Page 263 of The Art of Almost Losing It
“Well, not the kidnapping part.” She gives me a small smile.
“Yeah.”
“I mean, she says you sucked at it. You let her keep her phone?”
“She ordered food, and that’s when I realized I was in trouble.” I look down at the snow. “When the pizza boy showed up. I completely screwed up. God.” I shake my head. I can’t help but smile at the memory. “I really messed that up.”
“I don’t know about that. Dani came in swinging, trying to defend your honor.”
“She’s too loyal to people,” I tell Mom. “You should see her with her so-called friend that she’s an unpaid wedding planner for. That girl just yanks her chain, and I looked at her Instagram—I just did it so I could block her—and she’s still helping her with her wedding after everything!”
My mom’s eyes sparkle.
“Is this the bachelorette party where she took a dildo to the face?”
“Wait, what?”
Mom points to her eyes. “That’s what gave her the shiner.”
I collapse down into the snow. “I thought… I thought I did that.” I look up at my mom helplessly.
Her eyes are shimmering again. She kneels down.
“Don’t get your clothes dirty.”
She ignores me and pulls me to her chest.
Kisses the top of my head.
“I thought I hit her accidentally, and oh God—”
“You love her, don’t you?” Mom says.
“I’m not capable of love.”
“Dani thinks you are. And I think you are too.” She stands up and dusts off her pants, then she offers me a hand. “You can’t just live out here, kid.”
I grab her hand, and she pulls me up with both hands.
“Come on.” She wraps an arm around my waist. “I know exactly what you need.”
“What?”
“A tattoo.”
51
DANI
All the unread messages stare at me from my phone.
Graham hasn’t responded to any of my—count ’em—twenty-seven increasingly unhinged messages.
Dani:The rehearsal dinner’s tonight.
Dani:Free food!
Dani:Do you want to come?
