Page 134 of You and Me, For Real
“Yes!” A laugh bubbles out of me.
“Awesome! We’ll talk in a minute—going back to my shower now.” Cecily zips back into the bathroom.
The numbers on my phone screen blur as I stare at them, my brain barely comprehending the sum. The Rescue Ranch is fully funded for, like, years. With excitement flowing through my veins, I snatch my phone and call the realtor, eager to make a quick and generous offer.
We’reall settled in Cecily’s living room, Wren and me on her loveseat, and Cecily in her wide armchair. She’s beaming, still starry-eyed at Wren’s company. She’s changed into a long-sleeved pink dress, her hair blown out and curled. Wren’s wearing a T-shirt, ripped jeans, and a high ponytail.
I tried really hard not to laugh when Wren came to the door dressed almost identically to how my sister had been earlier.
“They accepted your offer?” Wren asks, pulling a pillow onto her lap.
I gave her and my sister a run-down on my conversation with the realtor and the sum accumulated from the gala. “Yes. We’ll finalize the paperwork on Monday.”
Wren squeezes my hand. “That’s amazing! I’m so glad the gala was such a success. I knew it would be.”
I smile back. “Mostly thanks to you,” I say, my voice breaking. “And Griffin.”
“About him…you ready to talk about last night? I saw some of the posts this morning. Are you okay?”
In all the chaos of the morning—finding the funds and making the offer—I haven’t even thought to look at social media. It’s probably best I don’t. More than likely, I’ll have to delete my new accounts anyway.
“Wait, like Griffin Ford?” Cecily’s eyes travel back and forth between Wren and me.
I told my sister I was casually seeing someone, but given his contract, I couldn’t reveal any details.
I nod. “I was surprised you never mentioned our pictures together that were blasted all over social media from the Rhodes party a few weeks ago.”
“I rarely check my accounts. That’s not really my life anymore. I started a new one just for my artwork, but it’s under a pseudonym, so no one knows it’s me. And I mostly only follow other artists.”
“That’s smart. I like that you’re sharing your talent.” My chest pinches. It’s what I hoped to do with mine. I didn’t want to be connected toBeing the Blakes, but now that account will be forever tainted, thanks to the paparazzi last night.
“Thank you, but can we get back to the part where you’re datingtheGriffin Ford? Start at the beginning. I want all the details. How did the two of you meet?” She pushes the bowls of chips and queso further toward us on the small coffee table.
I rehash the whole story from nearly getting run over by him at the shelter’s parking lot, to shoving him in the storage closet, to adopting and training Roxy, to the Rhodes party, to our conversation on the beach, and to developing something…more.
Cecily scoops a dollop of queso and shoves a chip in her mouth, mumbling between bites. “Wait, wait, so he’s the one who found the ranch you just put an offer on?”
I nod, fidgeting with my hands in my lap.
Wren leans forward. “Andhe helped find the venue for the gala.”
Cecily licks some queso off her thumb, contemplating for a moment. “And you’re worried he has feelings for Scarlet?”
I shrug and grab one of the throw pillows, pulling it onto my lap. “I don’t know. Maybe? It’s all so confusing! Before the galalast night, I planned to tell him I loved him. He’s really the only man I’ve ever felt this way for…unless you count Tanner.”
Cecily sits up straighter. “I absolutely do not. That was aboywho was a complete jerk. You need to erase him from your memory and never, ever compare any guy to him. I’m kind of leaning toward believing Griffin. That he was just comforting Scarlet.”
“I can definitely see Griffin doing that,” Wren chimes in. “He’s too nice of a guy not to try to console someone even if he’s breaking their heart.”
“I kind of think so, too. Just seeing the two of them…together…like that. It stung. Brought up so many old insecurities.” I gnaw on my lower lip. “Besides that, there’s Mom and his dad.”
Cecily frowns. “What are you talking about?”
Wren looks confused, too.
“Didn’t you see the two of them at the gala together?” Maybe Wren didn’t, or maybe she didn’t recall enough details about my mom to notice her at the gala. “Wren, I haven’t told you everything about my past, but as you witnessed at the Rhodeses’ party, I don’t have a great relationship with my mom.”
“Wedon’t have the greatest relationship withourmom,” Cecily inserts.
