“We’ll be fine,” she said sternly. “Now go on, go home. If you do decide to go to the party, knock their socks off. Make them realize what they’re missing.”
The fact I’d said I was dating all four hadn’t seemed to faze her or her advice.
“Are they still out there?” If they saw me leaving, I’d end up having to deal with them right now.
“Hang on…” She left me in the office. A minute later, she returned and said, “Yes, they are. So, this is what you’re going to do…”
What I did was leave the store through the back entrance while Marsha and Zabra ran interference out front. My car was bracketed by Jake’s SUV and Archie’s car. I made it out to my car without getting caught. On the drive home, I splurged on a burger, fries, and a shake. I hadn’t eaten breakfast. I hadn’t even thought about it.
At home, I made it up the stairs and into my apartment without being intercepted. It was still early.
The messages waited for me unread, and I stared at the red number on the corner indicating how many. There were some voicemails, too. Since I’d just seen all four of them, I knew they were fine, so it wasn’t a tonsils situation, but I still looked…
One of the calls was from Mathieu.
I pressed play on his message after I finished my food.
“Francesca,” he said, a hint of a smile in his voice. “I apologize for the last minute nature, but I would like to beg off going to the party tonight. Last evening, when I was at a community event, I met someone. She was very sweet and there is a chance to see her again this evening but not at the party. Please forgive me for leaving you dateless. I thought it might also be easier for you. I will see you on Monday.Au revoir.”
When the message ended, I fell back on the bed and laughed until I almost cried. It was ironic and sad in the same breath. Putting my phone indo not disturb, I curled over onto my side and stuck my head under a pillow. The cats leapt up on the bed one at a time. I didn’t know how I did it, but I managed to sleep.
I woke a few hours later, eyes sore and chest aching, but a little clearer. It was almost five. I had a couple of hours before the party. The cats purred around me but leapt eagerly when I padded out to the kitchen to feed them. In the bathroom, I studied my appearance. My hair was disheveled and rumpled, but I didn’t feel like showering, so I settled for straightening it.
In the bedroom, I eyed the suit from that morning and ran my fingers against the hickeys on my neck.
But the most important thing—value yourself. They don’t define you. You do.
Marsha’s words ran through my head.
I bought the bathing suit because I liked how I looked in it. Decision made, I stripped and changed. My borrowed clothes from Archie sat atop the same laundry that also hid Jake’s boxers.
This was about me. Not them.
Once I had the suit on, I pulled on a pair of shorts to cover the bottom. The top would be fine. The skies had cleared, and the temperatures had cooled, but it was hardly cold. Besides, Archie’s pool was heated.
Shoes on, I grabbed my phone and looked at all the messages. Tabbing over to the group one we shared, I sent a message.
I’m going to Archie’s now. I know it’s early, but we should talk. Hopefully, I’ll see you there.
Shoving my phone in my pocket with my wallet, I looked at Tiddles who stared at me blissfully from my pillow. “Good idea? Bad idea?”
The cat just gave me a bland look.
Yeah.
I didn’t know, either.
Coop wasn’t waiting at my car. Hopefully that meant he was already at Archie’s or at least with them. A part of me considered going to check his apartment, but I discarded it. Chicken, maybe, but I wanted to talk to all four of them at the same time. Not individually.
We needed to clear this air.
Ineeded it cleared.
The drive to Archie’s went by too fast, even if my nerves ramped the whole way there. Thankfully, I knew the gate code though Jeremy would have buzzed me in if I rang it. I pulled up the drive and parked off to the side. There would be more cars here tonight, and chances were I’d be stuck once they began arriving.
Hopefully, I’d still want to be stuck there.
Fingers crossed.