this would happen.”
She grabbed my face and kissed me hard. “I’m so proud of you.”
It felt good to share this with her. It felt right.
As if my life was shifting in the direction it was supposed to be going in.
She yawned but tried to hide it.
“We should go to bed, it’s late and we have work in the morning,” I said.
“Yeah, I don’t know how I’ve done it. I never go out this much.”
“OK, let me get you up to bed, young lady.” I took our glasses to the sink while she stretched that tall sexy body of hers. “Oh, I meant to tell you. I don’t know if I’m gonna do it, but Gage asked me if I’d sing a song or two at their engagement party on Saturday. What do you think?”
The dark mask that had been covering her this whole week fell across her face again. Her eyes went dark and distant as if she were no longer present. I thought I had her back, but she was gone.
She didn’t answer me.
Simply at the mention of the party.
“Mare?”
Her head snapped in my direction.
“Um, yeah, that sounds like a good idea.”
She walked upstairs without another word.
CHAPTER 25
Maryellen
Idon’t know how I made it through the rest of the week without anyone thinking I shouldn’t be committed. It was exhausting trying to act like nothing was wrong. Especially around Chase. He had become too perceptive with me and knew when I was hiding anything. Faking it had become my art form in life but doing it to him felt wrong.
This week I had no choice, I only had to get through Saturday.
The question remained: would Chase and I still be together by then?
As I stared into my closet, a different panic set in. I was so worried all week about avoiding people and their questions that I failed to think about what to wear tonight. It didn’t help that both Evie and Harper were a good three inches shorter than I was. No chance of borrowing anything from them.
Maybe they had an idea, though. I’d have to ask.
Me: Morning girls, either of you know anyone my height who I could borrow a dress from for tonight? Totally forgot about it
Bubbles popped up immediately.
Harper: I might, give me a sec
Evie: I really don’t think I do but I’ll think
