Page 99 of The Invitation
I wince. “Yeah, that’s rough.”
She sniffles. “Okay. I feel a bit better, I guess. I’m going to make some calls and see if I can salvage any of this.”
“Good luck.”
“I’ll keep you posted.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
“Love you, sweetheart. Bye.”
“Good—” Click! The line is dead. “Bye.”
Between the wine and my mother, my head feels like it’s spinning.
Sutton takes our glasses and the bottle back to the kitchen. “You’ve had enough. I’m going to put this away and then I need to get home to Jeremiah.”
“Okay.” I rest my head against the cushion and close my eyes, letting the warmth wash away my mom’s drama. I can’t deal with it right now, and I can’t let her ruin my day. “Love you, Sutton.”
“I love you, too.”
There’s a long pause that makes me open my eyes. She’s standing in the doorway with her keys on her finger.
“I say this with all due respect,” she says. “But Felicity Hayes lives for Felicity Hayes. You need to live for Georgia Hayes. Follow me?”
I nod. “I follow you.”
“Good. I’m going now. Call me if you need me.”
“Bye, friend.”
“Bye, friend.”
The door closes softly behind her.
I try to sit still and enjoy the question, but it doesn’t work. I try to sort through my hazy brain and figure out how to tell my mom that I just might be in love with Ripley Brewer. That doesn’t work, either. So I do the only other thing I can think of—the only one I really want to do.
I pick up my phone and find his name.
Me: Hey.
Ripley: Hey.
Me: I know we said we weren’t really telling anyone yet, but I told Sutton.
Ripley: What did you tell her, exactly?
Me:
Ripley: I told Tate and Gannon the same thing.
I laugh out loud as happiness floods me again.
Me: When do I get to meet Waffles?
Ripley: I wanted you here right now. You were the one saying we needed to take things slow.
Me: I changed my mind.
