Page 52 of Once Upon a Holidate
The idea was disgusting. She didn’t want some random guy—she wanted her husband back home.
Joni stretched. “This is nice. The pool and the house. You’ve got a good setup here. Better than at your mom’s. All those kids running around. It was loud, plus your mom never let us drink in front of them. You and Chandler could just move in here. I’ll bet your dad wouldn’t mind. Mooch off him for a while.”
Joni’s phone buzzed. She glanced down and smiled. “It’s this guy I met last week when we went up to LA. He’s an actor and so cute.”
“Are you going to class at all?”
“Ugh. Don’t sound like my mother. I go.” She grinned. “Sometimes.” She shook her glass again. “Sure you don’t want a sip?”
“No, thanks.”
Joni got up and joined Enya in the pool. Yolanda drained her glass, took off her bikini top and jumped into the pool with them. They started splashing each other and shrieking.
Joylyn watched for a few minutes, then got up and went inside. She saw the large bottle of vodka they’d brought with them was nearly empty. How much had they been drinking? And why had she ever thought those women were her friends?
For the thousandth time she wished she’d stayed on base in San Diego. At least the other wives would have understood what she was going through and have given her support. She would have had more things to do than hang out at her dad’s and spend her day making snowmen for a wedding.
“It’s all about the money,” she reminded herself, walking into the family room where she’d set up a card table with her supplies. In the corner was a growing stack of boxes filled with paper snowmen.
She got out everything she would need and prepared to work. Before she started, she sent a quick text to her friend Holly, mentioning Joni, Yolanda and Enya had stopped by, not that she expected a reply anytime soon. It was a Saturday morning. Holly and Rex would probably be doing something together. But eventually Holly would answer and be sympathetic. She’d never much liked Joylyn’s college friends.
She ignored the shrieks from the backyard. In some ways ignoring the noise reminded her of how it had been back when she’d lived with her mom. Her brothers were insanely loud and always getting into something. It was much easier being at her dad’s, she thought. There was always food in the refrigerator and the house was quiet. Plus they were getting along better now. He didn’t act like he resented having her around. Sometimes he even made her feel he was glad she was here. So why hadn’t he been like that before?
As if he’d sensed she was thinking about him, her dad walked into the family room.
“What are you doing?” he asked, coming to a stop when he saw her. “Your friends are out by the pool.”
She wrinkled her nose. “They’re drunk and talking about people I don’t know and places I haven’t been.”
He pulled up a chair. “You’re just in different places right now. You’re pregnant and married and they’re—” He hesitated.
“Swimming topless in your pool?” she offered.
He winced. “Tell me that’s not true.”
“Sorry, but it is.”
“Damn, and I was going to go sit outside and enjoy the day.”
“You don’t want to see their boobs?”
Her dad grimaced. “They belong to your friends, so no.”
“But other random twentysomething boobs would be okay?”
He chuckled. “Sure. As long as they’re random.”
“Da-ad.”
“I’m a guy. Many of us like boobs. It’s a thing.” He picked up one of the snowmen. “You’re making progress.”
“I know. Hunter made about ten, then decided he didn’t need the money that much. I don’t mind the work. I text Natalie every couple of days and update her on my count.”
“I’m sure she appreciates that.”
A loud burst of laughter had them both turning toward the back of the house.
“How long are they staying?” he asked.
