Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 90919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90919 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
“You’re still his friend,” Frankie said. “You know you’ll always be that. You can be there for him…just without the flirting.”
“And waiting for him to call.”
“And sleeping in his bed.”
“Yeah, no more sleeping in his bed. Mixed signals, anyone?”
“No, you’re right,” I said, nodding. “You’re both right. This has gone on long enough.” I let out a shaky breath. “I mean, I’m kind of pathetic at this point, right?”
“You’re not pathetic,” Lou cried.
“A little pathetic,” Frankie joked.
“Why didn’t either of you say something before?” I asked in exasperation, pulling off my hoodie.
“We have,” Lou said, laughing a little. “You just didn’t want to hear it.”
“Okay, that’s fair,” I conceded. “I’m going to fill up my water bottle, grab my last bath bomb, and go wallow now.”
“Oh, no, you’re not,” Frankie said, turning to reach into the cabinet behind her. “We’re watching a movie and drinking…rum.”
“Ew.”
“No back talk,” Lou ordered. “We’ll mix it with juice. It’ll be great.”
“What movie?” Frankie asked, hopping off the counter. “I say we go with a classic. Nothing new. Something we know we like.”
“Practical Magic,” I said firmly.
“Excellent choice,” Lou said approvingly as she started filling glasses with ice. “A little laughter, a little tears, a little witchy.”
We spent the next two hours singing along to the music, saying every line, and generally being as obnoxious as possible. There was something magical about girlfriends, especially the kind that you could be yourself around, warts and all. I was a bit tipsy and more relaxed than I’d been in days, so when my phone rang a few minutes after the movie ended, I almost didn’t answer it.
Groaning, I rolled off the couch and jogged in to where I’d left it on the counter.
Cian.
“Hello?” I answered, looking at the clock.
It was one thirty in the morning. Lou had already passed out on the floor, but Frankie was watching me from her spot on the couch.
“I was a dick,” Cian replied. “And I’m just now realizing how late it is, which makes me more of a dick. Did I wake you?”
“Nope, just got done watching a movie.”
“With who?”
“Who do you think?”
“Tell the girls I said hello.”
“Cian says hello,” I told Frankie.
“Fuck off, Cian,” she called back.
“Can’t say they’re not loyal,” he muttered.
“What’s up?” I asked, leaning against the counter. “Did you just call to tell me you’re a dick?”
“Pretty much.”
“Cool.”
“You accept my apology?”
“I didn’t hear one.”
Cian was silent for a moment. “I’m sorry for bein’ a dick.”
“You’re forgiven.”
“Easy as that?”
“I was being pushy,” I replied, making Frankie groan in irritation. “I get it. It was time for me to go.”
“That’s not—you weren’t.”
“I was,” I argued. “It’s cool. I get that you guys needed some time to yourselves. Just took a minute for that to sink in.”
“That’s not—” Cian let out a huff of frustration. “Let’s talk when I get back, yeah? I think we’re headed out tomorrow.”
“Sounds good.”
“You didn’t overstay your welcome, Myla,” he said quietly. “Christ. You know I’d rather you were with me.”
“Sure.” Hot and cold. There was never anything in between.
“Call you when I’m back?”
“Yeah, drive safe tomorrow.”
“Always do.”
“Okay, bye.”
I hung up and set my phone carefully on the counter.
“Sweet Cian?” Frankie asked sarcastically.
“Yep.”
“You gonna fall into that again?”
“Are you joking?” I said, leaving my phone on the counter. I skipped back into the room and leaped over the couch, catching her in the side with my shins as I landed. “If it’s not a guy whose favorite shape is a star, flips pancakes in the air, and has different colored eyes? I don’t want it.”
“That’s my girl,” Frankie said proudly, pushing my feet off the couch. “Now we’re watching Scream. The original, obviously. If that doesn’t put you off men for a while, nothing will.”
I woke up the next morning with some kind of candy stuck in my hair, my hoodie on backward, and Frankie’s foot in my face.
“Morning, pretty girl,” Lou sang, laughing down at me.
“Not so loud,” I hissed.
“You two must’ve kept drinking after I fell asleep, because I feel fine and you look like garbage.”
“I feel like garbage,” I moaned, pushing Frankie’s foot away as I sat up. “What time is it?”
“Noon.”
“Ugh.”
“You called into work for the whole week, right?” Lou said as she walked away.
“Yeah. Told them we had a family emergency.”
“Good. Because I tried to wake you up at seven, but you didn’t even flinch.”
“We didn’t fall asleep until like four,” I groaned, following her into the kitchen.
“Your phone went off a few times. Your mom and Cian.”
“Did you read them?”
“I really wanted to, but I didn’t,” she said with a grin. “What did he say?”
I checked my phone. Mom wanted me to call her.
“He just texted to say they were getting on the road.”
“Oh.”
“He called last night.”
“Seriously?”
“He apologized for being a dick, his words.”
“Mm-hmm,” she said. “I’m frying eggs, hash browns, and bacon. You guys need greasy food or you’ll feel like shit all day.”