Page 49 of Fight For Her
“That’s what I was thinking too. The lobby will be perfect for the ceremony. We’ll go talk to Ginger about moving some stuff around and maybe you and Kayla can show me what you brought in terms of décor?”The wheels in her head were turning and it showed. I loved when Mia got a fire under her booty about something.
By the time we left Jill’s room, each of us had a to-do list, and Jill was all smiles again. I wish I could say I helped out, but it was all Mia. As much as I tried, I couldn’t help replaying that image of Coby standing at a beachfront alter staring at me like I was the most precious thing he’d ever seen. The image should have revolted me. He was still an asshole who had ghosted me and broke my heart. So why did my daydream seem so right?
An hour later, Mia and I were sifting through Ginger’s stash of décor in an unused room on the top floor. Families were arriving carrying suitcases and baby gear. They brought cases of water and bags of groceries. Someone even brought a scruffy poodle mix. In the crowded mess, we decided we’d be of better use to make ourselves busy elsewhere.
The wind was picking back up again causing the unboarded shuttered windows of the top floor to make ominous banging sounds. I shivered, hating the chill in the air. My blood had thinned since becoming a Floridian, and anytime the sun wasn’t shining, I froze.
“I don’t know what we can use in this mess,” Mia said pulling out a huge floral bow. “Ginger is a sweet lady, but her taste is somewhat questionable.”
I kneeled to look through a large plastic bin that mostly held Christmas decorations. I fished out a red tablecloth that smelled like damp and mothballs. “This is probably a lost cause.” Plopping on my butt and crossing my legs, I yawned. “What were they originally going to use as décor?”
Mia pushed her pile aside and sat next to me. “It was mostly going to be outside. A beachfront ceremony and the reception next door at the restaurant’s patio. Maybe they have a different idea of what constitutes wedding décor than we do?” She added lifting up a semi-usable lace doily.
“That may be salvageable.” I said and put it in the small keep pile.
“The theme could be grandma-core meets nautical holiday.” Mia laughed as she found a Christmas-colored wooden anchor knickknack. We laughed until tears sprang at the corners of my eyes.
“This is a mess,” I said. “And honestly, I feel like the storm isn’t the worst of it.”
She clutched her ribs and wiped at her eyes too. “For real.” She fell back, and her curly hair spread out atop her head like a halo. “Let’s catch up. What else is bothering you? Beside this trip gone wrong, I mean.”
I flopped next to her on the dusty rug and stretched out my legs. “I haven’t been able to reach my mom today. I have no idea if she made it to her meeting yesterday. My freaking phone died, and even if I charge it, there’s no service anyway. It makes me uneasy when I can’t check in.”
Mia was the only one who knew about my mother’s addiction. I’d shared that part of me with Ben like a fool. He’d brushed my worry off, of course, even after the accident.
She turned on her side and propped her head up in her palm. “I’m sure she’s okay. But I understand. It’s a scary thing to let go of the people you love even for a day.”
I let a breath loose. “She’s such a hot mess. I’m twenty-six years old for the love of God. I should be moving on with my life and not worrying about my disaster of a mother.”
Mia reached out to play with a lock of my hair. “You’re right. She’s never going to change, Ken. I understand you wanting to check in, but she’s a big girl and can take care of herself. If she messes up, she’ll have to face the consequences.”
Since when did my best friend become so mature and strong? The last time we had a serious conversation about my mother, she urged me to stay on her like a barnacle and run her daily life. To be fair, it was right after the accident, and we were all afraid that she would hurt someone again or hurt herself.
“You’ve changed, you know,” I said. I put my arm under my head for support. “Months ago, didn’t you suggest that I move back in with her?”
“Oh God, I did, didn’t I?” She laughed, sounding horrified. “I’m so glad you ignored that advice.”
“Me too. I think I’d have a thousand dollar a week therapy bill if I went through with that plan.” A bitter laugh escaped my lips, and I looked at my friend, really looked at her. She was literally glowing even in this dusty shitty old room. Is this what real happiness looked like? “I have something to tell you.”
It was like I saw happiness and had to squash it away like I was throwing dirt on a flame. But it was killing me to keep these lies from my best friend. Looking at her now, hearing how much she’d changed in these last few months. I knew she could handle it. I’d keep the secret about Coby and me to myself, at least for a bit longer, but I couldn’t hide the interview from her, not anymore.
She gave my shoulder a light squeeze and concern knit her brows. “What is it?”
I started by taking a breath in and opening my mouth, but the words wouldn’t come. Her big brown eyes beckoned me to say it.
“I think I’m going to move out of Palm Cove to maybe LA or New York. Hopefully LA. I have an interview on Monday. My dream job, Mi. It’s still surreal that they want to meet with me.” I wrapped my arms around my chest feeling an odd mix of pride and dread. I realized in that moment how badly I wanted that job. So badly that I was willing to leave my best friend, the town I called home for almost five years, and maybe even leave Coby and whatever the hell we were doing.
Mia was quiet as she took it in. Months ago, I would have expected her to low-key freak out. Maybe not full-blown anxiety attack, but she would’ve wanted to make a pros and cons list focused heavily on the cons. But instead she sat up and carefully pulled her hair into a messy bun.
“Whoever they are, they’d be lucky to have you.” I sat up and dabbed at the stupid tears forming in the corners of my eyes.
“Yeah?” I said on an exhale.
“Of course. Palm Cove is too small for you. You were meant to shine so much brighter. I want the world for you, Ken. No matter where you are, we’ll always have each other.”
I released a breath, letting the tears slide down my cheeks. I think I was waiting for this conversation before I let the idea fully take shape in my mind. “Thank you. You don’t know how much I needed to hear that.”
She embraced me in a warm hug, and I breathed in the comforting scent of my best friend as rain pelted the outside walls in sheets. “Don’t worry about your mom either. She’ll be fine. I’ll keep an eye on her.”
