Page 8 of First Bride to Fall
Misty tossed her dirty rag into a bussing bucket, then spun on her heel. “What?”
Charlotte, who’d begun walking away, turned as well. “You and Grant? Seriously?”
Nell’s pulse fluttered nervously. “Well, wearemeeting up tomorrow,” she said. “Truth is, if things go as well as I think they will, I might no longer be a part of this bet.”
Misty rolled her eyes. “It’s about time. You’ve knitted him all that stuff every year for his birthday.”
“But never gave any of it to him.” Charlotte frowned. “You sold it all on Etsy.”
Misty smirked. “Because you chickened out.”
Accurate. “Did not.”
“Didso.” Charlotte made an irritating clucking sound and flapped her elbows like wings, acting like a big old momma hen scolding her young.
Nell huffed and started packing up her stuff. Maybe her secret crush hadn’t been quite so secret. And maybe shehadbeen too scared to follow her heart before. But all of that went out the window the second her mom walked into the café this morning. “Okay, well, who’s to say I won’t give Grant his birthday presentthisyear?” She slid on her plush purple jacket, sensing her sisters’ doubt, and that irked her no end. “Neither of you thinks I can do it, do you?”
“I believe you can do anything you set your mind to, Nell.” Charlotte patted her shoulder and then said, “But that doesn’t mean I won’t do something that’ll win me this bet first.”
Misty squared her small shoulders. “I think you ladies are in for a contest. Nell might have hidden her connection to Grant, but I’ve got my connections, too. Really hot ones.”
Charlotte slipped into her long cardigan sweater, cinching its belt. “And I’ve got a guy or two up my sleeve.” She shook out her arms and winked. “Maybe more.”
“You two go right on ahead,” Nell said, her irritation building. “Because I’m pretty sure that I’m going to land Grant first.”
“Okay,” Charlotte said, “but that’s going to take more than one date.”
Nell bristled. “Who says it’s only one date?”
Misty set a hand on her hip. “You did. You said you’re seeing him tomorrow.”
“Yes, I am. That doesn’t mean I haven’t seen him before. Or that I won’t also be seeing him the day after, and the one after that. You have no idea how long things have been going on or how close Grant and I have gotten.”
Charlotte gave a teasing scoff. “Uh-huh. Well, you’re going to have to find a way to wrap things up—quickly—if you’re going to beat the two of us.”
Nell bit her tongue.
Her sisters’ skepticism only inspired her to want to try harder.
Extra hard. Harder than extra hard, even.
Why oh why had she suggested this plan?
Because she deserved every bit as much happiness as Charlotte and Misty, that’s why. She’d never had half their luck with guys. Charlotte was always on a new boyfriend, and Misty went through men like candy. Whereas Nell had had one—count it:one—serious relationship. That had ended in disaster because it had only been serious on her side.
“I suppose we’ll see,” Nell finally said.
“Yeah,” Charlotte replied coyly. “I guess we will.”
Charlotte switched off the lights, and they were just about to leave when Nell’s phone dinged. She stared down at the two incoming text messages from Grant. One provided directions to the hiking site, and the other delivered a liability form for her to e-sign and return.
“Who’s that?” asked Misty.
“Grant.” Nell lifted her chin. “Confirming for tomorrow.”
Charlotte blinked at Misty. “She’s actually going out with him.”
“Yeah, she is,” Nell said, speaking for herself.
