Page 25 of Lovestrung

She raised her eyebrows at me. “Well, shit. Looks like I’ll have to up my game a little.”

“Oooh, I’m intrigued now.” I leaned closer toward her. “Who’s got your panties in such a twist?”

She looked down and I gasped lightly when I noticed the blush in her cheeks. Ella had been single for the past year since she split up with the low life, cheating bastard, Eric. Seeing her all flustered and shy – two things she definitely wasn’t – made me ecstatic.

“Oh, my gosh! You like someone! Who is he, and why haven’t you told me about him already?”

She giggled. “Because I wanted to wait to say anything until I knew he was as into me as I am into him.”

Quickly, I moved our empty coffee cups and plates to the table behind me and moved to sit next to her. The soft, burgundy colored armchair was perfect to sink into.

“Spill the beans, Ella.”

I spent the next half hour listening to her talking about her new boyfriend, Luke, making sure to give her my full attention. For all I knew, this would be the last time in a while we both had time to meet like this, and I didn’t want to waste a single minute of it.

If there was one thing I knew I’d miss during my travels, it was this – meeting up with a close friend to talk about all or nothing.

“So, we’ve been out on four dates so far, and I think I’m starting to fall for him.”

“Aww,” I sighed. “That is wonderful, Ella. It really is. You’ll have to keep me updated in your emails, so I know how things go between you.” I gave her a hug. “Promise me?”

“Of course,” she sniffled. “I’m going to miss you so much, Pip.” Her eyes shimmered with tears, almost setting me off as well.

I swallowed the big lump in my throat. “I’ll miss you, too.”

Goodbyes sucked major, hairy donkey balls.

* * *

I stared down at my phone from my seat at the kitchen island. I’d been looking at it for the past five minutes and still hadn’t made up my mind if I should answer Ethan’s latest text.

It’s not what it said that had me undecided.

It’s that it came as quite a surprise, and I didn’t know what to make of it.

Ethan: I’m sorry.

That’s all, but coming from Ethan, it was a big thing.

I couldn’t remember the last time he’d actually said those words to me. Apologizing with words wasn’t his thing – or at least it hadn’t been up until now – but now he’d said them twice within a span of twelve hours.

Not letting myself think too much about it, I swiped the screen and called him.

I believed in both words and action.

“Pippa?” he answered, sounding confused.

“You’ve changed,” I said, my voice low.

“Pardon me?”

“I can’t decide if it’s for the better,” I continued, “but despite the manner of which you insulted me this morning, you were right. Gramps was right. Even my friend, Ella, was right.”

“Who’s Ella?”

“The person I upped from good friend to best friend when you disappeared a year ago, Ethan.”

“Ouch,” he mumbled. “I guess I deserved that jab.”