up,” Shelby says, standing next to a nervous Max. “I expect to meet this baby daddy of yours. Have him come inside and explain his intentions.”
“Oh, my, God!” I gasp. “You’re hilarious!”
Shelby laughs at my crazed expression. “You’re so nervous.”
“I forgot to brush my hair this week.”
“You look gorgeous,” Taylor says, entering the house and stealing Kirby from Shelby. “But brushing your hair wouldn’t be a mistake.”
Shelby takes Greer from me and then gives Desi a countdown until she can run upstairs to get ready. I start to follow her upstairs when Shelby blocks me.
“What?” I ask, freaking out.
“We refuse to be on our best behavior, Lana Maude. You need to mentally prepare for that.”
“Why can’t you behave?” I growl, but Shelby only smiles in the face of my toothless anger.
“We’re curious, and this might be our only chance to razz your baby daddy. Just be happy the men aren’t around to gang up on Bronco.”
“What if I invite you up to Elko for dinner soon, and you can razz him over a longer period of time? Would you be nicer today?”
Shelby looks at Taylor, who shrugs. “I’ve always wanted to test Barbie’s promise to cut off your face.”
“Not cool, blondie,” Shelby sneers at her longtime friend, seeming way more intimidating than I can muster. She looks back at me and smiles. “Okay, we’ll keep the obnoxious level low.”
“I texted River about them coming,” Max says, and we all glare at her. “He should know what’s happening in his house.”
“Weak sauce, Maxine Leroux,” Shelby grumbles, but I give Max a reassuring smile. Not because I agree with her choice, but I really don’t want her to start crying.
“Now, let me change before they arrive.”
“But he’s already seen you naked!” Shelby calls out after me as I run upstairs. “Does your outfit really matter when he’s enjoyed your lady lumps?”
Ignoring her teasing, I hurry to the third floor, where I find Desi in her room, bouncing around.
“I missed Sidonie,” she says with such raw joy that my anxiety disappears.
“I missed her too. And Bronco.”
“Poor Summer. No one misses her.”
“We’ll get to know her lots, and then we’ll miss her too.”
Desi likes this answer and decides she will help me pick out my clothes. I’m wearing better jeans and a more flattering pink shirt by the time Sidonie texts to say they’re almost to the highway exit. I brush out my hair and add a little moisturizer before giving up on primping and returning downstairs.
“They’re almost here!” Desi squeals as soon as we hit the bottom step.
Back in her mom’s arms, Greer smiles at the loud girl but then frowns as if she immediately changed her mind about the noise. Max is a ball of nerves. I hug her and whisper, “He’s bringing his eleven-year-old daughter to visit. We’re not under attack.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You’re a hormonal hellion,” I say, repeating the term Shelby calls her.
Max smiles at me. “You look beautiful.”
“So do you,” I say, kissing her head.
“Let’s take the dogs in the front,” Shelby tells Desi.
I steal Carina from Shelby, who takes Kirby from Taylor, who decides she needs a baby and steals Greer.
“I require practice,” she tells Max. “Think of the greater good. You already have a baby inside you. Won’t you please share?”
Max bows to Taylor’s charm. “I’ll start dinner.”
“Yes,” Taylor says. “You’ll want to distract the men when they show up wagging their giant dicks.”
We walk outside to where Shelby’s two French bulldogs and Zathura sniff the bushes. Desi dances around Shelby.
“Is Sidonie a good friend?” she asks the giddy girl.
“She’s my Taylor.”
“Well, then hold on tight,” Shelby tells her. “Never ever let her escape. Make her love you back. It’s what I did.”
Desi knows Shelby’s teasing Taylor. My daughter never seems to make good friends. The kids are always mean or dumb. Desi is so easy to take advantage of, and she draws bad people to her like flies to honey. Shelby told her to keep looking until she found her Taylor—a friend who’d have her back through thick and thin.
Now Desi feels she’s discovered her great best friend with Sidonie. That’s why she squeals at the sight of Bronco’s Lincoln Navigator. Though I giggle at her delight, I’m barely able to contain my excitement. I’ve been literally counting the hours until we returned to Elko.
Sidonie waves wildly at us once they pull down the property’s long driveway. Desi lunges for her friend as soon as the older girl is out of the car. They kneel down to