Page 54 of Love Shots

EPILOGUE

Three months later

“Good lord, it’s the crepe paper apocalypse.” Alice chuckled as she entered the high school gym.

She was fricking lucky she was carrying a box full of donations, otherwise Summer might’ve felt the need to defend her crepe paper paradise more sternly.

“But a very pretty apocalypse.” Summer grinned, gesturing Alice over to the table placed slap bang in the middle of all the chaos.

Bluestone High’s prom was just one night away, and even Summer was impressed with herself for the job she’d done planning the event. It turned out she had a knack for the whole party-planning thing. Who knew? After Ivy’s wedding, she’d started receiving requests from more and more people to help plan their special events too. So now, here she was, Bluestone’s one and only party planner.

“Yes, Summer. The prettiest of all apocalypses. Now ... where do you want these?”

Summer made space on the table for the box and wasted no time rifling through the treasure as soon as it hit the wood. “Tell me again why you have all of this? I mean ... is there another use for a mustache on a stick that I don’t know about?”

“Well, that one I got for Brady. See, I was trying to convince him to grow a mustache and I might or might not have followed him around wearing it for a week. You know, so he could get an idea of how distinguished he’d look with one.”

Summer looked up to find her friend beaming as she held the mustache above her mouth. The woman really was something else. They both burst into giggles at the same time.

“God, you’re lucky that man loves you, Ali. If you were my wife, I probably would’ve shoved that stick where the sun don’t shine.”

“You fucking love me, you liar. Plus, if I didn’t have such great ideas all the time, you wouldn’t have a loada cool shit like this for your photo booth.”

“That is true, Ali.” Summer picked up the giant mouth she’d just found and dangled it in front of them. “I mean, who else buys purple-painted lips in bulk?”

“Exactly, bitch.” Alice smirked, looking awfully pleased with herself.

The rest of the afternoon was much more fun than Summer expected it to be. Instead of just dropping off her donations, Alice stayed a while to help out. Clearly not a fan of crepe paper, she helped Summer set up the tables and chairs instead. By the time her friend had left, they’d all been set up. Now all Summer had to do was decorate the tables.

Deciding whether or not to call it a day, she took a seat at one of the tables and pulled out her phone. There was no reason she couldn’t check her messages while she was deciding. How was it possible that Teddy’s name on her screen still had the ability to make her knees weak? Oh well. That was a question for another day. Today she would just bask. Happily, and with a wide smile on her face, she clicked on his name.

Teddy: When you’re done over there, can you come meet me in our spot?

Summer checked the time the message was sent before she replied. Huh. An hour ago.

Summer: Sorry, baby, just seen this. Still want me to come?

Her phone chimed almost immediately.

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