Page 132 of Ruled Out

“So, how did you like the house?” Kate asks as she pushes the front seat forward.

“It was actually amazing—like, absolutely perfect for us,” I croon and climb out of Felicity’s Mini, knocking my head on the roof as I go.

I look back at the tiny car and then across at Felicity as she shuts the driver’s door.

“What?” she asks, pressing her fob and locking the car.

I look over at Kate as she smirks back at me. “I just see now what Kate was saying and why Luna didn’t get a ride with us.”

“Mmhmm,” Kate hums from beside me, pointing at Felicity’s car. “It’s hard enough, getting in Martha when you aren’t carrying another human—or two.”

Felicity props her hands on her hips and sighs. Looking down at the green Mini, she mentions that Jon has tried to trade it on more than one occasion. “Yeah, to be honest, it might be time to say goodbye to the old girl.” She reaches out and rubs a hand over the roof.

Kate looks like she’s been shot as she shoots backward in the parking lot to the boutique we just pulled up in. “Sorry, come again? You want to get rid of her?”

Felicity eyes her best friend. “Would it be a problem if I traded?”

Kate hooks her bag onto her shoulder, flicking her blonde hair back over her shoulder. “I mean, no. I guess it would be the end of an era, but … I’m just shocked, is all.” She tries to sound unaffected, but the sadness in Kate’s tone is unmistakable.

Jessie has told me all about Martha and that Felicity brought her over from England when she moved to Seattle several years back. According to my boyfriend, everyone, especially Jon, pretends like Martha is a ridiculous choice of car for a busy US city and the biggest inconvenience, but really, she symbolizes their friend group.

Clearly Felicity is all-too aware of this as a smile breaks out on her face, and she turns and walks off in the direction of the boutique. A sense of triumph in her step.

Tipping her head over her shoulder, she dangles the keys from her fingers, swinging them merrily. “My husband was delighted when I told him I’d decided to trade Martha in for a new car. He even booked us an appointment at Range Rover for the day after tomorrow.” She pauses as her smile turns kind of evil-looking. “I just need to find the right time to tell him that I have, in fact, ordered another Mini.”

“WHAT?!” Kate shouts, laughter breaking free.

“But!” Felicity announces. “I have decided to go slightly more practical, which I know will please him. I’m getting a convertible. Perfectly practical for the upcoming summer months. It’s also perfect timing since it will be arriving on my driveway in around”—she looks down and checks her watch—“oh, two hours.”

My hand flies to my mouth. “Nooooo! Jon will go nuts!”

“Whoa, whoa.” Kate points at Martha with a look of relief. “I thought you said you traded her?”

Her best friend shrugs. “Meh, minor detail. Iplannedto, but when it came down to it, I just didn’t have it in me. My daughter can use it when she comes over to visit, which is getting more frequent.”

“Oh, Darcy will love that, she’s wanted Martha for ages.” Laughing hard, Kate loops her arm through Felicity’s, and they giggle like a pair of witches plotting their next move.

“Hey,” Kate shouts over her shoulder as I catch up to them, striding across the parking lot. “Where’s my other girl?”

Propping her other hand on her hip, she holds her arm away from her side. “Bring it in,” she says, and I loop my arm through as our trio makes for the bridal store.

“Okay, where is the blushing bride?” Felicity announces as we step into the all-white store.

Bright crystal chandeliers fill the long space above us with two rows of dresses lining the length of the room.

The assistant steps out from one of the dressing rooms, a measuring tape hanging around her neck. She smiles at us and moves to one side.

“I couldn’t wait, so I started,” Luna announces from behind the curtain.

“We aren’t even late,” Kate replies, taking a glass of champagne from a tray another assistant holds out to each of us in turn.

Felicity waves off the drink. “I’m driving, thank you.” She picks up one of the glasses and passes it to me, smiling. “Here you go, babe. Have one for me.”

I take a sip, and the bubbles dance on my tongue, warming me as I swallow them down.

“I know; I know,” Luna says. “But it’s just so damn pretty. I got here, like, a half hour early, and I couldn’t wait. It’s been anentire three weeks since I last tried it on. Then I came in after work twice this week just to stare at it. I think I have a problem.”

Kate looks at one of the assistants, and she rolls her lips together in response, her amused look confirming that Luna isn’t lying.

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