Page 107 of So Much More

“Does anybody need more snacks?” Leslie says as she gets to her feet, obviously choosing not to engage in the change of topic.

“I’ll take some more cookies,” Tonya says, “and a soda. Thanks.”

“Coming right up, after I make a pit stop in the bathroom,” Leslie tells her.

As soon as Leslie’s out of sight, the girls hold a whispered conversation that includes a lot of giggling. Then they stop and both look at me.

“We know you can keep a secret,” Tonya whispers to me, “so we’re going to tell you one, but you can’t tell Leslie.”

“You gotta pinky swear,” Sonya adds, also in a whisper, holding her finger out.

I curl my pinky around hers, and Tonya reaches over to add hers to the mix.

“I pinky swear,” I say as solemnly as I can.

“Whisper!” Tonya whisper-shouts as we unlink our fingers.

I lower my voice. “Oops, sorry.”

Tonya cuts a glance in the direction of the bathroom and says so quietly I can barely hear her, “Ash is going to propose to Leslie and wants us to find out her ring size!”

I clap my hand over my mouth so I don’t shriek in excitement at the news, even though it’s not surprising.

“You need me to help with that?” I murmur.

“Yes,” Sonya says with a glare at Tonya, “becauseshe’sgoing to give it away if she tries. She’s not exactly subtle.”

Tonya glares right back at her. “If we didn’t need to whisper, I’d be yelling at you for that.”

Sonya shrugs. “It’s true.”

“Leave it with me,” I say. “I’ll find out and let you know.” I could just tell Ash directly, but I don’t want the girls to feel left out, and I know he doesn’t either.

Suddenly, Tonya sits up straight. “Leslie, can you bring Sonya another cookie, too, please?”

“Sure thing.”

Leslie must have turned the other way, because Tonya blows out a long breath and mouths, “That was close.”

When Leslie rejoins us, it takes every ounce of strength I have to not grin at her like a fool. I now know why the girls were in such a strange mood when they arrived. Ash took a big chance telling them. I’m guessing he did so to give them something positive to think about this week, but it’ll be a miracle if they don’t spill the beans to Leslie before he has time to pop the question.

forty-seven

“Stop pacing,” Tonya orders me. “You’re driving us bananas. You’re supposed to be helping us, not making us nervous.”

I make another turn and stride across my living room again. “I can’t stop. I want to know what’s happening.” It’s now three o’clock on Thursday afternoon, and Dad was supposed to be served the papers at one. We should have heard something by now about how he’s responding.

Sonya gets off the couch and wraps her arms around me when I pass her again, which finally forces me to stop. “Please, Randall. Sit down.”

“Do we need to call Wendy?” Tonya asks me with narrowed eyes.

“No!”

“Ha!” Tonya points at me. “You’re scared of her.”

I peel Sonya’s arms off me and move to the couch. “I’m not scared of her.”

“But you don’t want her to know you’re acting like this, do you?”

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