Chapter 20 Cleo #2
Josie bit her lip, looking like she wanted to argue but didn’t. She nodded her head and sucked in a deep breath. “Alright,” she mumbled. “But will you let me know if she needs me?”
Lincoln’s eyes softened. “Of course, darlin’.”
I excused myself as everyone said their goodbyes, walking swiftly to the kitchen where there was an unopened bottle of tequila ready for margaritas.
Tapping my fingers against the counter, I eyed it warily.
I wasn’t much of a drinker, but certain occasions called for it.
Surely it was warranted on a girl’s night, right?
Without thinking, I popped off the cap and poured a shot into one of the plastic cups on the counter. They were bright pink, which made sense since they screamed Lennox. I downed the liquor, letting the warm burn settle all the way into my stomach.
“Starting without me?” Lennox pouted, strutting into the kitchen with confidence and grace. “How rude. Everyone knows it’s not a party until I’ve given a toast.”
“Is that really necessary?” Mom asked, following her in.
Lennox gasped in faux shock. “Of course, it is! How could you say that?”
“I don’t know where you got your flair for the dramatic. It must be your father.”
Lennox and I shared a look before busting out laughing. “Mom, you are the most extra person I’ve ever met,” she said.
“Present company excluded,” I added, nodding toward my youngest sister, who stuck her tongue out at me. “I rest my case.”
“I am not!” Mom cried. “I’m just—”
“Passionate?” Josie finished for her, joining the fray. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and it looked like she’d been crying. This was her first time truly being away from Stella, which I imagined was hard after having every moment of her life dedicated to her daughter.
Mom crossed her arms over her chest. “What on Earth have I ever done to be considered dramatic?”
“Well, you make us coordinate and match for every holiday,” I said.
“And you get done up like you’re going to the Pbr or something every time you go into town,” Josie added.
“I do not—”
“Oh yes, you do,” we all said at once.
“Need we remind you about the time you threw yourself your own birthday party because you thought we had all forgotten? When in reality, we’d spent weeks planning a surprise party and you ended up ruining the surprise because all your friends were confused about when and where to show up,” Lennox deadpanned.
Mom glowered at each of us and snatched the bottle of tequila from my hand. “Give your damn speech then,” she grumbled, pouring each of us a shot of the clear liquid.
“Oh, I’ve already had one,” I said, waving her off and holding my cup to my chest.
Josie walked by, snatching it from my hand and passing it to Mom. “Too bad, so sad. Looks like you’re going to have another.”
“You know,” I said, narrowing my eyes, “I forgot how pushy you can be.”
She snorted. “If anything, it’s gotten worse. Get used to it.”
Mom passed out the shots as Lennox cleared her throat. “Here’s to men and horses, and the women who ride them!”
“That’s a new one,” I murmured, smirking into my cup before letting this shot join the one I’d just taken. “At least you got good tequila.”
“Don’t offend me. Of course, I got the good tequila,” Lennox scoffed. “What do you take me for? An amateur?”
“My daughter, the tequila connoisseur. Lord help me,” Mom whispered, downing her shot with a grimace. “No more shots. Could someone please make me a margarita on the rocks with extra salt? Two limes, please.”
Josie elbowed Lennox in her side. “And she says she isn’t extra.”
“I heard that!” Mom called as she turned and began fussing with covered dishes. “Now, someone make me that drink while I get dinner ready.”
Three margaritas and two shots later, I was sitting on the couch and staring at the ceiling while Josie and Lennox chatted next to me.
What was I doing? I was going to hate myself tomorrow.
It was nearly midnight, and tomorrow was the last day of camp.
Showing up hungover wasn’t quite the plan, but it looked like it was inevitable.
“How’s the wedding planning coming along?” Josie asked, pulling me back to the present. “Get him to budge at all?”
Lennox sighed into her cup, downing whatever was left.
“Nope,” she said, popping the P. “I still want to elope, but he isn’t having it.
He wants the big white wedding and all the stuff that comes with it.
I told him with all the things he’s done to me, a white wedding was the last thing we were going to have,” she joked.
I couldn’t help but laugh. The thought of Bishop being the one who wanted to make a big fuss out of declaring his love for my sister was honestly the cutest thing I’d ever heard, but strangely, it kind of fit him.
Bishop had a difficult start to life, and I knew there were a lot of insecurities and demons he was battling on his own.
The fact he’d opened up enough to want to do this, to believe he and Lennox deserved a big celebration in front of their friends and family, was a testament to how far he’d come.
