curiosity had gotten the best of me.
Rach wore a sinister look that I actually found a little intimidating. “He only has two email accounts, and he used his home email address. His password was harder to narrow down. Took me until two in the morning to nail it. It’s his favorite sports team plus his birth date backwards.”
I hid behind my one-page menu to ward off the daggers Ellen was shooting me with her eyes. Although I was the unlucky recipient of Ellen’s scowl, I had to agree with her. I’d created a monster. And it was scary.
The waitress came over and we ordered the usual.
I cleared my throat, thinking of how to say this gently. “I know I told you to keep your eyes open, but cracking Noah’s password might be going overboard. Imagine how you’d feel if he did that to you. I think you should try talking to him instead.”
Ellen let out a sigh of relief. “See? I told you, Rach. You’ve gone off the deep end and need to come back to reality. Like Kristen finally has.”
Her expression told me she wasn’t too convinced of my sanity though, and I was insulted. “What makes you think I’ve gone off the deep end?”
A horselaugh escaped her mouth. “I don’t think you’ve dived off. I know it. Gina knows it. And Rach knows it, too.”
My mouth dropped open indignantly, and I rolled my head in Rachel’s direction. “You, too?”
Rach put a hand her chest. “Well, you seem like a different person since you found out about Jake.”
My friends had turned on me. That’s all there was to it. “I’m the same person. Just more cautious.”
“You’re hiding.” Ellen’s tone was gentle when she said this. “It’s like you’re afraid to make any decisions in case it’s the wrong one.”
I leaned back in my chair, and crossed my arms. “Two days before my thirtieth birthday and I find out what my friends really think of me.”
“We think the world of you, girl.” Rach seemed offended that I’d think otherwise. “Why else would we tell you to snap out of it?”
My brows came together. “What?”
It was Ellen who spoke. “Start making decisions that move your life forward. We’ve all been screwed over at one time or another, but it’s like you’ve given up.”
I shook my head. “I’m rebuilding my life.”
“By keeping a distance from what you care about.” Ellen put a hand on my arm. “Your career. Dating—”
Straightening my spine, I said. “I went on a date last night.”
Both of their jaws nearly hit the floor.
“What? With who?” Ellen said.
I bit my lip. “Ethan. Really it was more of a non-date.”
My diversion had worked, but they seemed way too excited about my weak mistake.
“What’s a non-date?” Rach blinked, as if confused. “Is this some kind of dating foreplay thing, like when Gina and Chris pretended to be girlfriend and boyfriend just because they couldn’t admit they were hot for each other?”
“No.” I shook my head, adamantly. “It was just dinner and wine on a boat and . . . we may have kissed.”
Rach squealed.
Ellen’s hands flew to her cheeks. “How was it?”
“I’m not doing it again.”
We paused for a moment while the waitress set our meals down in front of us.
“Thank you,” Ellen said, then wrinkled her nose. “Not good, huh?”
Remembering the feel of Ethan’s mouth on mine gave me chills. “Oh, it was amazing.”
Her brows came together. “Then why won’t you go out with him again?”
My eyes burned. “So I don’t have to stay up all night cracking the password to his emails.”
“It was his credit card account.” Rach pointed out.
“Whatever.” I imagined Ethan cheating on me and my heart broke a little, and I didn’t even love him yet.
“I trust Henry with all my heart.” Ellen’s green eyes stared at me first, then at Rach, and finally her mouth curved upward. “I’m pregnant.”
Rach’s squeal was piercing. “You are?!”
“Congratulations,” I said, watching Rach throw her arms
Rach wore a sinister look that I actually found a little intimidating. “He only has two email accounts, and he used his home email address. His password was harder to narrow down. Took me until two in the morning to nail it. It’s his favorite sports team plus his birth date backwards.”
I hid behind my one-page menu to ward off the daggers Ellen was shooting me with her eyes. Although I was the unlucky recipient of Ellen’s scowl, I had to agree with her. I’d created a monster. And it was scary.
The waitress came over and we ordered the usual.
I cleared my throat, thinking of how to say this gently. “I know I told you to keep your eyes open, but cracking Noah’s password might be going overboard. Imagine how you’d feel if he did that to you. I think you should try talking to him instead.”
Ellen let out a sigh of relief. “See? I told you, Rach. You’ve gone off the deep end and need to come back to reality. Like Kristen finally has.”
Her expression told me she wasn’t too convinced of my sanity though, and I was insulted. “What makes you think I’ve gone off the deep end?”
A horselaugh escaped her mouth. “I don’t think you’ve dived off. I know it. Gina knows it. And Rach knows it, too.”
My mouth dropped open indignantly, and I rolled my head in Rachel’s direction. “You, too?”
Rach put a hand her chest. “Well, you seem like a different person since you found out about Jake.”
My friends had turned on me. That’s all there was to it. “I’m the same person. Just more cautious.”
“You’re hiding.” Ellen’s tone was gentle when she said this. “It’s like you’re afraid to make any decisions in case it’s the wrong one.”
I leaned back in my chair, and crossed my arms. “Two days before my thirtieth birthday and I find out what my friends really think of me.”
“We think the world of you, girl.” Rach seemed offended that I’d think otherwise. “Why else would we tell you to snap out of it?”
My brows came together. “What?”
It was Ellen who spoke. “Start making decisions that move your life forward. We’ve all been screwed over at one time or another, but it’s like you’ve given up.”
I shook my head. “I’m rebuilding my life.”
“By keeping a distance from what you care about.” Ellen put a hand on my arm. “Your career. Dating—”
Straightening my spine, I said. “I went on a date last night.”
Both of their jaws nearly hit the floor.
“What? With who?” Ellen said.
I bit my lip. “Ethan. Really it was more of a non-date.”
My diversion had worked, but they seemed way too excited about my weak mistake.
“What’s a non-date?” Rach blinked, as if confused. “Is this some kind of dating foreplay thing, like when Gina and Chris pretended to be girlfriend and boyfriend just because they couldn’t admit they were hot for each other?”
“No.” I shook my head, adamantly. “It was just dinner and wine on a boat and . . . we may have kissed.”
Rach squealed.
Ellen’s hands flew to her cheeks. “How was it?”
“I’m not doing it again.”
We paused for a moment while the waitress set our meals down in front of us.
“Thank you,” Ellen said, then wrinkled her nose. “Not good, huh?”
Remembering the feel of Ethan’s mouth on mine gave me chills. “Oh, it was amazing.”
Her brows came together. “Then why won’t you go out with him again?”
My eyes burned. “So I don’t have to stay up all night cracking the password to his emails.”
“It was his credit card account.” Rach pointed out.
“Whatever.” I imagined Ethan cheating on me and my heart broke a little, and I didn’t even love him yet.
“I trust Henry with all my heart.” Ellen’s green eyes stared at me first, then at Rach, and finally her mouth curved upward. “I’m pregnant.”
Rach’s squeal was piercing. “You are?!”
“Congratulations,” I said, watching Rach throw her arms
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