Page 35 of When Ellie Falls in Love

“And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what happened at prom.” She uncovered her face to look at Charlie. “Both of you. I was just so embarrassed when it happened that I didn’t want to talk about it.”

“You can always tell us anything, Sadie.” Charlie took a seat on the coffee table where Delaney had previously been. “We’re your parents. We’re here for you, through the good times and the bad.”

“I wish you had told me,” Delaney sadly sighed. “I knew something was wrong that night. I could tell it by your eyes.”

“I didn’t know how to tell you.” Sadie shifted in her seat so she could see both Charlie and Delaney. “Telling you meant I had to tell you I took that stupid picture in the first place. And that I’d sent it to Trevor.” She sarcastically laughed. “I can’t believe I ever even thought for asecondthat he liked me. I can see it all so clearly now. He was just asking me to prom to make Abigail Massey jealous. And he succeeded in that. I was so stupid.”

“You’re not stupid,” Delaney said firmly. “I mean, you were for sending that picture. But that’s teenage stupid. You’ll grow out of it. I hope,” she laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

“I will, I promise. I’ll never be that stupid ever again.”

Delaney chuckled. “Oh, honey, yes, you will. But that’s part of growing up—doing dumb things you cringe about later in life. It happens. And I wanted to lecture you about how you should never send nudes to anyone because you never know who will see them, but you’ve learned that lesson the hard way.”

“Believe me, I’d rather have had an hours-long lecture from you thaneverlearn it this way.” Sadie looked down at her hands in her lap. “Are you going to ground me?”

Both Charlie and Delaney were silent for a beat before Charlie cleared her throat.

“No.”

Sadie’s eyes shot up to Charlie.

“Your mom and I talked about it before we came home. We both feel you have learned your lesson, and there’s nothing to be gained from making you beat yourself up over it any more than you already have.”

She nervously waited for thebutto come.

But I’m kicking you off the softball team.

But I’m giving your spot to Abigail.

But I’m telling the University of Tennessee to rescind your scholarship.

“But I will be requiring you and Abigail to meet with the school’s guidance counselor to discuss what happened.”

What? No. No way.

Sadie started to speak, but Charlie held up her hand.

“I know you and Abigail didn’t get along before this.”

“Because she thinks I stole her spot as pitcher.”

“Nevertheless,” Charlie continued, “I can’t have you two at each other’s throats. Not and have the team be the best I know it can be. So I need you two to work on your problems. If you think you can do that without the guidance counselor, cool. I support that. But I need you two to at least be civil.”

“I can’t help she hates me.” Sadie stood, looking down at Charlie. “You don’t know how hard it is to fit in at that school. Everyone has hated me since the moment I arrived, including Abigail. She hates me because I’m good at softball and mystepmomis the coach.”

Charlie stood, crossing her arms over her chest. “I know what it’s like to be the new kid at Moonflower Cove High School. I did it, too. And I had someone who hated me when I took their position on the softball team, but we worked through it.”

Sadie realized what Charlie was talking about and rolled her eyes as they all laughed. “I’m not waiting twenty years and thenmarryingAbigail. Ew. She’s sonotmy type.”

“No, your type isEllie,” Delaney’s singsong voice made Sadie’s head snap toward her. “What? I’ve seen the way you two look at each other. And believe me, I’ve never had anyone climb a trellis to check on me before.”

“I’d fall,” Charlie laughed as she sat on the arm of the couch beside Delaney.

“Ellie is myfriend.”

“So noteveryonehates you at school then.”

Sadie knew what her mother was doing. She was trying to make her smile. Delaney was always the type of mom who would lecture you then take you out to ice cream to make sure you knew she still loved you. Which, of course, Sadie always knew.

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