Juniper ignores her to demand, “What’s wrong with you?”
I point to my face. “Maybe I don’t want to see Mom while I’m covered in mascara and snot.”
“Okay.” Aspen stands. “We need tequila, chocolate, and a romcom.”
“I’ve got the perfect movie,” Juniper declares before darting off.
Lilac lifts up her bag. “As instructed, I brought chocolate.”
“I—”
I cut Aspen off. “Hold on. As instructed? Did Rowan the heart destroyer message all of my sisters to tell them I was heartbroken? Can he be more of an asshole?”
He couldn’t talk to me about what’s going on with him, but he could connect with my sisters to let them know he broke my heart? What the hell is wrong with the man? I should have believed him when he said he can’t make a woman happy. Stupid foolish Ashlyn.
“Whatever you’re thinking, stop,” Aspen demands. “Rowan didn’t say a word to us about you being heartbroken.”
I narrow my eyes on her. “Rowan messaged Juniper to tell her I was upset,” I remind her.
Her nose twitches signaling whatever’s about to come out of her mouth is a lie. “But he didn’t call us. And he never said anything about you being heartbroken.”
I growl. I know she’s lying. I open my mouth to berate her, but I snap it shut just as quickly again. What does it matter? Rowan’s an asshole who doesn’t love me. End of discussion.
Aspen squeezes my hand. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking I never should have veered off the ‘get over my crush on Rowan’-path I began before I broke my ankle,” I say and promptly burst into tears.
“We need tequila stat!” Aspen hollers.
Ellery backs away. “Don’t look at me. I’m not drinking. I have to work in the morning.”
“And?” Aspen pushes. “You don’t get hangovers.”
“I don’t care if Ellery drinks,” I wail. “But I need about fifty shots to make me forget what a fool I am for thinking the man I’ve loved since I was an idiot teenager loves me back.”
“Oh, Ash.” Juniper plops down on the other side of me and throws her arms around me. “You’re not a fool. If Rowan can’t see what a treasure he has in you, he’s the fool.”
“Here.” Aspen shoves a shot glass in front of my face. “Drink. There’s nothing tequila, chocolate, and a funny movie can’t cure.”
Easy for her to say. She’s going home to the man she’s loved since she was in kindergarten while I’ll probably live with Juniper and her thousand animals until I die. Meowise hisses before she claws at my boots. Great. My journey to spinster cat lady has already begun.