Page 81 of You Found Me
“Whatever you decide, we support and love you,” Colette says gently before hugging me. “I’ll get out of your hair and let you relax before work tomorrow.”
“Same here,” Mia nods. “I have dinner with my parents and Theo tonight, so you’ll have peace and quiet.”
“Thank you and I love you both. Hopefully I can figure out what I want before Thursday.”
***
Two grueling days of work done and now I get to have some fun with the girls.
I’m with Cori and Piper for a girls night in Charleston, for dinner and a show. And I have to say, we look pretty incredible.
Piper’s in an emerald-green dress that hugs her figure and makes her eyes pop. Cori’s wearing her typical black slacks, a baby pink button up top with suspenders, and matching heels. I’ve got on a solid black wrap dress with green and pink jeweled hair pins keeping the waves out of my face.
After the show is over, we head to one of the restaurants close to the Arts Center and have a late dinner. Cori’s been flirting hardcore with our waitress, even going so far as to ask her when she getsoff work.
“You guys are my last table,” the waitress, Finley, says. “Is there a reason you’re asking?”
“I’m hoping that when we’re all done here, you’ll want to come back to my place so I can get to know you better,” Cori says as she caresses Finley’s hand that’s at her side.
I share a look with Piper knowing that Finley will be leaving with Cori and that we’ll be on our own for the rest of the night. This is pretty common where Cori is concerned and it’s nice to see that hasn’t changed.
Where Colette gives soft and sweet, Cori gives hard and edgy. Even in her pink top, she has this look of “don’t fuck with me.” She’s always been a bit of a player and tends to go for women who’d ask “how high?” if she said jump. We’re all waiting for someone to come into her life and rock her shit in the best way and have decided it will need to be someone who challenges her at every step.
When they finish flirting, Cori turns to us with a smirk on her face. “Sorry, but I’m going to have to cut the night short.”
Snorting, Piper quips, “Yeah. We figured that out when you were eye fucking one another over the dessert menu. Go have fun and try not to be too mean once you’re done.”
Cori’s hand flies to her chest in mock shock. “I can’t believe you think I’d be anything but nice. Seriously though, I make sure to tell them all the deal before it starts. Only a few went into it thinking they could change me and that’s on them.”
And with that she walks away, Finley in tow.
“How about we go to the bar across the street and get a couple of drinks before heading back home?” Piper asks. “And by drinks, I mean soda for me and a hard seltzer for you since I drove.”
“Pipes, we can just leave.”
“Nope. Colette told me some of what’s going on with you and Spencer—don’t be mad—and I just want to take your mind off of it for a bit. So come on, let’s go kick some ass at darts.”
I grab her for a quick hug. “I figured she would have told you and Cori. Thank you. I’m good with darts. As long as you don’t piss off anymore grown men.”
She holds her hands up innocently. “I promise I won’t play with the fragile emotions of the men in that bar.”
I snort out loud. As kids, Piper actually got banned from playing against the male counselors at camp because she made them cry. I shake my head and loop my arm with hers as we head to the bar.
***
Spencer
I wake up on my couch to a continuous knock at my front door.
Checking the time, I see it’s after 1:00 a.m., and panic sets in.
What if something happened to my parents or to Beckett?
I race to the door only to find no one standing there. Maybe it was the TV since it’s still on, volume low as it plays reruns. I start to shut the door and that’s when I hear a sigh. I look down, and to the right of the door is Emmaline sitting up against the wall.
“Emmy? Are you okay?”
She turns to face me, and a lopsided smile overtakes her whole face. “SPENCIE! I’ve been out here for hours just knocking. I thought you’d never let me in.” At that she pouts. “Did you not want to see me?”
