Page 37 of The Luck of Finding You
“Ish.” She laughs. “You’d think that after five years it wouldn’t feel like it’s such a big deal. They’ve been dating since the beginning of the year. I shouldn’t be surprised. But it makes me miss mom”
I step forward, moving her laptop closer to her so I can sit at the foot of the bed. I don’t know how to ask what happened to her mom. “She’s your mom. It’s always going be a big deal.”
Tally wipes a tear from her face, and I resist the urge to pull her into my arms and comfort her. “I guess that’s true.”
“It’s okay to be sad about it.”
Tally nods. “I know. It’s a weird mix of feelings I have right now. Grief is weird like that—it hits you at the weirdest moments. Like, Beth is great for my dad. She’s so different than Mom was, but she makes Dad so, so happy. I know he really loves her. I wish I could have been more excited just now. But them announcing they got engaged makes it more real. It’s another reminder that she’s not here.”
“They kind of sprang it on you,” I say. “And I’m sorry she’s not here.”
“True. Thanks.” Tally laughs a little, then her eyes well up again.
“You can be happy for them later and still feel sad.”
“Thank you.” She gives me a smile, a real one. Even with the tears on her cheeks, she’s beautiful.
“You’re welcome.”
“If you’re here whenever they decide to get married,” Tally starts, taking a shaky breath, “would you want to be my date? Friend date, I mean?”
“For the wedding?” I ask her, surprise bubbling up inside my chest.
“Yeah.” She shrugs like it’s no big deal. “I mean, I know Holly will for sure be there, but I could definitely use a friend who won’t also be crying and smiling at the same time like she will be.”
“It’d be my pleasure.” My voice comes out lower than I mean it to, and her eyes darken.
Tally laughs, a low belly laugh. The sound is something I want to capture and take home with me and keep forever. “No one says things like that—‘It would be my pleasure.’”
Now it’s my turn to laugh. “Last time I checked, I didn’t have a British accent.”
Tally throws her head back against her pillow. “Oh, gosh. I did do that, didn’t I? Remind me never to mimic you.”
“I’ll try,” I say with a laugh. “But chances are, you’ll say the words before I can actually remind you.”
Tally wipes away another tear, but I think the new tears are from her laughter and not because of her mom. “Fair.”
“You good?” I ask again.
“I will be.” Her eyes are a brighter blue now, the result of tears, I guess. I still want to hug her. “Thanks for coming to check on me.”
“Of course.”
“I’ll go back up with you so I can actually congratulate them.”
She stands, stretching. Her sweater lifts just enough that I see a sliver of her skin and my stomach flips. I remember how perfectly she fit against me when I kissed her. Maybe I could now…
“I don’t really do well when big things like that are just sprung on me, ya know?”
“I get that.” I stand too. The room seems to shrink now that we’re standing just a foot apart from each other, thoughts of kissing her still fresh in my mind. She looks up at me and I wonder, if I kissed her now, would it be like it was all those years ago?
“So just try not to ever surprise me. Okay?” She’s staring up at me with puppy dog eyes, and I decide I like this side of Tally. At the shop she’s always all business, which isn’t a bad thing, but this soft side makes me want to take her home and keep her there so she’ll stay that way forever.
I put a hand over my heart. “I promise.”
15
NOAH
