Page 52 of The One I Want
She looks up to me. “It’s okay. I knew she wasn’t going to like you.”
I laugh. “You could have warned me.”
“I figured you knew and that’s why Whitley brought you your makeup.”
“Girl.” I give her one more squeeze. “You are too smart for your own good.”
We let go of the embrace, but neither of us move.
“You should probably go back.”
“Yeah,” she shrugs.
“Call me if you need anything?”
She nods. “I will.”
“Or if Magnolia forgot something because I didn’t check her bag.”
“I already did. I switched out the toys for pajamas and clothes.”
“That’s my girl.” I give her one more squeeze.
“Betsy?”
“Yeah?”
“Can I ask for one more thing?”
“Anything.”
She looks up at me, her expression a little more devilish than normal. “When you come get us tomorrow, can you wear your Nirvana T-shirt?”
I laugh. Emerson just hit a level of petty I didn’t reach until high school. I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud.
“Gladly.”
Chapter21
Betsy
It’s after midnight,but I still can’t make myself fall asleep. Not after today.
It started that I didn’t want to go to sleep in case the kids needed anything. After seeing the way Cara spoke to Emerson, I had no faith in them having a nice night. Emerson promised to text me before they all went to bed, and she did. Apparently, she was better after I left. Who knows if that was because it was only the kids around, or if she realized she was being a horrible human. Either way, I’m glad that, at least for tonight, things went off as best as they could.
I decided to pour myself a glass of wine and come sit out on the porch. Phone in hand, I begin scrolling throughForU.And when I say begin, I mean start again since this is what I’ve been doing all night. I tuck the fleece blanket under my legs, blocking any cold coming in. It might be less than a week until Christmas, but it’s not so cold that you can’t sit outside. Or camp in the backyard after your buddy gets a divorce.
Yup, I can hear Wes, Oliver, Simon, and Shane all the way from the Taylors’ property to my front porch. When Oliver told me what they had planned, I wondered why they were choosing to do it there instead of one of their houses. I mean, Wes has a huge house with plenty of rooms, as well as a pool, hot tub, and more land than he needs. Oliver said something about tradition and the Taylors’ backyard is where this needed to be.
I didn’t ask any more questions. But it does sound like they’re having fun judging by the intermittent laughter I hear from the distance.
My cell phone dings, which surprises me at this time of night.
Whitley: You okay?
Betsy: How did you know I was still awake?
Whitley: Because you just sent me a ForU video, and since you started working for Wes you’ve been going to bed before ten.
