Page 62 of More Than a Blind Date

Me:I’m good. My friend is bringing ice cream.

Tandy:Eat up. I’ll see you tomorrow.

I’m in my jammies when Daphne arrives, and she is too.

“Did you shop like that?”

“Yeah. I snuck in right before closing. It was embarrassing, but this was an emergency. If I’d taken the time to change, I wouldn’t have made it to the store before they closed. Being without ice cream wasn’t an option.” She runs to the kitchen and sets the bags on the table, then opens her arms. “Come here.”

And now I’m sobbing again.

“You warned me this would happen, but I didn’t listen to you.”

She pulls back and cups my face. “I’m glad you didn’t listen. You know why?”

“Why?”

“Because it took having Dallas in your corner to find the real Rose, the one who’s willing to stand up for herself when needed. The one who sees her own value. I have tried my darnedest for years, and it only took that man six months. Less than that. I’m jealous, but that’s beside the point. He helped you become strong enough to watch him walk away. You’ll be okay. And you’ll still have me as your bestie.”

I pull Daphne in for another hug. “Okay. What flavors did you bring?”

“I know you love Rocky Road, so I grabbed that. And I also got a tub of The Great Divide. And I picked up a bag of Fritos to sprinkle on top for that sweet and salty thing.”

“You are one of a kind, Daphne. I’ve never met anyone who puts chips on their ice cream.”

“Fritos are better than chips. And I like what I like.” She unloads the bags while I get bowls and spoons.

Then snuggled in opposite corners of the sofa, I tell her all about the evening. By the time I’m ready for bed, I’ve polished off half a tub of Rocky Road.

“I need to sleep. I’m supposed to meet Dad early so we can talk about the new store.”

“How much do you want to wager that whatever he says will explain Dallas’s change of heart?”

“If he really cared for me, nothing would keep him away.”

Daphne wipes her eyes. “Let me know how things go, okay? With your dad and with Tandy.”

“I will. And if you want to stay here tonight, I won’t have to worry about you driving home.”

“Since I’m lactose intolerant and just downed a giant bowl of ice cream, driving home would be a horrible idea. I’ll stay.”

I get her a pillow and blanket. “Holler if you need anything.”

“Will do.” She stretches out and pulls the quilt up to her shoulders. “Try to get some sleep.”

Nodding, I turn and go down the hall, and Floofy follows. At least I won’t be alone in bed. I have my little friend to cuddle with.

I take twice as long doingmy makeup than I do on a normal morning, but I don’t want to look like I spent the entire night in tears. I did sleep for a couple of hours. Dad’s car is outside the new store when I arrive.

Before getting out of the car, I flip down the mirror and give myself a peptalk. “You are brave. Whatever happens today does not mean the world is ending. You’ll figure it all out. There are other jobs.”

I should be excited about this meeting after what Dallas said about the rumor. But I’m not. My stomach feels like a bubbling caldron. After blowing out a cleansing breath, I paste on my best smile and walk inside.

“Sweetheart, hi. Are you okay?”

So much for all the extra time in front of the mirror. “Yeah. Daphne came over after the wedding, and we stayed up way too late. So tell me the plan for this place. What did you decide?”

Dad shoves his hands in his pockets. “Your mother and I love you very much.”

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