Page 45 of A Protector For Phoebe (Love will OUT 2)

“So, sue me. I don’t like to sit around and talk about my feelings all the livelong day. That’s why tequila was invented.”

I clear my throat. “This is your idea of cheering me up?”

Suzie shakes her head. “Not exactly. According to the playbook, we first have to ply you with a thousand questions about your past until you bawl like a little baby. Then, when you’re all cried out, we sit around and watch movies while drinking and eating too much.”

A thousand questions about my past? I said about all I’ve got to say about my past last night. Or was it this morning? Time gets distorted when you’re drugged by the man you think you’re falling for, only to wake up and discover he’s a monster. Asshole.

“You’re growling.” Hailey points at me with her fork. A piece of pancake goes flying and lands on the table. Suzie scoops it up and stuffs it into her mouth.

“Mmm… does your dad make his own maple syrup? This is better than anything I can find in the store.”

“He uses honey and maple extract.”

Suzie licks her lips. “It’s awesome. He should bottle it up and sell it.” She turns her attention to me. “Tell us all about this domineering husband of yours.”

I’m getting whiplash from this conversation. “I’m not talking about Theodore.” And I’m not calling him my husband. In fact, since he knows where I am now, I might as well file for divorce. And boy is that going to piss him off, even more than Ryker failing. I growl. Stupid Ryker.

“Uh oh. I think she’s about to blow.” Suzie leans back in her chair as if afraid of the blowback. The chair tilts back and Suzie disappears as it tips over.

Hailey ignores her best friend flipping over her chair at the table to ask, “Why were you growling?”

I do not want to talk about Ryker. But maybe this is what girlfriends do. They talk about the hard stuff. “Ryker.”

Hailey frowns. “Yeah, he had us all fooled. Well, except for the uncles. But he had me fooled for sure. I really thought he liked you.”

Suzie sighs as she sets her chair back on the floor and sits down. “He looked at you like you hung the moon.”

“I don’t get it. He’s working for Theodore. Why didn’t he kidnap me and be done with it? Why befriend me and think we share something special? Why kiss me?”

Hailey sighs. “Tell us about the kiss.”

I wrinkle my brow. “Do I have to remind you he kidnapped me?”

Suzie slashes a hand through the air like the kidnapping was some kind of misunderstanding. “But was it a good kiss? Did it make your girly parts weep?”

I ignore her. “Was she born like this or do you think too many falls lead to brain damage?” I ask Hailey.

She snorts. “Sorry to disappoint you, but she’s always been like this.”

If I think I’ve managed to maneuver the conversation away from my relationship with Ryker, I’m proved wrong when she leans forward and squeezes my hand. “There’s no shame in admitting you liked Ryker, you know. We girls have been known to let our hormones guide our actions.”

I didn’t think I was letting my hormones guide anything. I thought I was being careful and taking it slow. I guess I was wrong.

“Anyway,” Hailey clears her throat, “I have an announcement.”

“You’re pregnant!” Suzie squeals and jumps to her feet. She tackles Hailey and they end up on the floor wrestling.

“I’m not pregnant. Get off me, you big oaf.” Phoebe pushes Suzie away from her and stands. She brushes off her hands on her jeans before sitting again. “And when I do get pregnant, maybe try not to tackle me to the floor.”

Suzie stays on the floor and tilts her head. “Oh yeah. Good advice.”

“What’s the announcement?” I ask before Suzie can tackle anyone else.

“I’ve picked a wedding date. And you both are bridesmaids!”

Suzie jumps to her feet and steps toward Hailey who throws her hands up in front of her. “No more tackling. I’m not a football player.”

Suzie’s shoulders slump for a second before she brightens back up. “Are you going to let us pick the bridesmaid’s dresses?”

“Wait a second!” I hold my hand up to quiet the craziness. “You’re asking me to be a bridesmaid? But—”

“Stop! You’re my friend. One of my best friends.” Suzie growls at Hailey’s proclamation. “Definitely my only sane friend.” Suzie shrugs before bobbing her head in agreement. “Of course, you are one of my bridesmaids.”

“And no, you can’t pick the dress,” she tells Suzie. “I’m going to find the most hideous lime green dress I can find. Of course, this one…” She thumbs her finger at me. “… will still look beautiful.”

“You couldn’t have found a hideous looking friend to stand next to me at the wedding?”

“I’ll get right on it. Right after we finish cheering Phoebe up.”

I nearly jolt when I realize they did cheer me up. When I woke up in Hailey’s childhood bedroom, I didn’t think I’d ever smile again. Yet, here I sit with a big grin on my face laughing at Hailey and Suzie’s antics. Suzie looks over at me and winks. Huh. Maybe she’s not the oblivious crazy person she pretends to be.

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