“Are you there?” She asked, eyebrows furrowing together.
“All right,” Juliet agreed, in that kind of reserved, almost snippy? tone. “That can’t betoobad.”
“I can’t guarantee anything. But I can guarantee I can come to pick you up as soon as possible.” She knew Juliet’s typical hotel in Nashville, now, and given how early it was… “I’ll be there in about two hours.”
“I’ll see you then,” Juliet returned.
Then, abruptly, ended the call.
Darcy sprung into action. She hadn’t really taken into account cleaning the apartment, first. Obviously, they’d be at Blythe’s for most of the day, but she had to assume they’d come here, too?
As she started pushing her clean clothing into her dresser drawers, she remembered to call Blythe.
Who answered on the first ring, “Where are you?”
“I’m – okay, I’m going to be a little late. As in, just before noon. Probably.”
“Darcy!” Blythe wasaghast. And annoyed. Darcy could tell from just the way she said her name. “You said you’d be here early to help! I’ve just gotten everything separated into the proper piles in the living room, sorting through the ornaments. Emerson is already here untangling all of the lights. Colton’s stringing up the garland in the entryway. You’re supposed to be here for the popcorn strings. You know how time consuming those are; it’ll throw the whole schedule off.”
“Ohhhh my god?” She whistled under her breath, pulling out a pair of jeans to wear for the day. “Blythe, you sound like – I mean, not likeourmom, but someone’s neurotic mom.”
Their mom had never cared about the holidays very much. Even when she was sober, even when she wasn’t in a hot mess of a relationship, even when she had some extra money for gifts, there was never any fanfare.
Her sister didn’t blink. “Maybe I do, but…” She trailed off with a hefty sigh.
Darcy couldn’t help but soften.
Because she got it. SheknewBlythe. Doing something like this – being thehostof a big holiday party, complete with decorations and food and music and drinks – it meant something to her. Darcy couldn’t relate to it, but she understood it.
“I’m not bailing on you,” she promised. “I’m going to be there. You know you can count on me.”
She’dneverleft Blythe hanging. She never would.
“So what are you doing, then?”
Darcy paused. Her entire body paused, really. “You know how you wanted to know who I’m sleeping with…”
Complete quiet fell over the line. She was on speaker, and she’d been able to hear Colton and Emerson moving about in the background, but noweverythingstopped.
“Yes,” Blythe confirmed, and Darcy could hear the impatience, the anticipation. “And I still want to know why Emerson got to know and I didn’t. No offense, Em.”
“None taken,” Emerson assured her, quietly.
“I always just thought it was ’cuz Em’s also gay,” Colton stated, sounding confused.
Darcy’s mouth fell open, shock rushing through her. Granted, Colton wasn’t totally wrong. But who knew he wasso observant?! Emerson didn’t even have anything going on to observe!
“What?!” Blythe actually gasped.
“Oh, so you’re surprised about her, but not your own sister,” Darcy grumbled.
Blythe ignored her. “Is that true?!”
Darcy could only imagine Emerson sitting there, the center of Blythe and Colton’s stares. At the very least, Emerson was comfortable with them, unlike how she felt with nearly everyone else. She winced, though. “Colton, my dude, some tact.”
Emerson cleared her throat quietly. “It’s fine. I mean. I, uh, it’s not… not true?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think it was a big deal. I thought – I mean, I thought everything was out in the open, between us here.” Colton’s apology was written right into his voice.
