Page 3 of Merrily Mine
Yep. Got back in yesterday. The parents left a few hours ago.
Wanna go out tonight? We can go to Giddy Up like old times.
I debated saying no—that I was too comfortable under my blanket on the couch and had no desire to move. But then I thought about all the things I wanted in the future. Things I couldn’t have if I just sat at home by myself.
The idea of meeting a hot cowboy and letting loose.
You know what? Fuck it. Let’s do it. I was just going to sit here in my pajamas and read, anyway.
What about the husband?
Eh, he’s fine.
Besides, I’ve *earned* this, Em.
I laughed, just imagining my spitfire of a friend—who was happily married—telling the husband who doted on her she was going out and he didn’t have a say.
In the meantime, I shoved my feet into my boots, heading out to the barn to give my pretty girl Smokey a few treats and take her on a short ride.
Later that evening, dressed in jeans that made my ass lookgreat, plus my favorite pair of boots, and a black top that emphasized my cleavage,I walked into Giddy Up. It was our local cowboy-themed bar. They had line dancing nights every week, something we’d taken advantage of many times when we were younger.
The walls were decorated with various memorabilia—photos from the local rodeo, trophies, lassos and old spurs. Even a few cowboy hats graced the space.
Hannah waved to me from a high-top table, and I let out a sigh of relief.
“Em!!” She leapt up, wrapping her arms around me with a giant grin on her face. Her copper hair was in tight waves that hit below her shoulders, and she’d worn a cute long-sleeved off-the-shoulder top and dark jeans, with a pair of practical boots, her coat draped on the chair behind her.
“Hi.” I hugged her back, grinning as we pulled apart. She’d been my best friend since forever. I still remembered when she’d moved to town and we’d immediately bonded. The two of us had always been close, even when she’d gone away to college and I’d somehow stumbled onto internet success after some of my content had gone viral.
It also didn’t hurt that she never treated me like a spoiled rich girl like so many other kids in this town had. Obviously, my parents were well off—they were both top surgeons at the hospital—and the custom-built house we lived in was set on forty acres, but I didn’t like it when people assumed I was just living off my parent’s money.
After all, I had plenty of it saved up from all my brand deals over the last two years.
“God, I know I saw it all on Instagram, but I want to knoweverything!How was the trip? Is it weird being home now?”
I shrugged, sitting across from her. “Honestly, it feels like I haven’t been home for two years.” Though to be fair, I hadn’t really. Besides a few days here and there, I’d had a suitcase packed and a flight booked. The last time I’d been here for any length of time had been for Hunter’s wedding.
“You’ve missedsomuch,” she said, her eyes growing wide.
Yeah, I really had.
Especially when it felt like everyone I’d grown up with was now married and had two point five kids and the perfect little family.
The question from earlier still lingered:how had I gotten to twenty-eight still completely alone?
And how had I missed that Mason Elliott was now divorced?
“Should we get a drink?” I asked, looking at the bar. “Or are you still nursing?” Getting a little happy drunk sounded like agreatway to spend my first full day at home. Though it didn’t exactly prove I was the responsible adult that I wanted my parents to see. One night wouldn’t hurt, right?
She waved me off. “I can pump and dump. It’s my first night away inforever. Anthony’s got this.”
Standing up, the two of us both walked to the bar, flagging down the bartender so we could order drinks—a whiskey sour for me, and a gin and tonic for her.
“How’s it been? You know… being a mom?” I asked her, watching him make our drinks out of the corner of my eye. The nice thing about living in a town like this was even though it was small, and sometimes it felt like you couldn’t even go to the grocery store without running into someone you knew—it was also big enough that I didn’t know the bartender. ThankGod.
Hannah let out a little sigh of happiness. “Amazing. I never knew I could love a little person this much. I mean, you were there. He wassotiny.”
I grinned. “Yeah.” There was no way I’d miss my best friend’s baby shower or being there for her when she’d given birth. Hannah had clarified that I wasabsolutelygetting disowned as godmother if I wasn’t there. Luckily, the timing had worked out between brand trips. “I’m happy for you,” I offered, an ache blooming in my chest.
