Chapter 23 #2
“Then you can tell us who we hate,” Ava pipes in. “I’ve already got a couple on the list.” She winks, causing Jane and I to peer at one another, knowing that that is code for Mark.
We crowd into the small entry that opens up into the more cavernous room that splits into two sides, booths along the walls and tables sprinkled throughout. A young man comes to greet us and leads us to a booth in the back corner.
“We’re going to need cheese dip and a pitcher of margaritas to get started,” Jane declares as she slides in and sets her purse down.
“On it. I’ll bring a couple waters as well.”
“Thanks,” we all say in unison, then giggle.
“Okay, girl! Spill,” Ava says as soon as the waiter turns away.
Holly retells her story, finishing by the time she starts her second margarita.
All of us agree, she did the right thing by ending it.
I can see the kinship budding between her and Ava.
I love that Jane and Ava have accepted her so easily into the fold.
We all just fit together like the March sisters.
They may not be my blood, but they are my chosen few.
“So, when we get back to my place, I need you all to investigate with me,” I croak out after almost swallowing my bite of chips and cheese down the wrong pipe.
“What do you mean?” Ava looks at me worriedly.
“Earlier this morning, Bitsy tried making a nest in our underwear drawer, and when I was trying to tidy it back up, I felt a little square thing of some sort hidden in his boxers. Colin was coming up the stairs, and I didn’t want to look snoopy, so I closed the drawer.
I just remembered it a couple minutes ago, and now I’m dying to know what it is. ”
“Ooohhh, maybe he found you some cute earrings or something early for Christmas or something. It’s really not that far away, if you think about it. Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away,” Holly exclaims, voice full of a happy buzz. I’m glad she’s feeling better for the moment.
“Maybe you should let it stay a surprise,” Jane says, finishing her bite of food before sipping on her straw, all of her concentration on her drink like it’s her job.
Hmmm… “Yeah, maybe…” I trail off, not knowing if I can leave it be.
My curiosity might drive me crazy. I mean, almost two whole months of fighting the urge to peek at whatever surprise it may be?
It might not even be one. Oh, how the suspense will kill me!
Holly eyes me with the clear knowledge that she’s fully prepared to be my nosy partner-in-crime. I love her for it. Gah… I so wish that she lived here.
Jane does indeed call Garrett, snickering into the phone about how we need to be saved by a gallant knight in shining armor.
“Sleep over at my place!” Jane announces as soon as she ends her call. “Garrett will drive us back in the morning to get our cars. What cheesy movie should we watch tonight?”
The whole ride home, Garrett chuckles at our buzzed antics, wincing when we squeal like the total chicks we are as we hem and haw over movie choices.
He stops along the way and, with my keys, runs in to feed the animals for me.
We finally decide to start with The Other Woman for a sisterly bonding/revenge movie, and end with How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days.
Both rom-coms with hints of feeling but not totally dopey “I’m gonna cry my eyes out” movies. None of us need that shit tonight.
At the point that one of Kate Hudson’s goofy-ass friends is pretending to be a therapist in the second movie, Holly leans over to me with a mouth full of popcorn. She elbows me to get my attention.
“So…” Crunch. Crunch, crunch. “What do you think is in his underwear?”
I snort, gag on my drink of Sprite, and look over at my best friend.
“I don’t know, but I’m positive after watching this dozens of times that it does not show us what Matthew McConaughey is packing.” I chuckle and nudge her with my shoulder.
“I miss this version of him… Funny, sexy, irresistible. Mom loves this movie, too. She made me watch it with her over and over again. But his underwear is not what I’m referring to.
” She points her finger toward me, jogging my memory back to this morning.
Colin’s underwear drawer. The square-shaped thingymabob.
“We’re gonna find out,” I whisper back at her.
“If you weren’t going to, I sure as hell was,” Holly mutters.
“But, I think Jane organized us coming back here to keep you from doing so. She knows something. I smell fuckery. Maybe not bad fuckery, but fuckery nonetheless. There’s something going on.
” I giggle at her train of thought. Man, I’ve missed my partner-in-crime.
Her brown eyes widen. “Sydney… what if it’s a… ”
“Nope. Don’t say it. It more than likely isn’t, and I don’t want to get my hopes up.
It’s too early for that, right? Right,” I jumble out, but now the wheels in my head are turning.
Right. I nod my head hard one time and tell myself there’s absolutely no way in hell that Colin already has a ring for me.
If it’s a ring, it’s just a pretty, everyday sort of ring.
Certainly not an engagement ring… Shit, now I gotta know!
“As soon as we retrieve my car and get back to my place in the morning.”
“Or we could go now?” She arches her brows at me.
“Whatever you crazies are over there plotting, nobody’s going anywhere tonight,” Jane grumbles from across the sectional, effectively ruining our idea.
“Yup. She knows something.”
“Fun-sucker,” Holly mumbles, shoving more popcorn into her mouth.