"What do you mean?"Harper asked.
"He texted me a little while ago to say that he'll give me a ride back into town."
"That's fine by me," said Harper.
While the others chatted and finished their drinks as they waited for the guys to arrive, Shelley pulled Harper aside.
"What's up, girlfriend?"
Shelley laughed."Have you had one too many?"
"Nope."
"Are you sure?"
Harper shook her head a little too adamantly."I'm positive I've had two too many.But that's okay.How about you?"
"I think I'm the same," said Shelley."I always say I'm going to take it easy when we come out.But once we all get talking and the wine starts flowing, I forget how my head will feel in the morning.But listen — I wanted to ask you.I was surprised when you showed up with Cash."
Harper laughed."So was I.But don't go reading anything into it."
"No?"Shelley asked with raised eyebrows.
"No — come on, you know there's nothing like that between us.I mean, I joke about it, but only because I know it's safe.He's not interested in me.And no, before you ask, I'm not interested in him."
"So why the sudden change?When we spoke earlier, you said you were driving yourself."
"And I was about to, when Cash arrived and said he was coming this way anyway, so why not?"
Shelley pressed her lips together."I mean, if you and he were..."
"But we're not," Harper said with a laugh.
"Good, because I like Cash.Don't get me wrong — but there's something about you and Emmett that just..."
Harper glanced over at the others before she lowered her voice."If you want to know the full story, that's part of the reason that Cash wanted to give me a ride here.Apparently, he likes the idea of me and Emmett maybe seeing each other, too."
"He does?"
"Yeah."
"But you're still not convinced."
"It's not that I'm not convinced for me, it's just...I don't know."
She glanced over at the others again.Ari caught her gaze and waved."I don't think it's fair that the two of you are keeping secrets, you know.I thought we all shared everything."
Harper grinned at her."Almost everything.And I'm sure it'll be absolutely everything at some point soon.But you have to give me a pass — I haven't known you ladies all that long.Shelley and I are getting close to our fortieth anniversary."
"Damn," said Candy."I knew you were old friends, but..."
"Now we sound like we're just old," Shelley said with a laugh.
"I think it's amazing," said Retta."I never really had any friends until I got to know you ladies."
Libby slung an arm around Retta's shoulders."But now you're making up for lost time.You have all of us.And we all have each other.I love it."
Ari looked down at her phone."Get ready, ladies — they're just pulling up outside."
