Page 45 of Last First Love
Elliott gives me a long, searching look. "Okay. Go win your girl then."
"Damn right I will."
Lily
When Darcy texted me to come to an emergency meeting of Girl Club, I figured it was some wedding-related emergency. I still can't believe she asked me to be her bridesmaid, but that means I need to be prepared to deal with her pre-wedding freak-outs.
That's a thing, believe me.
I've done enough engagement shoots and even the pre-wedding shots usually involve someone crying sooner or later, and about ninety percent of the time, it's the bride. I don't get it. I don't even pretend to understand what the big deal is, but if Darcy needs me to talk her down from some panic-related ledge, it's part of my job description.
Girl Club meets at Riddles again, because this is our thing now. Unfortunately, this particular meeting is in the post-work happy hour, so K.T. can't exactly close up shop and have us all drink away whatever problem Darcy's having.
But she's got a bartender dealing with an entire swarm of people at the bar when I come in, and K.T., Darcy, and two other women are sitting at a table in the back, very obviously waiting for me to join them.
Darcy points to the empty chair. "You're going to want to sit down for this one."
Oh shit.My stomach drops like an anvil off a cliff.
Here's the thing. Darcy Albrecht does not bullshit. If she were voted most likely in her senior year, it would probably have been Most Likely to Keep it Real. She's a plain-speaking type of person, and that's one of the reasons I like her so much. She's never anyone other than who she really is, and she never says things in order to make people feel better or worse.
When she tells me I'd better sit down, I know whatever's coming isn't good.
I wrap her up in a hug before I sit. "Hey girl, whatever is going on, I'm here for you. We'll figure it out."
K.T. flinches and turns to the other two women, the ones I don't know as well. "She doesn't know."
The pretty brunette with the pin up hairdo and the full sleeve of tattoos shakes her head. "Nope."
The other girl, a blonde, chews on her lip shyly and looks like she might cry. "This is bad, K.T. This is so, so bad."
Darcy slices a look over at the other two. "Lily, this is Delilah and Angie, the two newest members of Girl Club. I called them in case we needed some reinforcements. They’re good people."
I nod. "Okay lady. Tell me what your problem is, and I'm ready to help you figure it out."
Darcy sighs. "Lily, this isn't about me. It's about you."
K.T. shoves a set of three shots in front of me. "Drink. You're going to need it."
My eyes slide from face to face, but all I see amongst them is misery, unhappiness, and pity. Okay, this is definitely going to get worse before it gets better. I go ahead and slam two of the shots back to back, then pinch my fingers around the third shot.
"Go ahead and say it Darcy. I'm ready."
She drums her toes on the floor, and finally quits picking at her fingernails. "This is about Daniels."
I can feel the flush causing me to overheat. I'm sure by now everyone in Girl Club, and maybe everyone in Valentine, has figured out that I still have all the feelings for that man. Our very hot night together certainly didn't put a damper on any of that for me. And when he asked me to be his girlfriend, it did nothing to dull the pain of wanting him.
I guess the good thing about being picked on for my weight all these years is that I know exactly why things between me and Daniels can't work out. I've already heard every version of nasty remark that can be directed at a curvy girl who ends up dating a hot guy. Hell, a curvy girl who ends up dating period.
It's every bit as bad as when I eat in public, only multiplied by eleventy million billion. There's nothing that people hate more than seeing a plus sized woman enjoying herself and living her best life. But hey, that's what therapy is for, right?
"Okay. Did he light his taint on fire again?"
The pretty blonde chokes at my words and fans herself, but K.T. scowls at her."Get it together, Angela. This is not the time for your prudishness."
The tattooed pin up girl flashes K.T. a look that shows me she has her very own streak of meanness in her. "Don't you be mean to Angela. She's a nice girl." Her eyes drift over to me. "Just like Lily."
Darcy sighs and shakes her head. "He didn't get injured again."
