Page 98 of Small Town Swoo
“And it’s all good?”
“It’s all good.” Except for that hook sinking into my chest.
“Okay.” Mabel smiled, even as she cringed slightly. “I mean, it’s weird for me, but whatever—I’ll deal with it.”
“As weird as Dad having a lady friend?”
Her eyes widened, and she shook her head. “Did you know?”
“Xander and I had a hunch,” I confessed. “And I think it’s a good thing.”
“Oh, I do too,” she said quickly. “It’s just a surprise.”
“Life’s full of them,” I told her. Slinging an arm around her shoulder, we walked toward the kitchen, where Ari was waiting for me to take her home.
“Mabel knows,” I said as I pulled away from my dad’s house.
“I didn’t tell her, I swear.” Ari held up her hands stick-em-up style.
“I know. You were right—she just had a sense about it.”
“She didn’t say anything to me. Did she seem surprised or upset?”
“Neither, really. She just sort of warned me like Austin and Xander did to be nice to you.”
Ari snickered. “If they only knew how nice you are to me.”
“Probably best that they don’t. Mabel did seem a little squicked out.”
“I will keep the details to myself,” she said, making an X over her chest. “So your dad came clean about Julia—that was cool.”
“Yeah.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “It was. I’m happy for him.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.” I sensed her looking at me in the dark of the front seat. She knew something was on my mind. “In fact, something might be really right. I got a text from Izzie earlier today.”
She gasped. “And?”
“And apparently Katherine Carroll’s assistant made an inquiry about me yesterday. She wants to meet with me next week.”
“What? Dash!” She threw her hands up. “You’ve known this all day and you’re just telling me now?”
“It’s been a busy day. And I don’t really know what it means.”
“It means you’re getting that role you want—I just know it.” She squealed with joy and clapped her hands. “I’m so excited for you!”
“Thanks.”
“When is it happening?”
“Tuesday,” I said, pulling into her driveway.
“Tuesday?” Was she doing the math? “Wow, that’s...that’s soon. When will you fly back?”
“Monday.” I tried to make a joke of it. “Will you be glad to be rid of me?”
She tried too. “Yes. Get lost and take all the orgasms you’ve been giving me with you.”
