Her mother had put him on speaker when she’d reserved the booth. He hadn’t been so sure. Her mother had actually needed to repeat herself three times until eventually he just said he’d put the booth in her name.
Polly lifted her shoulder. “More of a breakup bash.”
“Huh.” He frowned at the sash on her mother. “This a new thing the kids are doing these days?”
“I wouldn’t say Liv’s a kid.” Maggie laughed.
Although, at that very moment, her mother kneeled, opened her mouth, and her friend put the rim of her wineglass to her mouth and tipped it forward.
“Hey!” Dusty shot toward them.
Polly couldn’t stifle the laugh. “Okay. This was definitely a good idea for her.”
Maggie bumped her hip. “You needed this as much as she did.”
“It does feel good to smile.” She sipped her beer. “He’s texted every day, you know.”
“Do you text back?”
“Well, I’m a sucker, so yes. Even when he just calls me Sunshine, my stupid reactive heart kicks.”
Maggie’s smile softened. “That’s because your heart can’t help who it reacts to.”
“He texted today that he wants to talk to me about Bronte.” Even saying that name put a sour taste in her mouth.
“And what did you say?”
“That I have this big fabulous party planned, but maybe tomorrow.”
Maggie nodded. “Good. Youshouldtalk to him tomorrow.”
She watched her mother throw her head back and laugh at something another of her friends said. “I don’t want to be in my fifties and throwing a divorce party for my fifth divorce.”
“You won’t. And I know that because I know you.”
Her mother was suddenly in front of her, grabbing her hand. “Come on.”
Her drink almost spilled at the tug from her mother. “Where are you taking me?”
“We’re going to duet ‘Forget You’ by CeeLo Green.”
“No.”
“Yes!”
She tried to dig in her heels, but dammit, she was still moving. Did her mother develop super strength when she was drinking? “Mom?—”
“Come on. Live a little, darling!”
“Idolive.”
“No, I mean drink too much without thinking about the day-after hangover. Sing in front of a group of strangers without caring that you sound like a drowned rat.”
“I sound like a drowned rat when I sing?”
“Do something so reckless that you feel alive!”
Oh, she felt plenty alive. No embarrassing herself in front of a bar full of people needed.
