Page 167 of Almost Ours
His face lit up instantly. “Really? I can stay?”
“Really,” I confirmed.
“Yes!” he pumped a fist in the air before spinning back to his friends. “Guys! I get to stay the night!”
I reached for him, pulling him in for a quick hug and smoothing his sweaty hair back. “Okay, you behave, all right? And don’t forget to brush your teeth.”
“I will, Mom,” he said, already half-distracted, shifting on his feet like he couldn’t wait to get back to the game.
With a final goodbye to Mrs. Knox and a wave to the kids, I headed back across the driveway, pulling out my phone as I walked.
Harper: Hey, Mrs. Knox is keeping Connor for the night. She invited Liam too, if you’re good with that? Thought we could have a girls’ night?
The reply came almost instantly.
Nina: YES. Say no more. I’ll be over in an hour. Drinks and bad decisions incoming.
I laughed, already feeling a little lighter. Nina was exactly what I needed tonight.
Not even an hour later, she breezed into my house, her face lit up with excitement as she tossed her bag onto the couch. “Liam’s all set up at Mrs. Knox’s. Seriously, what an absolute angel that woman is. We should nominate her for sainthood or something.”
I laughed, nodding in agreement. “She really is the best. Honestly, she’s probably my favourite person in this town.” I paused, then added with a small smile, “Maybe in the whole world.”
Nina gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. “Excuse me? I thoughtIwas your favourite person!”
“Sorry,” I teased, pulling a pair of heels from my closet. “You’re a close second, though.”
She huffed in mock offence before laughing. “Fine, fine. Mrs. Knox can have the top spot–for now. But only because she’s letting me have a kid-free night. Let’s make it worth it.”
The next hour was a whirlwind of trying on outfits, clothes flying into a growing pile on the bed as we debated what to wear. Nina finally settled on a sleek black jumpsuit that hugged her curves, while I stuck with my go-to: a simple yet flattering wrap dress paired with ankle boots.
As she applied a final coat of mascara, she glanced over at me. “So, what’s the plan? Pub first, then karaoke?”
I nodded, slipping on my boots. “Yeah, dinner and a drink to warm up, then we’ll hit the karaoke bar. But don’t even think about signing me up for anything.”
“Oh, come on!” Nina grinned mischievously. “You have the perfect voice for karaoke.”
“No way,” I said firmly, smoothing down my dress. “I’ll cheer you on, but that’s as far as it goes.”
“Your loss,” she quipped, grabbing her purse. “Let’s go.”
We arrived at the pub just as the early evening crowd was settling in, the low hum of conversation and clinking glasses filling the space. Warm lighting cast a cozy glow over the wooden booths and bar tops, and the scent of beer and fried food hung in the air.
As soon as we stepped inside, my eyes instinctively scanned the room. My stomach tightened when I spotted Shane in a booth near the back, leaning forward, talking animatedly to someone whose back was to me.
For a second, I held my breath, my pulse quickening. Was it–?
The man shifted slightly, and I exhaled, relief washing over me.Not Ryan.
Still, my gaze flickered across the pub–the bar, the corner tables, the group by the dartboard. I told myself I was just surveying the crowd, but I knew better. My chest tightened when I realized he wasn’t here.
“Looking for someone?” Nina asked, her tone teasing.
“No,” I said too quickly, shaking my head. “Just… checking out the crowd.”
Nina smirked knowingly, but before she could press further, Shane spotted us and waved us over. “Harper! Nina!”
“Oh great,” Nina muttered under her breath, shooting me a look as we walked toward the booth. “Brace yourself for the Shane Show.”
