Page 62 of To Love or to Lose
“Or over-the-top,” Eloise mutters. She’s never been one for the dramatics.
“Oh my gosh, look at that!” I hear Winnie cheer from where she’s standing, looking out of the windows.
In the backyard, the pool is filled with giant floaties and beach balls, and next to the pool is a giant, bright pink bouncy house.
“Guess I know where we’ll be after dinner,” Eloise says as we watch Winnie.
Her happiness tonight is more apparent than it’s ever been—to where she doesn’t even notice the people beginning to filter in the house and take seats at the surrounding tables.
“You guys still seriously think nothing will ever happen between Logan and Winnifred?” Jameson asks as he sits next to us. “I mean, look around.”
Eloise gives him a look, the same look I had given him in the party store parking lot earlier today. “What?” Then, she bursts out laughing.
“Not again.” Jameson sighs before glaring at me.
That causes me to laugh too. Eloise leans into me. “Logan and Winnie?Can you believe that?” This sends us into a whole other fit of giggles. Eloise is definitely a romantic at heart, but not to that extent.
Jameson stands. “You two are ridiculous.”
“Andyouare a hopeless romantic,” Eloise teases in return. “It’s okay, you can admit it.”
“Whatever.” He rolls his eyes as he walks away.
That’s when Winnie and Logan approach the table, taking their seats.
“What was that about?” Logan smirks, looking back toward Jameson.
“He’ll be back.” Eloise waves him off.
Once we’re done with dinner and everyone’s plates are cleared from the table, Winnie demands we be the first in the bouncy house.
The idea of a communal inflatable makes my skin crawl. “Uh, I think I’ll stay back,” I say once we get to the back door. “You guys have fun.”
“What?” Winnie’s face falls.
Logan steps back, leaning down to my height. “I paid an obscene amount of money to have everything that has been used by other people professionally cleaned,” he tells me quietly. “You have nothing to worry about.”
I’m sure the relief I feel is evident because Eloise looks back at me and smiles. “You coming?”
I stand straighter, a smile beginning to cover my face. “Yeah.”
“This is so great!” Winnie squeals as she enters the bounce house. “I haven’t done this since I was a little kid.”
I look around the bounce house once the five of us are all inside. Jameson zips the opening shut and turns back to face the rest of us.
At this moment, I realize how happy we all are. Winnie’s happiness is radiating onto the rest of us, making us all feel the joy of being here.
We all begin jumping. The boys have discarded their suit jackets to the corner of the inflatable, and Winnie, Eloise, and I are holding the bottom of our dresses to our thighs.
“Evie, this should be your party too!” Winnie shouts as she grabs my biceps to jump with me. “You got into Columbia yesterday!”
I roll my eyes when Logan and Eloise start whooping. “And you got into NYU.” We all got into our top schools.
Well, Jameson doesn’t know yet; Oxford’s decisions come out in January.
“Yeah, but Columbia is way better than NYU.” Winnie furrows her eyebrows at me. “Come on, Evie, this is something to be proud of!”
“I am proud, trust me, but this is still your birthday party. Tonight is about you.”
