Curvy Girls Can't Date Cowboys - Kelsie Stelting Page 0,33
who had the better dance proposal.
After Cori had cleared her plate, she said, “I'm going to go get ready.”
“I’ll be here,” I said. Partly because I could work at the table and partly because standing up seemed like an unnecessary evil.
I slowly ate my breakfast as I added transitions, titles, and credits to the film. At the end, I realized I didn't have Ray’s brother's name and sent him a text, asking.
Ginger: Hey, working on the video. What’s your brother’s name? The one who worked with us?
Ray: Colton
He was a man of few words.
I added Colton to the credits and then began exporting.
Ginger: I'm sending you a draft of the video. Let me know what you think.
After it finished uploading to my computer, I sent it to his school email and waited. I didn’t know what he was doing, but I couldn't take the anticipation of him seeing the video and hating it.
What would I do if he didn’t like it?
What would I do if he did?
Instead of waiting anxiously by my phone, I went and used our parents’ jacuzzi tub to take a long bath with Epsom salts. Cori did that sometimes after a tough workout, and I hoped it would do wonders on my body like she said it did on hers.
After I was out of the tub, I wrapped a towel around myself and went to check my phone. One new message.
A thumbs-up emoji from Ray.
Seriously?
I squinted at the screen. Thumbs up? That's it? I poured my heart into making this video and to giving a good tribute to his life, and all he could give me was a measly emoji?
I couldn't even justify his response, or lack thereof, with a reply. I simply uploaded the clip to the school Dropbox and closed my computer. I was ready to be done with this project, and Ray, once and for all.
Twenty-Two
I went to my room and got dressed in leggings and an oversized hoodie. That was maybe my favorite part of weekends in the winter was being able to dress as comfortably as I wanted. There was nothing like curling up on the couch in a big hoodie with my arms stuck in the kangaroo pouch.
That was exactly what I decided to do today. I went and flipped on the TV, playing one of the new releases on Netflix. Cori came out from the bathroom a little bit later looking absolutely stunning. She'd straightened her hair and wore her eye makeup just right. She had relatively clear skin already, so all of the natural makeup Mom got us was hardly necessary for her.
“Heading out?” I asked.
“Yeah,” she said, grabbing the keys from the hook. “Maybe I’ll find a Mom-approved dress.”
“Good luck,” I teased. I lifted my chin. “I'll be here, right here. Not moving.”
She laughed. “Ice it. You’ll feel better.”
Feeling better seemed like even less of a possibility than Ray and I becoming best friends, but I waved goodbye anyway and sank back into the crack of the couch where I could almost disappear.
The door didn't shut completely, and in walked Zara's fabulous self, followed by Rory, Callie, Jordan, Kai, Carson, and Beckett.
I stared at them. “What are you guys doing here?” And then my heart dropped. “Boys, you have to get out.”
“What?” Carson asked. The other two looked at each other, just as confused.
“If my parents find out there were boys in this house, my head will be on a platter. And the neighbors are definitely watching.”
The guys chuckled awkwardly and stepped out.
Zara came to the couch and said, “Come on, we have something fun to do.”
I gestured at the TV. “Like sit and watch awesome movies?”
Rory laughed. “I mean, that's one thing we could do, but also...” She gestured to Jordan.
Jordan grinned. “We have to go see the new townhouse my mom and I are going to be moving into!”
My mouth fell open wide. “What?”
Jordan nodded excitedly. “We got our next check, and it was big enough for the deposit and first month's rent!”
My smile couldn't have been bigger, knowing I had a part in their success, even if it was a small one. “I'm so excited for you guys!”
Zara nodded. “And then we're going to go axe throwing at this guy’s place that my dad set me up with.”
“Like at his house?” I asked. Her boyfriends were reaching new levels of weird.
“No, it's just a place that he owns.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Interesting choice, Zara’s dad.”