Page 133 of Lovebug
“Oh my gosh, of course.”
He gives my hand a squeeze and turns me to face him right before we reach the tree.
“Areyouokay? Last night was…”
“A lot, I know. But yeah. I’ll be okay. Especially with you by my side.” I scrunch my eyes shut for a moment, worried what I just said may have been super presumptuous. “Unless I’ve completely scared you away?”
“Mabel Again?” He tips my chin up with his fingertips, and I open my eyes. “You’ll have to try a hell of a lot harder than that to scare me away. I’m in it to win it with you, baby.”
He runs his hands down the length of my hair.
“During that awful conversation with my parents...” I hesitate. “You, um. Well, you said you love me.”
He looks so vulnerable at that moment I want to kiss him. “I’ll admit, it was a bit of a strange time to declare it, and we haven’t known each other that long, but—”
“I love you too,” I blurt and dive in to kiss him, my hands cupping his stubbly cheeks, his big arms wrapped around my back and lifting me off my feet.
“Brown-chicken-brown-cow,” a sassy, melodic voice sounds from behind us.
I look over, and April is standing there with Chloe, walkie-talkies in hand and smiles on their faces.
I feel my face get warm, and I instinctively take a tiny step away from Wally after he places me back on my feet.“Welcome back, April,” I say.
“Thanks, lady,” she says and gives me a little punch to the upper arm. “Happy tobeback, and from here on out, I promise to be on my best behavior. Case in point,did you notice how just now, before commenting on your burgeoning sensual affair with the man formerly known as ‘The Wall’”—she takes that opportunity to wink at Wally—“I saw an impressionable young child present. Therefore I opted to say ‘brown-chicken-brown-cow’ instead of ‘bow-chicka-wow-wow?’”
“I, uh… I did, yeah,” I say.
“Who’s got two thumbs and is evolving?” She points both thumbs at herself. “This girl. But you know who’snotevolving? My mother. Heard she cockblocked you last night by calling your parents, huh? Shit, I said cock,” she whispers as she peeks up at Holden. “Cock, I said shit! Ugh. Sorry about that. Iamtrying. Anyway,” April prattles on, “I love my mom, but clearly, she has some major jealousy issues. With me, with Chloe’s mom, with women in general, I think!” April leans closer to me at that point and looks left and right before speaking in an excited hush. “Hey Mabel, did you know that my mom and Chloe’s mom went to high school together, and they were both hot for the same guy, and that guy got Chloe’s mompregnantback in the day?”
My eyes dart to Chloe, whose eyes are scrunched shut.
“No… I did not know that, April,” I say softly. “But that, uh, that actually makes a lot of things make sense.”
And it does. If Naomi knew all this time that Tina was my mom and she had issues with her, I can see why she’s been taking it out on my family and me all these years. I don’t agree with it, but I suppose I can understand how a grudge-holding person like Naomi might go that route. I have to say, though, that I’m surprised she never spilled that secret. To me. Or to her daughter. Maybe she’s kinder than I think?
There I go again, assuming the best in people. I guess that’s not a character trait I’m going to shake any time soon. But… maybe that’s exactly as it should be.
I get the impression April doesn’t even hear my response. She’s so lost in the excitement of gossiping. “I know, right?” she enthuses. “My mom was talking smack about Chloe’s mom the other day after she ran into her at the festival, and she was all like ‘Don’t trust McGonigle women, April. Don’t trust McGonigle women.’ And I was like ‘McGonigle women? Chloe’s mom’s last name is Thomas.Mabel’s last name is McGonigle.’ Whatever. Anyway”—she switches out of gossip mode—“glad to be back, glad Holden’s okay, and I’m hella glad to see our girl Mama Mabel is finally gettin’ some. What-what!” She does a raise-the-roof gesture in Wally’s direction, turns to go, then whips back to me once more. “Oh, almost forgot! Here’s your walkie. I’ll report back to the higher-ups that Holden is golden.” She slaps the walkie-talkie in my palm and starts making her way up the hill, throwing up a peace sign in the air as she goes. “Peace out, cub scout!”
Wally, Chloe, and I stare after her a moment. That girl is a whirlwind.
I look at Chloe. “So you didn’t tell April, huh?”
“Nah.” She shrugs. “I figure she’ll find out eventually. Besides, it feels sort of nice to have such a special secret with you. Guess I kinda want to hold onto that for a little bit.” Chloe catches Wally’s eye and says hesitantly, “You know, though. Right?”
“I do.” He nods. “I know.”
A massive smile sprouts on Chloe’s face as she extends her hand to Wally. “Well then hi! Hi, hi, hi, hi, hi. I’m Chloe, your new sister-in-law!”
Wally coughs out a laugh and shakes her hand.
“Too much?” She peeks at me and giggles. “Or is it just too soon?”
“Too muchandtoo soon,” I say, but I can’t help laughing right along with them. I turn to the tree and call to Holden. “Hey, buddy! Can we join you up there?”
He looks down, shrugs, then goes back to the book.
“Maybe just you should go,” Wally says quietly and takes a step back. “Perhaps my new ‘sister-in-law’ will skim a few rocks with me while we wait for you.”
