揑 didn抰 think I was hungry, but this actually smells really good.?She picks up a fry, biting off the end.
After I let Winnie inside, we sit down to eat and head upstairs to bed.
I pull her into my arms, burying my head into the crook of her neck. I inhale her scent, thinking about how I could抳e lost her today. But I didn抰。
I hold her that much closer.
CHAPTER 41
SALEM
揧our cast is going to be a unique accessory to your bridesmaid dress,?Lauren says with amusement, signing her name to the hard pink arm cast.
揑 know,?I sigh, frowning at my reflection in the mirror of the dress shop. The light pink of the cast seems to stick out like a blinding light against the sage color of the bridesmaid dress. 揑抦 sorry. It totally clashes.?
She rolls her eyes. 揑 don抰 care about the cast. I care about you.?
揑 know, but I feel bad.?I frown at my reflection in the massive floor length mirror. The cast is thick and bulky, sticking out like a sore thumb.
揝top.?She waves her hands through the air, flapping them in my face. 揘uh-uh. We抮e not doing this. None of this feeling bad shit. No moping. I mean it.?
揙kay.?I paste a smile on my face. 揂s long as you抮e okay with it, that抯 all that matters.?
揧ou act like I抎 kick you out of my wedding for a broken arm. Do you think so little of me??She jokes, heading behind the curtain so the seamstress can help her into her dress for the final fitting. Two weeks from now we head to Vegas for the bachelorette party and her wedding is the weekend after that.
So many things are happening this summer. The good thing is, between the birth of Victoria and Lauren抯 wedding it抯 been a nice distraction from losing my mom.
Stepping off the riser, I take a seat on the couch by one of Lauren抯 other bridesmaids named Holly. She works with Lauren. On her other side is Elizabeth, Anthony抯 sister. The wedding party is rounded out with two other friends桲elsey and Sabrina whom she met through an art gallery she loves.
When Lauren steps out from behind the curtain, we all collectively gasp.
Lauren is stunning. Her dress is sleek and form fitting, modern and yet classic at the same time.
She grins at our reaction. 揑sn抰 it beautiful??
She went with only her mom to pick out her dress and ended up having something custom designed since nothing suited her taste, so it抯 the first time any of us are seeing it.
揧ou look stunning!?Holly cries.
揝o beautiful.?Elizabeth wipes a tear from her eye.
揧ou抮e an absolute looker,?this is from Kelsey.
Sabrina adds, 揂nthony is going to lose his mind when he sees you.?
That leaves me for last. 揧ou抮e beautiful, Lauren. You抮e a ?well, you抮e a bride.?
She beams from ear to ear, clapping her hands together. She launches into a detailed description of what she has planned for her hair and makeup. I love hearing her so happy and excited for her wedding. Anthony抯 the perfect guy for her.
When the fitting appointment is over, we all head to brunch at one of Lauren抯 favorite restaurants in the city.
After our orders are placed, Lauren turns to me. 揟ell me, how are things going with Caleb??
揟he usual, I guess.?
Her eyes narrow and she picks up her mimosa, taking a sip. 揧ou guess??
I sigh, not really wanting to get into it, but Lauren is like a dog with a bone, and I know she won抰 let this go easily.
揑t抯 just hard trying to figure out custody. Neither of us really wants to get a mediator involved, but with school getting ready to start I want her to live with me during the week and I抎 like to have her some weekends too, but Caleb is arguing that her school is in Boston, and she抯 used to it so we shouldn抰 change her.?
Lauren squeezes my hand sympathetically. 揘o offense to Caleb, but you抮e her mom. I don抰 just mean that in the DNA sense. You抮e the one who抯 stayed at home with her and all that. Besides, he works long hours. I don抰 think he can be as stable for her as he抎 like to think he can be.?
I pull my hair back into a ponytail, more from the need to busy my hands with something than an actual need to get my hair out of my face. 揑 think he assumed I抎 move back to Boston and none of this would be a big deal, because even if I moved out of our place I抎 still be in the city, but with me staying in Hawthorne Mills that puts us a few hours away.?
揑 know you probably won抰 like me saying this, but honey, he抯 being selfish. Seda needs to be with you, and he can have her some weekends.?
She makes it all sound so simple, but there抯 nothing easy about sharing custody of your child. It doesn抰 matter how well things ended, it抯 a complicated situation.
揥e抣l figure it out,?I say evasively.
揑抦 not letting this go.?She wags a finger. 揑f she抯 going to be with you, she has to get enrolled soon. You know this. Stop being a wimp and tell him like it is.?
I pick up my mimosa with my good hand, downing it like a shot.
I think I抦 going to have to be drunk to make it through the rest of the day.
I make it back home fairly early the next morning. It抯 Sunday, the street quiet. I let myself into the house, expecting to find Thayer still asleep but he抯 in the living room at his puzzle table, quietly putting together the Disney Princess puzzle Seda picked out for him. He promised to have it finished by the time she comes back since she抯 excited to see it.
揌ey.?I wrap my arms around him from behind. 揑 missed you.?I kiss his cheek.
揗mm,?he hums, 搈issed you too.?His voice is still gruff and deeper than normal from sleep. His hair is a mess too, so I doubt he抯 been up long.
揑 want some coffee. Have you had any yet??I head out of the living room, toward the kitchen.
揘ot yet,?I hear him mutter.
I set the coffee to brew and make myself a bowl of cereal.
Thayer comes into the kitchen, Winnie and Binx on his heels. 揑 told you I could get you from the airport.?
揑 know, but it would抳e been silly to drag you out so early. The taxi was fine.?
揥e need to go to a dealership today.?
揑 know.?I frown, my stomach rolling at the idea of the car buying process, but what抯 a girl to do? My car was declared totaled like I figured it would be, so it抯 time for a new one. "I don抰 even know what I want.?
揟hat抯 what test drives are for. I抳e already researched some good options. I don抰 know your budget, so I picked a few different ones in different price ranges.?
揥ell, look at you,?I say in amusement, grabbing a coffee mug from the cabinet, 揹oing all your research like a proper boy scout.?
He eyes the cast on my arm. It抯 now adorned with all of the girls?signatures from the bridesmaid抯 party. Lauren signed hers with, I licked it so it抯 mine, above her name. I抎 expect no less from her.
揑 just want to keep you safe.?
揑 know, and I appreciate that.?I pour coffee into my mug, then fill another for Thayer. 揑 wish you didn抰 worry so much.?
He shrugs, fighting a smile. 揅an抰 help it.?
Sitting down at the table with my coffee and cereal, I say, 揝how me these options.?
A few hours later I find myself at a Toyota dealership.
揥hat do you think of this one??The salesman shows me a white 4-Runner. It抯 beautiful, the paint a pearly finish with a beige interior.
I don抰 say anything, though, not wanting to indicate I like the looks of it. Thayer launches into a series of questions for the man who struggles to keep up.
There抯 something insanely hot about Thayer taking charge. He stands with his arms crossed over a gray t-shirt, a pair of athletic shorts hugging his toned backside.