Page 21 of Bridesmaid Undercover
“I see, and she’s said she doesn’t want anything to do with you?”
“Polly told me she just wants to be left alone, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t still have feelings. I would approach her myself, but Polly told me to stay away, and I want to respect that, but fuck…if there’s something still there, something I could rekindle, I’d be open to doing that, especially since she’s moving back.” He lets out a deep sigh and sinks into his chair. “If Pollyand Ken can break up but find love again, why can’t Maple and I?”
Well, isn’t that just the nail in the coffin of my unrealistic dreams?
Tacking on a smile, because I can’t believe I’m about to say this, I reply, “I guess only one way to find out, right?”
He grins brightly. “You’re really down to help me out?”
“Of course, Hardy.”
“Thank you, Everly. This means a lot to me.”
“Hey, it’s the least I can do.”
He sits taller now and says, “Okay, let’s go over your approach.”
“You said yes?”my sister, Ember, screeches into the phone.
I set my purse down, hang my keys, and take off my heels before carefully putting them in my hall closet where I have all my shoes lined up perfectly.
“What the hell was I supposed to say?” I ask as I move into my quaint kitchen that’s comprised of one countertop that shares space with the cooktop and sink. I pull out one of my premade dinners from the fridge, set it in the microwave, and heat it up.
“You were supposed to say, ‘this is an unprofessional ask and I’m uncomfortable helping you get back together with your ex because in fact, I’m in love with you.’”
“I’m not in love with him,” I say, irritated. I walk into my bathroom where I put the phone on speaker and set it on the counter as I undo the tight bun I put my hair in this morning. I shake out my long strands and let my scalp breathe. “And I…I answered before I knew what I was answering.”
“What do you mean?” she asks.
I wet one of my reusable makeup removers and then start taking my makeup off. “I don’t want to say.”
“Uh, now you have to say.”
“Really, I’m okay with keeping it to myself.”
“That’s not how this works—you call me, you tell me.”
I work on removing my mascara, wondering why I called my nosy sister in the first place. “Fine, but don’t judge me.”
“Not making any promises.”
Such a loving sister. “Okay…well, the way he phrased things, I was thinking that maybe he was going to ask me something else.”
“And what was that something else?”
“I don’t want to say,” I reply as I hear the microwave beep, indicating my broccoli and beef is done warming up.
“Then how the hell am I supposed to help you if I don’t know all the facts?”
“I wasn’t looking for help from my big sister—I was looking for sympathy.”
“It’s as if you don’t know me at all,” Ember says as I lean down to the sink and splash water on my face before lathering my hands up with soap. “Do you really think I would sit here and listen to this story only to offer sympathy?”
“I hoped,” I say in between splashes of water.
“You’re wrong. I never just offer sympathy and I will never change, so stop trying to make me.”
I chuckle as I dry off my face. “I’ll never stop trying.”
