it,” he says, and I look at him. “I was just …” he starts to say and then stops.
“You were just what?” I’m so curious to see if he gets it.
“I was just happy that you might have been jealous,” he says, and I take a deep breath. “That’s all.”
“For the record, I was not jealous. I was annoyed, but that’s a me problem, and it’s not a you problem, so don’t worry about it,” I tell him as he pulls into my driveway. “Thank you for the ice cream.” I get out of the car as fast as I can. “Good luck in Denver,” I say before I slam the car door.
I practically run into my house and lock the door. Only then do I let the hurt set in and kick myself for even making me feel this way. I ignore the ping of my phone, and I ignore the hurt in my chest by burying it just like I always have.
The next day, it lingers on my mind more than I care, pissing me off that I’m letting it even bother me. I know he’s texted me, but I leave the messages unread, which just makes my phone heavier and heavier.
I’m just getting home a couple of days later when the phone rings. I check the name before I even answer it. “Well, well, well,” I say with a smile. “If it isn’t my best friend.”
Candace laughs right away, and I can hear that I’m on speaker in her car. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t my best friend, the big spender,” she says, and I groan.
“Am I never going to live that down?” I unlock the door and walk into my house, tossing my keys on the table in the foyer. I kick off my ballerina flats, dumping my purse and the sweater at the same time at the door.
“Not anytime soon,” she says.
“Is that the only reason you called me?” I shake my head. “Don’t you have something better to do?”
“It’s actually the reason I’m calling,” she says. “Ari and I were wondering if you wanted to come over and have dinner with us.” She mentions her little girl. “Make it a girls’ night.”
I sit on the couch with the phone to my ear and then press speaker. “That sounds like the best idea ever. Is she going to be wearing her Halloween costume?” I smile, thinking of the pictures I saw on Instagram this morning of Ariella dressed up as Minnie Mouse.
“I think I can arrange that since she had a tantrum this morning when I told her that she couldn’t wear it out to our mommy and me class.” I laugh until my stomach hurts. “It’s not funny. I swear I think she said bitch.”
“She did not,” I say. “What time were you thinking?”
“I’m pulling up to my house now,” she says, and I hear the car stop. “So now would be good.”
“Perfect. I’ll leave now.” I get up. “What should I bring?”
“Nothing,” she says, her voice tight. “And I mean nothing.”
“Listen, that tone might work with Ralph and Ari, but you are not the boss of me,” I say, and it makes her laugh. “I’ll be there shortly.”
I walk to my bedroom, changing out of my jeans for yoga pants and a sweater. Slipping on my slides, I grab my purse on the way out. I make a pit stop on the way, and when I pull up to her house, I’m shocked to see a for sale sign. I grab the two bags and the white box of cupcakes, and then snatch the balloon and walk to the front door.
“Knock, knock, knock,” I say when I walk into the house, and I hear Ariella squeal. “Where is my favorite girl in the whole world?” I sing-song, stopping in the middle of the family room as she runs to me, still a little unsteady. Candace follows, ready to catch her if she falls down. I squat down in time to catch her when she falls forward. “There she is.” I kiss her neck, and she laughs. “I brought you a balloon,” I say, and her blue eyes light up.
“Loon,” she says and looks back at Candace. “Mama, ook loon.”
“I see that, princess.” She smiles and then spots the other bags. “I see also that Auntie Layla didn’t listen to Mommy.”
I laugh at the way she just sang the sentence. “I’ll save the cupcake for after dinner.”
I take the doll I just bought