“I love the hair, Aunt Terrie.”
“You do? Well, Tammie hates it. Not that she came out and said it, but it was all in the look.”
“Does she ever like your hair?” Ashley smiled. Her mom had been iron gray since age forty and never looked back. The two sisters were polar opposites, and yet inseparable.
“Is that Ashley?” her mom called from the kitchen. “Come in here, baby.”
Aunt Terrie led the way, and she hadn’t been exaggerating about the sparkly mess. It looked like a bridal shop after a tornado hit.
“Whose wedding?” Ashley asked.
“My neighbor’s daughter is getting married, and the poor woman is so overwhelmed. Terrie and I offered to help.” Ashley’s mom beamed. After getting to plan Paige’s wedding, she probably thought of herself as a pro.
Ashley moved a pile of tulle off one of the kitchen chairs so she could sit, and started helping twist the pastel chocolate candies into their sparkly net. She decided not to mention how easy it would be for people to accidentally get a mouthful of sparkle with their chocolate.
“So, what’s new in your life?” Terrie asked, popping a chocolate into her mouth.
So much was new. And so much she didn’t want to talk about. Getting fired, Reid stalking her, falling in love with someone who only wanted to be friends. “Life is good.”
Terrie studied Ashley over her trendy little electric blue reading glasses. “A diplomatic answer. I like it. Still refusing to date anyone? And yes, I know. I keep up with you through Paige, who actually calls from time to time.”
“Did I just hear the doorbell?” Ashley asked.
Aunt Terrie jumped out of her chair and went to check.
Ashley smiled. She’d often had to resort to such tactics to avoid an interrogation. It was almost too easy when it came to her nosy aunt, who was slightly deaf, and at the rate she was eating chocolate, highly anticipating the pizza delivery.
“Ashley.” Her mom glared at her, though she was trying not to laugh. “Be nice to Terrie.”
And then the doorbell rang for real, and they both had to laugh.
Terrie came back with Shaun. He cleared the chair next to Ashley and sat down. “Terrie takes one look at me and says, ‘Oh, it’s you.’ I guess the shine has worn off.”
“Well, you’re still my favorite brother-in-law,” Ashley said. “Terrie’s just hungry.”
The doorbell rang again, and Terrie tottered off in her heels, calling out, “You better have pizza.”
“Why are you here?” Ashley asked Shaun.
“Paige wants the elliptical machine in your parents’ bedroom. I’m the hired help.”
“I’m so happy to be rid of it.” Ashley’s mom stood up to lead Shaun to her room. “Now I don’t have to feel guilty every time I walk past the thing. It cost a fortune.”
Terrie came in bearing pizza, and Ashley helped her find enough counter space to put it down. She wanted a slice, but it was probably best to check and see if Shaun needed help carrying out the elliptical machine. He was trying to angle it through the bend in the hallway, and she grabbed an end to help.
“How’s Chase?” he huffed out, after they got it lifted into the bed of his truck.
“He’s fine.” She picked at a loose string on her shirt and tried to think of a new subject. There was no way she’d be admitting Chase was looking into online dating. “Today was layoff day.”
“I’m sorry. I figured that’s why you were here so early, but I didn’t want to assume.”
“Lina wants me to work at her dental office.”
“That’s what Paige said. It sounds great.”
Yeah, if they ever called her back.
Her phone buzzed with an incoming text, and she pulled it out of her pocket, immediately grimacing. It was from Reid, though the number was different again.I love you.Don’t be mad.At least he was averaging only one stupid text message a day. It had to be a record for the slowest phone stalking ever. As soon as she had a new job, she’d change her number and be done with it.
