Page 68 of Clean Out of Luck

We’re having a girls’ night tomorrow night, so make sure you’re home at a decent time to watch the kids.

CARSON

Sounds good.

Has anyone told you that you’re a Wade-clone?

The candy bar gets lodged in my throat as I read Carson’s second text. Wade and I aren’t alike—not really. Are we?

Chapter Twenty-One

Scarlett

I swing openthe front door of The Serendipity to find Lilly and Ashlyn standing on the front steps. Lilly has bags of sushi in her hands and Ashlyn has…a breast pump.

“Hi, we come bearing gifts!” Ashlyn says by way of greeting.

“Um, I think I’m good on the breastmilk, thanks.”

She grins and marches past me inside. “The chocolate is in the bottom of the diaper bag. I had to smuggle it out of my home. I’m convinced the kids can sniff it out.”

“I know I can,” Lilly says with a laugh. They follow me through the lobby and down the staircase.

“Oh, okay, this isn’t sketchy at all,” Ashlyn comments as she looks around the low-ceiling basement. “It’s so airy and bright.”

Leading the way to the apartment, I unlock the door and let them in first.

“Oh thank goodness you have windows! You had me worried for a minute,” Ashlyn gushes. “This is so cute!! I love it!”

We spread the food out on the counter and spend thenext hour catching up on life, laughing until our sides hurt, and sampling a little bit of everything.

It’s the first time in a long time I’ve felt at peace and rest with people. Good friends are hard to find, so it’s worth hanging on for all your worth no matter life’s circumstances.

“Oh, I’ve got to pump. You guys won’t be weirded out by it, right?” Ashlyn asks as she unzips the bag holding the breast pump.

Lilly waves a hand through the air. “Everybody’s got boobs.”

“Well not everyone,” Ashlyn shoots back with a laugh. “I wish they did! I’d gladly let Carson do this part of parenting.”

She sets herself up on one of the barstools and I go grab drinks out of the fridge.

“I just love your apartment down here. It’s so cute, and the retro fridge…It’s literally perfect for you,” Lilly gushes for the fifth time tonight.

“I know, right? I’m seriously so happy here. When anyone finds out I live in a basement, I either get weird looks or a lecture and they just don’t understand how great it is.” I set an array of drinks on the counter.

“Anything caffeinated?” Ashlyn asks.

“I’ve got a diet Pepsi?” I say as I spin the can around to face her.

She leans forward to grab it and in the process, one of the bottles falls from the pump, splattering on the floor. “What! Oh my gosh. I just spilled everywhere,” Ashlyn exclaims. “I am so sorry. Ugh, this is how my whole day has been going. Or maybe the last six months.”

I just laugh and head to the closet for the mop. When I turn around, Ashlyn has put herself back together and is grabbing the mop from me. “Ashlyn, it’s no big deal! I don’t mind cleaning it up.”

She laughs and turns around to mop it up. “I’m not going to make you clean up spilled breastmilk. Good grief.”

“Do you know what I want? No, do you know what Ineed?” Ashlyn says as she scrubs back and forth. “A hot, caramel coffee with an extra shot of espresso. Doesn’t that sound good?”

There’s a knock on the door, and I go open it to find Gloria standing there. Holding a tray of coffees.

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