“Yeah, hold on,” Glen said.
I frowned, putting the phone closer to my ear, trying to catch what was happening on his end. There was some muffled talking like he’d covered the mic but not quite well enough.
I caught pieces of it. Then, clearer this time…
“Yes, fine, I’ll tell him! Jeez.”
I stilled. That didn’t sound good.
“Okay,” Glen said, returning to the call. “Mom wants me to tell you she’d really love for you to come. And if you don’t say yes right now, she’s going to come over there and convince you herself.”
A groan slipped out of me as I tipped my head back against the brick wall. There was no way that was happening.
Gabby didn't bluff. Neither did Glen. If she said she was coming, she would. Five-hour drive or not. Bad hip or not. And that was exactly the problem.
Because the second she shows up, smiling like she always did, arms wide open, pulling me into one of her warm, familiar hugs like nothing had changed, I’d fold.
I knew I would. I always did with her.
“She doesn’t have to do that,” I said quickly, pushing off the wall. “Don’t let her come all the way out here.”
“So you’re saying yes?” Glen asked.
“No, I…” I scrubbed a hand down my face, words tripping over each other as my brain scrambled for anything that would slow this down. Anything that would buy me time.
“My boyfriend,” I blurted.
I definitely hadn't been planning on saying that. The word hung there for half a second too long.
“I just haven’t had the chance to ask him yet,” I added quickly, forcing the lie into something that almost sounded believable. “He just got back from a job in?—”
My mind went completely blank.Anywhere. Just pick anywhere.
There was a pause on the other end. “You have a boyfriend?”
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.
At least we weren’t talking about the wedding anymore. But I wasn’t entirely sure if I felt relieved or if I was digging myself into something worse.
“Yeah.” I didn’t even know why I kept going. But it was already out there. “Yeah, I do. And I’d just feel better going if he came with me, you know?”
“I’ll ask him later,” I went on. “I’ll let you know.”
Another pause. Then, “So should I put you down as a yes?”
I hesitated. And that was my mistake. Because in that split second, I heard an excited shriek in the background, too loud to ignore.
“Oh my god, did he say yes? Let me talk to him.”
The line shifted, a bit of fumbling, and then?—
“Seth? Oh, sweetheart, I can’t wait to see you again!” It was Gabby.
There was no getting out of this now.
“Yeah,” I said, softer than I meant to. “I can’t wait to see you too.”
More excited noises on the other end. Glen saying something, Gabby talking over him, but I didn’t want to stick around long enough to catch more of it.
