Page 38 of Making New Plans

“Really?” I squeaked.

“He’s sure got a sexy little smirk though.”

I groaned. Could things get any worse? But no, really? I’d been humiliated twice in one day. When was it his turn? Because I wanted to be there with popcorn and cameras rolling.

“He’s gone,” Rose announced.

Crawling out from under the table, I looked up to see Sarah aiming her phone at me.

“Don’t you dare—”

“Cheese!” Click. “Ah, finally, restitution!”

Gina and Rose shot us confused looks while I pulled myself to my feet.

Sarah shrugged. “Chloe took pictures of me in high school when I dyed my hair hot pink to match Pink the singer then decided to stuff ten Oreos in my mouth. Let’s just say it wasn’t my most flattering moment. And this is payback.”

I glowered at her but didn’t argue. She’d looked like a cartoon character with black teeth. I’d dyed my hair too, and we agreed mine had looked awesome and exactly what we were going for. But it hadn’t lasted long. I mentally stepped off memory lane before I walked too far down.

Exhaling loudly, I flopped down in a chair, facing away from the mirror. “What now?”

Gina brushed out my hair. “Well, right now, I’m going to blow out your hair and style it.”

“I meant, what am I going to do about him?” I waved toward the window where the setting sun streamed through.

Sarah barked out a laugh. “You’re asking the wrong people.”

Gina huffed. “Speak for yourself.”

“I’m just saying we don’t exactly have stellar love lives.”

“I go out. Rose goes out.”

Sarah swiveled toward Rose. “You do? Since when?”

Rose shrugged, playing with her bracelets. “I date off and on with guys from the city.”

“Huh.” Sarah sat back, brooding under her baseball cap.

“Um, hello?” I stuck my hand in the air.

“One minute, Chloe.” Gina turned on the hair dryer and fluffed out my hair. When she switched it off, she fixed me with a deadly serious look. She was always a tiny bit scary when she did that. I sympathized with her son.

“Listen,” she said, “it sounds like you’ve got some issues with Hunter, beginning with his plans to leave and sell the lodge in a couple of weeks. But it sounds like there’s a lot more going on than that. And if I were you, I’d figure out what before you turn yourself inside out wondering.”

I blinked and nodded. That made sense. I could do that.

Her frown softened. “You know, it’s not the worst thing in the world to be attracted to someone like him.”

“I’m not—”

“Save it,” Sarah interrupted. “We can all see it.”

Gina and Rose nodded their heads in unison.

“Great. Glad it’s so obvious,” I muttered.

“Don’t worry about it, Chloe.” Rose smiled at me in the mirror, her dark eyes nothing but reassuring. “It’s been a long time since…you know.”

---