Page 51 of I Knew He Was Trouble
“How did you know?”
She shrugs. “I sort all our mail, and you haven’t gotten any about your student loans lately, so I can only assume you paid them off.”
“Sooo,” Mallory draws out the word. “What are you working all these jobs for?”
“This wasn’t really how I planned on telling y’all.” I wring my hands together in my lap. “I want to open a dog rescue,” I blurt out, scared that if I don’t say the words quickly, I never will.
“That’s amazing.” Shayna smiles.
“If I could ever pick a perfect job for you, that would be it.” Alyssa reaches across the table, squeezing my hand.
“What they said,” Mallory echoes.
I feel like I can fully breathe, knowing they’re not mad at me for not telling them. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell y’all. I think it’s just scary to voice my dream out loud to anyone, even my best friends.”
“You don’t have to apologize.” Shayna gets up and wraps her arms around me from behind. “You told us when you were ready.”
“And now you have us to help you achieve your dream. Whatever we can do to help, we’re here.” Alyssa joins the hug before waving for Mallory.
“Oh, all right.”
Soon enough, I’m wrapped up in all three of my besties’ arms. Their support fills me with hope that I’ll be able to achieve my dream with them by my side.
I swipe my thumb under my eyes. “Okay, enough of this.”
Shayna wiggles her eyebrows. “If you’re not going to kiss Tyler tomorrow, then what are you going to say when you see him?”
Tomorrow. Monday. Oh, crap.
“Oh my gosh.” I jump, grabbing my phone as a thought crosses my mind. I scroll through my emails until I find the one I’m looking for. I scan through it, searching for the last date I can cancel.
I groan when I notice the cancellation deadline was Friday.
“What did you do?” Alyssa searches my eyes like she’ll find the answer there.
I press my lips together, wishing I could turn back time. “I might have put out an ad in the newspaper.”
“For what?” Mallory asks.
I hand her my phone so she can read it. Mallory bursts out laughing, clutching her stomach. When she’s calmed down, she reads it aloud. “Doctor for hire. In-home visits only. Here to help with your every need. And there’s a photo of Tyler in his scrubs above his phone number.”
Shayna’s mouth falls open while Alyssa laughs so hard that tears begin streaming down her cheeks.
“I have two questions,” Alyssa says when she’s composed herself. “When and why?”
“I sent it in last weekend on the car ride back from Hemlock Cliffs.” I play with the ends of my hair. “I was so fed up with him that day and wanted to do something to get back at him.”
“And your first reaction was to have his phone blown up by overeager women?” Alyssa raises a perfectly manicured brow.
“It sounds a lot worse when you say it like that.” I facepalm. “Obviously, if I knew then what I know now about him, I would’ve never done it.”
“Did you put his work phone number or cell?” Shayna asks.
I hang my head. “His cell.”
“He’s going to have to change his number.” She clenches her teeth, looking like the grimacing emoji.
“Or leave the country. At least he could join his sister in Africa.” Mallory steals one of the bonuts from me and pops it in her mouth.