Before they’d gotten together, I was sure he was going to be a bachelor forever.
It wasn’t that he had any shortage of options, but they never stayed long—whether that was his doing or theirs, I wasn’t sure. I never pried.
“Okay, but that’s kind of cute,” I said, turning to face them.
“I know, but I’d much rather have something small in the middle of a field and then go on one hell of a honeymoon, ya know? Or grab y’all as witnesses and run away to a beach.”
Josie noisily slurped at her drink. “Why don’t you want a wedding? It seems like that’d be right up your alley.”
“The wedding industry is a total sham. They charge out the ass because they can, because they know people will pay it.” Lennox scrunched up her face like she’d tasted something awful. “Plus, I am not conventional, so why would I want to do one of the most conventional things?”
“You’ll do it for him, though,” I said.
Lennox’s eyes softened, a smile tipping the corner of her lips. “Yeah, I will. The things I do for that man, I swear.” Then she nudged Josie. “What about you? When are you and your baby daddy getting hitched?”
Josie rolled her eyes, but there wasn’t a hint of annoyance. “We want to wait until Stella gets a bit older before we do anything, but,” she bit her lip and looked down at her hand, “we’re going to look at rings next month.”
“Mr. Romantic isn’t going to plan some elaborate surprise?” Lennox asked, placing her hand on her chest. “How disappointing.”
“Well, since the ring is going to be on my hand, he wants to make sure it’s something I really love,” Josie said, straightening her shoulders. “I mean, I don’t think it’s any secret we’ll get married eventually. We’re kind of obsessed with one another.”
“Really?” Lennox and I said sarcastically, busting out laughing when it came out at the same time.
“Yeah, yeah,” Josie muttered, waving us off. “Judge me all you want, but you and Bishop are always sneaking away for lunchtime sex breaks. Don’t think I don’t know!”
Lennox shrugged. “Can’t help myself, honestly. Have you seen the man?”
As I listened to my sisters taunt and tease one another, I couldn’t help but feel a little left out. It was stupid, and I was absolutely going to blame the alcohol for bringing out my insecurities, but hearing them talk about their futures with such surety had me feeling nauseous.
Or maybe that was the alcohol. Who knew? Certainly not me. Certainly not now.
Faking a yawn, I stretched my arms over my head. “I think I’m gonna crash, girls. I’m struggling to keep my eyes open.” I pushed to my feet, leaning forward to grab ahold of the empty cups when a hand shot out and grasped my wrist.
“Oh, no, you don’t,” Lennox said, narrowing her gaze. She pointed to the worn leather spot I’d just vacated. “Don’t think you’re going to get off the hook from everything you have going on.”
Josie turned to me in surprise. “What’s going on with you? What have I missed?”
Over Josie’s shoulder, Lennox looked entirely too pleased with herself. I knew this talk was inevitable, especially with how I’d been acting lately, but this wasn’t really what I had in mind for a sisterly heart-to-heart. “Nothing,” I said, just as Lennox said, “Her ex is back in town.”
“Thomas?” Josie asked, sitting up. She was the picture of concern. “Do we need to call someone? File another restraining order? Are those universal?”
“Of course it isn’t Thomas. Do you really think he’d still be breathing if it was? Give me some credit,” Lennox said, crossing one leg over the other. “This is the other one. The high school sweetheart who disappeared under a stage name and popped back up one day with a freaking kid.”
Josie’s lips curled into an O. “That makes much more sense.” She turned back to me. “When’s your first date?”
“Oh, we aren’t going on a date,” I said, coughing. “That ship has sailed. Been there, done that.” I tapped my chest. “Got the broken heart to prove it.”
“You can’t be serious,” Josie whined. “You can’t just let him go. What about fate? Destiny? It can’t be a coincidence he showed up here—twice.”
“Thrice now,” Lennox interrupted.
I rolled my eyes. “I’m pretty sure that’s the first time you’ve ever used that word.”
“What a time to do it, huh?” she said, giving me a smile. “Don’t change the subject. Have you asked him why he’s coming back around?”
I sighed, sinking back into the couch. “No.”
Josie and Lennox waited, unmoving, for me to say more, but I kept my lips shut.
There was nothing to tell. No great second-chance love story for the ages that’d warm hearts and have my sisters turning to a puddle right here where they sat.
It was just two people who, yes, may have shared history together, but that was it.
Wasn’t it?