Page 42 of Detention with Daddies

Wow, I love my bestie.

OLIVIA

Shawna takes me back to her house, and I flop back on her couch, coffee drink gone and a bottle of wine on the coffee table between us.

Her feet hang over the side of her love seat, wine glass half full in her hand as she points at me.

“So, you’re telling me, he didn’t say a damn thing all through dinner.”

“Not a thing.”

“And she practically insulted you the entire time.”

“Yes. She started with Ruby, so I didn’t fight the shift to me. I don’t think Ruby could take much more of it. She makes a lot more sense now that I’ve met her mother.”

“But he didn’t defend you. At all.”

“No. He didn’t even blink. Ground his molars together a little bit, but nothing else. And I caught them in the bedroom arguing.”

“Oh my God,no.”

“Yes. She called me a whale.”

Shawna sits up with a jolt. “No!”

“Yes.” I sigh, resigned. “I think it’s less about me and more about unresolved issues between them.”

“You’re giving him way too much of a break on this, honey. Way too much of a break.”

I take another swig of wine and meet her gaze. “Listen. I know, but I also don’t know what happened in their relationship, so how am I supposed to judge the way it all went down. I’m more surprised by his sister’s reaction to it all.”

“I mean, she is the ex-sister-in-law.”

“Hmm. Well, it doesn’t really matter much, does it? I’m pretty sure they have some things to figure out between them, and I’m just a side piece while he waits to reunite with her.” Although that doesn’t quite feel right either.

“Liv, you undervalue yourself too much. No.No. What’s the sister’s name?”

“Marielle.”

Shawna pulls up her phone and starts her amateur sleuthing. “I’m going to figure this stuff out. Why would he invite you to dinner if he knew she was coming?”

“Maybe he’s been pining and his sister knows this, so she invited her.”

“Aha! Marielle and Lisa arebest friends.”

Heat burns in my chest from embarrassment. “Well, that makes sense. They made it so Lisa and Nick had to sit next to each other at dinner too.”

“God, these people sound awful.”

“His parents were okay. Caring, but like they wanted to stay out of it. You know?”

Shawna groans. “Well, when he comes back around, you’d better make him grovel.”

“Mmm. We’ll see. How about some drama-filled reality TV that makes my life look so completely boring by comparison?”

My bestie smiles at me. “Okay. Fine. Deal. Pour me more of that before you finish it off.”

My phone dings, lighting up with a text.

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