Chapter 27
“What on Earth is this?” All I see as I look around the living room is glitter and fluffy things and paint—and more glitter.
“Don’t worry about it, toots. But if you’re interested, you’re welcome to skip your little festival and join us,” my dad says with a playfully sassy undertone, looking at me expectantly.
I can’t take him seriously while he’s standing there with his hands on his hips and a light pink furry thing around his neck. I spot Ella laughing from the kitchen.
“That’s okay…” I say in a slow, high-pitched voice as I eye more of their crafting supplies.
Or whatever all this is. Sometimes I wonder if he’s trying to make up for the fact that I was severely lacking in girly things growing up by leaning heavily into all that stuff with Jess.
Good thing she loves it. In the spring, the three of them watched several seasons of bridal dress shopping show together when she was going through her wedding-obsession phase.
“Who are ya going with, anyway?”
I hesitate a beat too long, and I instantly know that I’m busted. “Just a friend,” I reply, trying to save myself anyway.
He crosses his arms and squints. His wrists are adorned with purple luminescent snap bracelets.
“What?” I ask, crossing my own arms.
“Is it a date?”
As if the word is an alarm bell, Ella immediately heads into the room, standing just behind him with a hand on his shoulder. She’s grinning at me.
I sigh. “If you must know…yes.”
Both of their faces light up. Even with my track record for notoriously bad picks when it comes to dates, they still get excited for me every time.
Not that it’s a weekly occurrence or anything, but I’ve pretty much been single my entire adult life.
Never anyone too serious. I’m sure Mr. Sparkles and Mrs. Hugs-a-lot pity me.
“Who is it?” They both ask in unison.
My gaze travels between the two of them. “You guys are getting scary. When’s the last time you spent more than a day apart?”
They look at each other with the cutest expressions, as if the idea of such a thing is absurd.
“Okay. That answers that.” I laugh.
“Anyway, I’m not telling you all. Not yet, anyway.”
“So, it’s a first date then,” my dad presses.
“No…”
“It’s not your rich client, is it?” He cups his chin with his thumb and index finger, then points one finger in the air. “Oh. Did you ever find out who sent you and Jess all those supplies? Is it your date?”
“No. Yes. No…” I shake my head and cover my eyes. This conversation is making me frazzled. No, I still haven’t figured out that particular mystery. “I’ve got to go. I love you guys.”
They don’t press any further. Ella approaches and wraps me in an all-consuming hug, then dad gives a gentler one, kissing me on the top of my head.
“Love ya, kiddo. Be safe.”
I tug on his fuzzy thing and toss the end up into his face. A feather boa—that’s what it’s called. I chuckle as he struggles to spit out a pink feather.
“Jess, can I get a hug? I’m heading out.”
She was excited the moment we walked in and quickly got lost in all the fun scattered around the room, tuning our conversation out. But she jumps up happily when I ask and gives me a big squeeze. I kiss the top of her head, just like Dad did to me.