Page 51 of The Snowball Effect

Still, she tightened her grip back and arched an eyebrow at Regan. “We never speak of the Mr. Cuddles thing to anyone else.”

“It’s between you, me, and the bear. Scout’s honor.”

eight

Sutton, The One and Only – 9:17 AM

Everything all right over there? Haven’t heard from you in a while… which is highly suspicious

Regan stareddown at her phone, debating how to answer.

It didn’t come as a shock to her that Sutton was questioning her silence in the last week. After all, Regan was typically in contact with her best friend every day, in some form or other.

But after the debacle with Emma, she’d felt strangely reluctant to talk to Sutton, even about topics unrelated to Emma. This situation, which had only been compounded by her conversation with Charlotte, put a spotlight on how much Regan truly depended on Sutton. How much she’dalwaysrelied on her best friend to be her anchor.

And Sutton’s current absence highlighted the reality that Sutton couldn’t always be there to make everything feel normal and okay. Even when she returned from Rome – which wouldn’t happen for almost half a year – she was now in a relationship. Like, a serious relationship. One that Regan sensed would only continue to get more serious as time passed.

While Regan knew she would always fill a role in Sutton’s life, the position she’d held for nearly twenty years as Sutton’s Most Important Person was a title that Charlotte had snuck in and claimed for herself in the last year.

So –

Regan – 9:19 AM

Everything’s hunky dory on my side of the Atlantic

Sutton, The One and Only – 9:19 AM

You sure? It took you a while to answer my message

Regan – 9:19 AM

It was 2 minutes………..

Sutton, The One and Only – 9:20 AM

And 2 minutes for you to answer a text you’d read right away is a long time…

Damn Sutton and how well she knew Regan!

Also, damn this feeling in her gut that she had whenever she felt like she was being dishonest with Sutton. But what she’d said to Charlotte the other day was the truth.

For once in her life, Regan needed to stand on her own two feet.

Besides, shewasn’tlying to Sutton. Not really.

Everything was – tentatively – hunky dory between her and Emma.

Today would be the true qualifier of that, and –

“Are we baking cupcakes together for our hang out?” Emma’s voice came from over Regan’s shoulder.

“Oh mygod!” Regan jumped in surprise, fumbling with her phone before it fell from her grasp.

She and Emma watched as it clattered face-down onto the floor.

Regan’s heart was still racing in her chest as Emma quickly bent to retrieve her phone. She examined the screen as she handed it over to Regan, her pouty lips pulled into a considering frown. “It looks like it’s all in one piece still. Sorry, though; I didn’t think I’d scare you.”

Regan gratefully took her phone back, giving it a cursory glance as she placed it on the counter behind her. “Yeah, I mean, I don’t know why you might possibly scare the shit out of someone when you come creeping up behind them like a ninja.”

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