Page 24 of Mess With Me
“I’m in,” Lexi declared. “I’m so sick of people asking me why I’m still single.”
Sabrina chimed in. “Or telling you you’re such a catch and wondering why no guy has picked up on that.”
Ally wiggled a little in her excitement. “So we’ll all do it?”
“Yes!” her friends chorused.
“You know Hailey’s going to see this as a threat,” Missy said. “Her entire business is wrapped up in making couples.”
Ally slapped the steering wheel. “I’m inviting her. I’m inviting everyone, single or not, to celebrate with us. Omigod, I’m so excited!”
“I like it,” Sabrina said in her naturally compassionate counselor tone. “Love yourself first. Great love will surely follow that path.”
“Sabrina!” Ally exclaimed. “That’s not the goal. It’s not love me to love you. It’s simply a vow of self-love. Thatyouare enough. We’re taught that we need the whole marriage thing to be complete and have a good life. It’s the ritual forced down our throats. Now we choose our own ritual. It’s about empowerment!”
“We can still allow for the possibility of great love though, right?” Sabrina asked. “We can still love someone else, be open to relationships?”
“Of course!” Ally exclaimed. “But it takes the pressure off. It’s not a declaration against men. It’s a declaration for ourselves.”
“And it sets the bar higher,” Missy put in. “That should be part of the vow. Never settle in a relationship. Honor myself, honor my life.”
Ally hit the accelerator a little harder in her excitement. “Missy, that is so powerful. Would you write the vows for us?”
“Me?” Missy asked softly.
“Yes,” Ally replied. “You’re so put together. So clear. Of course we can all add stuff to the vows, make them personal, but it would be wonderful to have a starting place.”
“Sure, if you want,” Missy said uncertainly.
“We do!” the women exclaimed.
“Hey, that could be our vow at the end,” Ally said. “We do.”
“No, it has to beIdo,” Sabrina said. “Sologamy not polygamy.”
The women laughed.
“I do,” Ally said, trying it out, and then slammed on the brakes at a red light. The women jerked in their seatbelts. “Sorry.”
“Next time I’m driving,” Missy said.
6
Ethan was driving home after a Sunday morning breakfast at Garner’s when he spotted the blond head of the woman who was never far from his mind standing on the opposite side of the road in a snug pink tank top and black leggings, kicking the tire of an old white Ford Escort.
He made a quick turn around the block and pulled up behind her. They were in Clover Park not far from Peak Fitness, where Charlotte worked. Ally had probably been working out.
He approached just as she threw her hands in the air and marched down the street away from him, high ponytail bouncing in indignation, apparently abandoning the car. “Ally!”
She stopped and turned. “The stupid thing just died on me!”
“C’mere, let me take a look.”
She marched back toward him, her breasts bouncing in time with her harsh steps, which he managed to ignore by the time she got close enough to notice his ogling by focusing on her pink cheeks and lush mouth. He had a real thing for that mouth with its plump pinkness.
“It’s broken.” She jabbed a finger at the car accusingly. “I called Triple A, but apparently I don’t have Triple A anymore and I forgot my wallet because I ran out of coffee so no credit card togetTriple A.”
Triple A wasn’t the only way to get a tow, but he let that slide in favor of the more pertinent fact. “You’re driving without a license?”
