Page 37 of Power Plays & Proposals

My mouth opened and closed. I hadn't considered that. "It did seem a little rushed from what my mom told me. And she did have a baby."

"You're better off without him." Sofie lifted her glass of apple juice in a toast. "And if you give me their info I know a guy that can make sure everyone knows what they did."

"There's really no need for that."

Kim held up her phone. "Lauren's on it."

Sofie frowned. "Dang it."

Hannah cleared her throat. "If Nate doesn’t appreciate you, then he doesn’t deserve you, Lia. But I don’t think you have anything to worry about. He looks at you with the same smile he gets after winning a game."

I blushed furiously. "He does not."

"All in favor of going to a game to see if I’m right?" Hannah asked.

And like the wonderful friends they all were, they all lifted a hand. I glanced around at each of them, a genuine smile tugged at the corners of my lips. "You guys seriously rock, you know that?"

Laughter rippled through the room, dispersing the lingering tension like a gentle breeze, and we got back to discussing our latest read.

When Maria and I made it back to her apartment much later in the day, I was ready to fall into bed, or air mattress in this case. While her home was technically a two-bedroom, the second bedroom had a lot of boxes from Maria's grandmother that she hadn't gone through since her grandmother died. Feeling bad about how uncomfortable the couch was, Maria had bought an air mattress for me, and pushed all of her grandmother's things against one wall so I'd have a small private space.

I'd just sat down on my makeshift bed, when I saw a video call from my mom coming in. I smiled and accepted, I'd been meaning to thank her for the fudge.

"Hey Sweetie," Mom said. The camera was pointing up at her and my dad. It looked like they were sitting at the kitchen table in their house and about to eat dinner. "How is the job search?"

My cousin Haley had generously filled my parents in on my joblessness by showing them a clip of Priscilla firing me. It had taken me hours to calm my mom down. It wasn't until I'd distracted her by showing her my engagement ring that she'd stopped freaking out.

"I'm still looking, but a friend knows the owner of a salon and is going to give them my information."

"That's great. And what about your handsome husband-to-be? Did he get the fudge?"

"He did. He's been bragging about it to his teammates."

That put a big smile on her face. "I can make some for them too."

I reassured her that while that was a kind thought, it really wasn't necessary. "How have you been doing Dad?"

He grunted, and Mom filled me in on his latest doctor appointment. "He's been given a clean bill of health! He got to ring the bell today!"

"That's wonderful! I wish I could have been there with you."

When I had to cancel the plane ticket home it hurt a lot. I'd wanted to surprise both of them for Dad's last round of radiation, and I took solace in knowing I hadn't set them up for disappointment.

"Haley was there, and she brought us a cake."

The sound of my cousin's name didn't hurt as much as it had. Talking to my friends earlier had helped. "How is she?"

"Oh she's getting excited for the practice to open. Ted is going to do a grand opening with a ribbon cutting and everything. The pair of them have been working so hard to make their dream come true."

She carried on oblivious to the fact that I'd once told her about that dream, but it hadn't mattered until Haley wanted it.

"You don't say," I said.

"Oh don't sound so bitter for her success. You know she doesn't have support from your aunt and uncle."

Because they'd cut her off when they realized what a spoiled brat she'd become.

"I need to go Mom. I have to get up early tomorrow."

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