Page 15 of Effortless

I look at her out of the corner of my eye and see her trying to look innocent. “Mom,” I warn.

“Just asking. That question came out of nowhere.”

Stone’s rubbing his hand up and down Mom’s back giving me a sly grin. “It was just a question.”

To that she rolls her eyes. “The same can be said for me asking if it was about Hadley.”

“She got ya there.”

I sigh heavily and stand from my chair then point to my mom. “I’ll put in an order for some adult diapers for when you start playing Granny basketball. I’m sure they’ll be needed since you can’t run or jump without peeing your pants.”

She swats at me as I jut past her. “You little…”

“Nice words only, Mom!” I shout back as I make my way back into the house, helping myself to a heaping plate of baked ziti and some garlic bread. Corbin gives me a smile as I take a seat at the table where everyone is gathered playing cards, Boone gives me a single nod, and the newly engaged lovebirds break away from whispering to each other to acknowledge my existence.

“What are we playing?” I ask and Boone smiles wide, dealing me into a game of Gin Rummy.

As much as I hate to admit it, though, even my family and all their chatter and rambunctious competitive play doesn’t help my mind from straying to Hadley.

And wondering if she’ll use my phone number I gave her earlier this evening.

ChapterFour

Hadley

I’ve been staring at my phone for the better part of two weeks now, trying to decide if I have enough courage to text or call Cash and take him up on his offer for coffee.

When we got home after that night at the diner, Brooklyn had more than just a few questions for me. Many of which I wasn’t prepared to answer. That night I called Trotter and gave him the run-down of what happened and he encouraged me to follow my heart.

Easy for him to say when he’s basically all hearts and rainbows with Logan. The jerks. I’m so happy for them and completely jealous at the same time.

He’s texted me daily to see if I had coffee with Cash yet. Or attempted to reach out to him. I can feel the disappointment through the phone screen when I once again tell him no. I imagine him shaking his head and telling on me to Logan. Luckily, Logan is happy to remind Trotter that he lived for many years not following his heart and he should give me a little bit of a break.

Trotter’s excuse is one full of common sense. That he understands what it’s like to actually follow your heart and go after true love after denying yourself for too many years.

The entire thing is incredibly annoying.

It’s not as if I was the one who was hiding my sexuality for over thirty years. Trotter’s situation and mine are entirely different.

Right?

My phone chimes with a text and I about come out of my skin, tossing my phone in the air only for it to land on the mattress next to me.

Trotter:You’re in bed thinking of me, aren’t you?

Me:OMG

Trotter:Tell me I’m right. I know I am. I could feel it.

Me:It’s not like we’re twins and have that twin thing that they have where they can feel each other’s pain and know each other’s thoughts.

Trotter:That’s not a denial. Admit I’m right.

Me:I’ll admit that you’re incredibly annoying and I don’t know how I lived for fifteen years with you.

Trotter:You lived with me for fifteen years because despite not being twins and actually in love, we understand each other better than most people. So yeah, I’m your twin. Congratulations. You’re one lucky daughter of a bitch.

I burst out laughing at his turn of phrase. Nothing could be further from the truth there. My mother really is a piece of work.

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