Page 187 of Loving Ladybug: Part One
“Yes.” Dean nodded.
Ty blinked. “I can’t believe that just happened.”
Dean chuckled. “Ty, if you’re going to make it in the PHL, youhaveto get your head out of your ass. You have an agent. Why shouldn’t she?”
Clark took my bag. “Come on, Gweny, let’s go to Tito’s.”
“Let’s go.” We had a lot to celebrate. If only Tenzin were here, too.
“There’s nothing wrong with that dress, right?” I showed Verity a picture of me in the blue dress at JP’s wedding that I’d puton social media. Isa found me and messaged me about the importance of not being a fashion disaster in public.
Which confused me, since Valya had chosen the dress at the fancy boutique. I’d also had help with my hair and makeup.
“It’s a beautiful dress, and you look amazing in it,” Verity assured me as she took a sip of a fruity drink after we sat at a table at Tito’s. “I don’t know what her problem is.”
“Me neither.” Because Isa wasn’t one of my mean sisters. If she was telling me something was wrong with my dress, she meant it sincerely.
I just didn’t know what it was. But then I’d never been good at fashion.
Oh well.
“She can suck it. She better not have anything bad to say about the pink dress,” Mercy told me.
“I hope the dress is done being altered in time.” While I’d gone for a fitting, the delicate fabric was being finicky.
“You can never go wrong in a pink Dubois.” Verity looked around. “No Bucket tonight?”
I sighed as I peered through the crowded bar. Tito’s was lively and everyone was having a great time. “Maybe he’ll come soon.”
Tenzin had texted me and told me he was proud of me and sorry he hadn’t made the whole thing. He often texted me, took a moment to talk when he saw me. Still, things weren’t how they’d been before the wedding.
I couldn’t help but think that it was all my fault.
Mercy joined us and Verity set off to find Grif.
“Hey, Gwenifer, is this you?” Mercy pulled up a video of a figure skating routine on her phone.
“Oh. That’s Midwest Gabby. People mixed us upa lot,even though she was a little older.” I wasn’t aGabby.Most skaters called meLittle Gabsinstead, which I’d liked.
She’d also stopped skating not that long after I moved to Rockland. I found out later her home had exploded in a drug raid.
“Oh.” Mercy nodded. “Okay. Not you. I, um…” Her look turned anxious. “I have a friend that’s good at… stuff. We started to look for you, but she said we should stop. So we did. This video randomly came up in my feed the other day and I was curious. Are you safe? She, um…”
I froze. “She knows my record is....”
Shit.
“It’s all good. She fixes records to make people safe. Do you need help? I can get you help,” Mercy asked, expression serious as she leaned in, voice quiet, scent concerned.
“The person I was hiding from is gone.” I looked away. “I was told I could contact people again. But I have little in common with that part of my life anymore. I like the life I made for myself. I feel more like a Gwen, anyway.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep your secrets,” Mercy told me. “You have no family on your record. If you ever want an adopted alpha sister, for safety, my friend can add me really well.”
Awww. “That’s sweet. I’ll let you know, thanks.”
That was something to think about. I’d already added Tenzin and Clark as my emergency contacts. Having an alpha sibling on record could be useful.
“Here you go.” Clark came over to me and handed me a beer, giving me a little kiss on the cheek.
