Page 63 of Ghosted By Texas

“At least you still know the difference.”

“Well, there’s that,” I agreed before my friend started laughing at me. Then, the strangest thing happened. A blueberry muffin appeared on our table like magic. Well, not quite like magic, since I’d seen the café employee deliver it and walk away.

“Um, I think she got the wrong table,” I suggested to Clea, who smiled warmly at me.

“I don’t think so,” she argued.

“But, I didn’t order this, so clearly she got the wrong table.”

“Didn’t you just say you were thinking about getting another muffin?”

“Yes, but this isn’t a fantasy novel where food appears when you ask for it,” I explained to my ridiculous bestie. “On second thought, lets test the theory.” I closed my eyes and when they popped open again, I voiced my demand to the universe. “I’m thinking of getting a million dollars today.”

“What the hell, Becs?”

“What? It worked with the muffin. Tell me you weren’t thinking the same thing!”

“I can’t say that I was,” she mentioned before laughing at me once again. “You’re ridiculous.”

“A muffin appeared at our table, not five minutes after I voiced wanting another.” I eyed my friend suspiciously because she was wearing her guilty face, complete with red-tinged cheeks. “I know you didn’t order it because I’ve been sitting here with you the whole time.” I turned to look back in the direction that kept grabbing my friend’s attention. When I did, it was to see a familiar back walking out of the café.

“Was that?” I asked before turning back around to see Clea busily staring off in the opposite direction, like that wasn’t suspect. “Did Austin just buy me this muffin?”

“Maybe?” Clea answered, though it sounded more like a question.

“A part of me wants to throw it away now,” I huffed.

“But you’re going to eat it anyway?”

“Yeah, because I’m starving and honestly, it’s his fault that I’m starving. You know?” Clea grinned as I took a dainty nibble of the crumbly goodness on top of the muffin.

“I think your boyfriend’s brother might be stalking me,” I whispered across the table after swallowing another bite.

“Maybe, he’s just trying to show you that he’s there without being too pushy and making you angry again.”

“Why aren’t you still angry with him?” I asked her, sort of hurt that she seemed to be taking up for the asshole.

Clea sighed. “It’s not that I don’t want to kick him in the balls for what he’s put you through, because I do. It’s just that, you’re having his baby and I’m marrying his brother, and that’s going to make us all family in a strange way. I want to be able to support my future brother-in-law when he has my future niece or nephew with him without you getting angry with me. If you two work your shit out, I won’t have to feel like I’m walking on eggshells around you.”

“I would never begrudge you being there for my child, no matter which parent had custody at the moment.” My explanation was weak, but it was dawning on me that my best friend would be stuck between a rock and a hard place eventually if this rift remained between Austin and myself.

“While I don’t agree, at all, with how he handled things, you have to admit he was put in an impossible situation when Jordan lied to him.”

“I’d still like to punch that whore to the moon,” I threatened.

“I know. I would, too. Houston said he thinks she’s planning on leaving town. Maybe it’s for good this time.”

“I very seriously doubt that. The bitch is evil, and she didn’t get what she wanted. I’d bet money she’ll come back and try again.”

“You really think so?”

“I would put down good money, that I don’t even have, that if I were to start up a relationship with Austin again, his evil big sister would run off and tell Jordan, who would come charging back with some comically unbelievable, yet somehow gullible people believe it anyway, reason why they need to be together. Then the bastard would have no choice but to drop me again, immediately.” I laughed after stringing together that blubbering ball of ridiculousness, no matter how accurate it might be. Then, I forgot all about it and took another bite of my muffin before tacking just a little bit more.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if she tried to convince Austin that I wasn’t actually carrying his baby.”

Clea winced and perked a brow up.

“I may have already overheard Victoria asking her family just that. It was in the middle of her taking up for Jordan, too. That was weeks ago, when they first found out you were pregnant.”

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