Page 51 of Betsy
“We’re here to celebrate Jocelyn and Malachi’s engagement.” I tried to make a final plea to logic, but my friends could sense my argument was struggling to stand, like a baby caribou surrounded my hungry wolves. “Not to talk about me.”
Jocelyn nodded in agreement, then held up a staying finger. “But no one here will enjoy the party if we’re all thinking and worrying about you. So, if you want to give me an engagement gift, spill.”
I sighed and my shoulders slumped. Not only had I been shoved in the corner by Amanda, but everyone else had sensed something was wrong when multiple opportunities to say something sarcastic had arisen and I hadn’t taken the bait.
I mean, sure, I would’ve been suspicious too if someone had left an opening about Drew’s pink shirt making him look like he’d missed the last salmon run in Alaska and I hadn’t commented on it.
“There’s nothing to tell,” I argued weakly.
Molly pursed her lips at me. “You know how I feel about lying.”
“Do you like Asher?” Nicole asked point blank, obviously tired of my deflections.
I bit the inside of my lip.
Jocelyn perked up. “Silence is a yes. Next question.”
“Did something happen between the two of you?” Nicole, being a mom, probably had a lot of experience getting the truth out of a reluctant witness.
The memory of Asher’s kiss flashed through my mind. I kept myself still, pushing back my thoughts and feelings from showing on my face.
“Another yes!” Amanda bounced in her seat.
“Did you kiss?” Jocelyn beat Nicole to the question.
My nostrils flared.
Molly pointed at me. “They did! They kissed!”
Jocelyn reached forward and touched my knee. “What happened after your kiss?” She asked so tenderly that tears threatened to spring to my eyes.
“Nothing happened,” I growled. “I came back to my senses is all.”
“You shut him out you mean.” Amanda dropped the sentence like a truth bomb. Everyone turned to stare at her. She held up her hands. “What? I did the same thing to Peter, so I’m able to recognize the behavior.” She lowered her hands. “But, Bets, whatever reason you think you have to justify making the decision to push Asher away for his own good, being with you ishisdecision to make.”
I averted my gaze.
“She didn’t push him away for his sake like you did with Peter, Amanda.” Nicole looked at me, calculating. “I’m not even sure she did it for herself.”
This was the problem with best friends. Even if you didn’t say anything, they still knew you enough to read you like an open book.
Nicole tapped her chin. “Who, though…”
“Her sister!” Molly brightened. “It all makes so much sense. I don’t know why we didn’t see it sooner.”
My friends looked at me like they were stripping away the layers I’d put on to hide under.
“And you feel guilty…” Amanda spoke like she was working out an equation out loud.
“So you won’t…” Jocelyn continued the thought.
Before I knew what was happening, Amanda had bolted out of her seat and snagged my phone, which had been lying on the table.
“What are you doing?” I half accused, half asked.
She tapped on the screen a few times, then held the cellular device to her ear.
“Who are you calling? And how do you know my password?” I wanted to make a grab for my phone, but I also didn’t want to physically hurt Amanda unintentionally.
