There’s a pause of stunned realization before she lets out a yelp that rivals a howler monkey, hopping around on one foot while clutching the other. It’s like watching a slapstick comedy unfold before my eyes, complete with exaggerated expressions of pain and a dramatic reenactment of the entire event.
“OW!” Georgie shrieks, folding on top of herself as she hits the ground, falling to her butt and staring at her foot. “What did I just do?”
I kneel beside her swiftly, sliding her Converse off and checking the top of her foot out. There’s a spot that’s redand a small welt rising to the surface. Who would have thought an iPhone of all things could do such damage and so quickly?
“You’ve smacked it really good right around your metatarsals,” I say pointing to the place on her foot just below her toes where all of the tiniest bones in our body hang out. The poor girl writhes in pain, opening her mouth to do a silent scream. “There’s nerve endings there, too. Probably why the pain is reverberating so much.”
“Ohhh,” she groans, sitting back and using her hands to brace herself as she shakes her head and laughs. “So ridiculous.”
“Can you stand?”
“Of course.” She gives me a sheepish look. “It was only a phone.”
Still, I hold out my hand, overjoyed when her hand slides into mine. I know she’s in pain, but I still have to work hard to keep my eyes from staring at her lips. I never realized how pink they were until today, and I know she caught me staring at them.
I get up first and brace myself, letting her put her full weight on me. She stands and holds onto me tightly for a few minutes—not that I’m going to ask her to go away—before she puts her foot down and walks in a circle around me. It’s slow, but she is moving.
“It’s sore,” she says, surprised. “Like, it feels weird and it hurts.”
“Probably will be for a day or two, but you should be good after.”
She stops moving long enough to give me a little side-eye. “You know, I could have sworn you just kind of proposed to me.”
“Yeah,” I begin, “about that…”
I fill her in on my movements over the past few hours: from the papers being served to my visit with the lawyer. Shenods her head as I speak, listening intently, her eyes growing wider and wider as I mention the part about how it would be good for me if I looked more settled.
“So, let me get this straight,” she says, tucking a strand of honey-blond hair behind one ear. “You want me to be your fake fiancée?”
“Yes,” I say with a groan, “but in exchange, you’ve got the apartment.”
“I’m sure I could have the apartment anyway,” she says, narrowing her eyes.
She scares me a little when she gets like this. I kinda like it. “I debated asking, but when you said to ask if you could do anything in return, well…I was hoping for some help here and I guess it seemed like it would be more believable if it was you I was engaged to.”
I’m making a mess of this. Worst proposal ever, not that it really is one. Even if I wanted it to be one, I’m making mental notes to myself as to what NOT to do in the future.
In my head, I’m on an amusement park ride. It’s not quite a roller coaster, more like being stuck on a loop inside “It’s a Small World” where I keep seeing the same thing and hearing the same song over and over. And she won’t stop laughing now.
“Wow, if this was really you asking me to marry you, I’d be so disappointed.” She looks around us, scanning the area. “Is there a secret camera nearby?”
“No,” I say, grabbing her hands and pulling her toward me. Anything I can do to touch her, it seems. “Just your good friend asking you for one really crazy favor.”
Georgie’s gaze finds mine, dark green flecks appearing in light brown eyes as they sparkle. They rock back and forth, searching, before she sighs. “Fine. I’ll do it.”
Be still my heart. “Really?”
“Yes.” She stands back from me and smiles. “I want to do it, andnot just because you’re letting me use the apartment. I want to help you and Duncan. That boy deserves to be surrounded by a good family and the Porters are a good family.”
A warmth fills my heart. “Thanks. You know, we consider you part of that family, too.”
An odd expression flashes across her face, but it’s so fleeting I almost think I’m imagining things. In the next instant, Georgie is all smiles, sunshine, and cupcakes.
“That’s sweet of you to say.” She shoves her hands in her pockets and, using her chin, indicates toward the park exit. “Maybe we should get back to my place and fill a box or two? I wouldn’t want you to be too late getting home to the little guy.”
“Sure,” I say, a tiny feeling of my own guilt panging inside me. I’m just not sure if it’s for Duncan or what I’ve asked of my best friend. I watch as she takes a few steps in front of me, appearing to be solid for a stride or two before limping.
“Hey,” I say, standing in front of her with my back to her. “Jump up. I’ll give you a piggyback ride.”
