Chapter 68
Cori
“Oh my God, grandma’s baby is so pretty.” I roll my eyes at Haddie, who just pulled out another dress from Josie’s old baby clothes. Ruby jolts in excitement, and Finch barks.
I lift the rainbow tutu I made for the dog, and she runs to me. Dax glares at me while I put it on. Selene cackles from the corner while Eden and Ripley cook dinner in my kitchen.
“Come on, Ruby. Let’s go play dress up. Call me when dinner’s ready.” Ruby bounces in Haddie’s arms and waves at me as they walk out of the kitchen.
The bell rings. Dax leaves to open the door and returns with Preacher, who makes a beeline for Selene.
“Hey, mami.” Preacher grins at Selene, who moves away. “Did your man get you those concert tickets?”
Selene scrunches her face. “No. I missed out.” Selene eyes him. “Did you get tickets for you and your sister?”
Dax lets out a half-laugh, half-cough. Even Ripley looks at Preacher with creased brows, but they don’t say anything.
“Yeah, but she can’t go.” Preacher pulls out his phone and shows Selene something.
“Wow. Your sister can’t go? What a shocking turn of events.” Dax lets out a bark of laughter while he looks on.
“Great seats.” She sounds wistful.
“You should come with me. I have a hotel suite. Got plane tickets, too.” He inches closer. I expect Selene to move away, but she stares at his phone as if it answers all of life’s questions.
“I can’t. I have a boyfriend.”
“I would never push up on another man’s woman.” Preacher smiles at Selene, while Dax coughs.
“Don’t tell me you let that man control you, cousin,” Dax challenges. I elbow him in the ribs.
Selene slams her hand on the counter. “The only man who ever told me what to do was my father, and I told him to cut that shit out when I was eighteen. I am not the one.” Selene points a finger at Dax.
“You go, girl.” Dax throws a fist bump in the air. “You’re not the one or the two.”
“What are you up to?” I whisper to my husband. He gives me a blank stare.
“I’m just trying to be nice.” He shrugs. “Put our differences behind us.”
I don’t believe him, but Preacher speaks before I can question him.
“So, you’ll come?” He puts his phone in Selene’s hand. “This is the place I rented. It’s nonrefundable.”
I look over his shoulder at his phone.
“Is that a penthouse?” I ask, shocked.
“Just a little something. I wanted to take my sister somewhere nice.”
“Well, I do deserve a vacation.” Selene clears her throat. “Besides, I bought those chaps and three new cowgirl hats.”
“And it’s not like you and Gill are married or anything,” Preacher says.
“Yeah.” Eden agrees with a firm head nod.
“Yeah?” Ripley asks. “Did you just say yeah? Woman, on what planet do you think you were going to take a vacation with another man when we were dating?”
Everyone stops and waits for Eden’s reply.
“You should hear about what happened on their girls’ trips,” Dax says with a laugh. I elbow him hard in the ribs and put my finger to my lips.
“What happened on those trips?” Ripley asks his wife.
“Nothing! We went to see Hamilton.” Eden narrows her eyes at me.
“Not that trip. I’m talking about New Orleans. Ask them,” Dax states.
“If you don’t hush,” I warn my husband.
“You mean tittiegate?” Selene cackles so hard she almost chokes.
“What?” Ripley asks.
“Nothing!” Eden gives me the side eye. "Why did you tell him?"
“We’re gonna talk about tittiegate later.”
“Oh, whatever, Ripley. We were twenty-two.” Eden shrugs at her husband.
“I’m going on all the girls’ trips from now on.”
“Oh, no.” Eden does a bad job at sounding upset. “My favorite person on earth traveling with me, spoiling me, and buying me whatever I want. I would hate that so much.” She gets on her toes and he leans down to kiss her.
“Husbands can’t come,” Selene adds. “At least not until I get one.”
“God bless that man,” Dax grumbles. “That poor idiot.”
“But, to answer your question, honey, I didn’t need to take a vacation with another man. You gave me everything I needed. I don’t think Gill is doing the job for Selene,” Eden says.
“Then Selene should dump that pussy and date Preacher.”
“I don’t date men who preach about women’s bodies, but thanks for the suggestion, friend.”
“That’s not what happened.” Selene ignores Preacher’s objection and gives him the side eye. “But if you’re sure you don’t want to go. I have backstage passes.” Preacher shrugs. “I’m sure I can find someone else to come with me.”
Selene’s eyes go wide, and her mouth opens. Preacher shoves his phone in her face. He leans down, gets close to her ear and whispers, “Mami, let me upgrade you.”