A Magnolia Friendship - Anne-Marie Meyer Page 0,14

sun crept into my room, every portion of my body ached. My joints, my feet, my head. I groaned as I flipped to my back and covered my face with my arm.

I was never allowing Fiona to suggest what we should do ever again. She was young and spry. I was a divorcée with two children. To think that I was just going to blend into the club crowd and not feel the effects the next morning was a joke.

I belonged at home in my pajamas with a bottle of wine and the newest cheesy Hallmark movie. If I was going to be single, I might as well lean into that lifestyle.

Besides, if I had been home instead of at the club, I wouldn’t have made a total fool of myself in front of Danny. I wouldn’t have to pretend to be someone I wasn’t. I didn’t hit on guys. I didn’t flirt. Apparently, when I tried, my fate was for my efforts to end up exactly like they had last night…with me falling on my face and making a fool of myself.

A gigantic, horrible fool of myself.

I was an idiot.

“Mommy!” Bella screamed as my door swung open and slammed against the wall. Bella didn’t seem to notice as she sprinted across the room and dive-bombed my bed.

I was attempting to slip my arm under me so I could sit up, but I was too slow. With Bella on my bed, she was pinning my arm between the comforter and mattress.

Not having the energy to wiggle her to the side so I could free my arm, I collapsed back onto the bed and closed my eyes. Being a mom took too much effort sometimes.

“Good morning.” She giggled. I could tell from the closeness of her voice and the smell of Fruity Pebbles that she was inches from my face.

I cracked open an eye and couldn’t help but grin at my precocious daughter who stared back at me. Not wanting to spend any more time wallowing in my self-pity, I opened both eyes and grinned back at her.

“Good morning.” I wiggled my free arm out from under the covers and used it to pin her to the bed. Then I moved far enough away to free my other arm, and a tickling party ensued.

Bella screamed and giggled as she tried to wiggle away from me. When she was belly laughing and wheezing that she was going to pee, I finally let up. I relaxed against my headboard as she scurried into my bathroom and shut the door.

After Bella returned, she turned on my TV and settled in with a cartoon while I grabbed my phone from my nightstand and lost myself for a few minutes on social media. Once I was pretty sure I was turning into a slug, I peeled myself off the bed and padded into the bathroom to take a long and hot shower.

I felt refreshed and ready to forget the night before and all the embarrassment that had come with it. I pulled my wet hair up into a bun at the top of my head, dressed in an oversized t-shirt and skinny jeans, and then clicked off the TV, much to Bella’s chagrin.

I ate breakfast as Bella sat at the counter, chatting my ear off. Just as I set my dishes in the sink, Tag pulled open his door and stumbled into the kitchen. His hair was disheveled, and he was still wearing his clothes from the day before. Jake had told me that he’d asked Tag to change, but that child didn’t seem willing to, so Jake didn’t push it.

I didn’t blame him. I would have let it slide as well.

I gave Tag a wide smile, but he didn’t respond. Instead he walked straight to the kitchen cupboard and pulled out a Pop-Tart. He looked like he was going to sprint back into his room, so I moved to stand in front of him and get his attention.

“Hey,” I said.

Tag kept his gaze on the silver-colored packaging.

“I’m thinking we can go out and do some school shopping,” I said as I dipped down to meet his gaze.

Tag shrugged, probably realizing that if he didn’t speak to me, I wasn’t going to let up. “Fine. Whatever,” he said as he sidestepped me and hurried into his room.

Satisfied with his answer, I clapped my hands and then waved toward Bella. “Go. Get dressed. We’re heading out.”

An hour into our shopping excursion at the mall, I realized that