“Hang on?Unusual,” Misty teased to try to break the tension as Angela dealt with her husband.
“Is something wrong with Evelyn?”The answer must have been no, because Angela sighed and said, “Then I can’t talk right now.It’s been a long day, and I’m trying to get some rest before tomorrow...That’s what I’ve been telling you all this time!I miss you too, both of you, but...No, I can’t come home early, and you can’t keep calling at all hours of the day and in the middle of practice...If it’s not in our bathroom, try the one above the sink in the powder room...Then use your common sense, Raymond!”
She let out a shuddering breath as she hung up, and the rest of the room sat in awkward silence.“What’d he need now?”Marla asked gently.
“He doesn’t know where we keep the Icy Hot.He pulled a muscle in his shoulder giving Evelyn a piggyback ride.”Angela buried her face in her hands for a moment before looking up.“Real love is supposed to be about supporting your partner even when it’s less than convenient for you.At least, that’s what I’ve always been told.But all he’s done is whine about me being gone and bug me about the silliest things.”
As the group urged Angela not to let her husband get her down, Misty tried and utterly failed to imagine Spencer being this incompetent.His proficiency as a kickboxer had obviously carried over to other aspects of his life—the gym and the bedroom among them.That reminded her that even after they’d gotten closer, he’d been nothing but encouraging of the goal that would send her out of town for weeks.
Which made the last time they’d spoken all the weirder.Had he been drunk that night?High?Concussed?Those were somewhat comforting theories, but the lack of a follow-up text the next morning apologizing for what he’d said under some influence meant that probably wasn’t it.
Unless this was the real him, and he’d kept it hidden out of a desire to get laid.Misty hated that idea, and yet, she couldn’t come up with an explanation for his behavior that she liked.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Are we ready for themovie?”Tallulah asked after handing out much-appreciated cans of sparkling wine.Her blonde hair fell past her shoulders, and she looked like a model in what could have passed for a pair of men’s pajamas if not for the sexy cut of the top and shorts.
“Sure!Which one is it?”Misty asked after taking a sip of the crisp drink.
“Building a Sweet Romance.It’s about rival architects trying to win a gingerbread village contest,” Tallulah answered.“He needs the prize money to start a foundation for underprivileged kids in the city, and she needs it to save her family’s firm that’s been the pillar of this small town for generations.”
“A tale as old as time,” Marla quipped.“Starring a 2010s boy band singer and an actress who got her start onGuardians of Melody Cove.”
“God, she was gorgeous,” Tallulah sighed.“Still is.”
“Glad to see someone survived that show,” Vanessa said.“I heard one guy OD’ed and another shot himself after losing everything in the crypto crash.”
Marla frowned.“I remember when the guy who played Darren OD’ed because my sister was devastated, but are you sure about Elmer?The kid from that detective show grew up to be a crypto bro, maybe you’re thinking of him.”
Amidst the debate, Misty’s clenched heart seized up a little further.The day she’d worn herGuardianst-shirt to the gym had been the turning point when Spencer had started to show himself as a person beyond her trainer.Suddenly, she wasn’t sure a cute holiday romance was a good idea, but she couldn’t leave now.She helped herself to a mini crème brûlée and settled back to try to get into the moment.She saw these women every day, but it’d be fun to get to know them in a more relaxed setting.It’d make it easier if one or more of them got on the team.
The movie started before Misty could dwell too much on the future, and the group leaned in to take in the action.Misty vaguely recognized the male lead, having not been the biggest fan of his albums, but Quinn Delane still looked pretty similar to the way she had all those years ago.The only changes were a few lines around her green eyes that hadn’t been there in herGuardiansdays, and her long blonde hair now barely brushed her shoulders.
Misty’s fingers fairly itched to send Spencer a text saying something likeYou’ll never guess what I’m watching.But that wasn’t an option, not least because she’d left her phone in her room.Even if they were still in touch, conversations like that had fallen by the wayside in the wake of their newly discovered sexual chemistry.She found herself missing both.
A loud “ooh” forced her attention back to the screen.“What happened?”
