“What do you mean?” Ava looks at me worriedly.
“Earlier this morning, Bitsy tried making a nest in our underwear drawer, and when I was trying to tidy it back up, I felt a little square thing of some sort hidden in his boxers. Colin was coming up the stairs, and I didn’t want to look snoopy, soI closed the drawer. I just remembered it a couple minutes ago, and now I’m dying to know what it is.”
“Ooohhh, maybe he found you some cute earrings or something early for Christmas or something. It’s really not that far away, if you think about it. Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away,” Holly exclaims, voice full of a happy buzz. I’m glad she’s feeling better for the moment.
“Maybe you should let it stay a surprise,” Jane says, finishing her bite of food before sipping on her straw, all of her concentration on her drink like it’s her job.Hmmm…“Yeah, maybe…” I trail off, not knowing if I can leave it be. My curiosity might drive me crazy. I mean, almost two whole months of fighting the urge to peek at whatever surprise it may be? It might not even be one. Oh, how the suspense will kill me!
Holly eyes me with the clear knowledge that she’s fully prepared to be my nosy partner-in-crime. I love her for it.Gah… I so wish that she lived here.
Jane does indeed call Garrett, snickering into the phone about how we need to be saved by a gallant knight in shining armor.
“Sleep over at my place!” Jane announces as soon as she ends her call. “Garrett will drive us back in the morning to get our cars. What cheesy movie should we watch tonight?”
The whole ride home, Garrett chuckles at our buzzed antics, wincing when we squeal like the total chicks we are as we hem and haw over movie choices. He stops along the way and, with my keys, runs in to feed the animals for me. We finally decide to start withThe Other Womanfor a sisterly bonding/revenge movie, and end withHow to Lose A Guy in 10 Days.Both rom-coms with hints of feeling but not totally dopey “I’m gonna cry my eyes out” movies. None of us need that shit tonight.
At the point that one of Kate Hudson’s goofy-ass friends is pretending to be a therapist in the second movie, Holly leans over to me with a mouth full of popcorn. She elbows me to get my attention.
“So…”Crunch. Crunch, crunch.“What do you think is in his underwear?”
I snort, gag on my drink of Sprite, and look over at my best friend.
“I don’t know, but I’m positive after watching this dozens of times that it does not show us what Matthew McConaughey is packing.” I chuckle and nudge her with my shoulder.
“I miss this version of him… Funny, sexy, irresistible. Mom loves this movie, too. She made me watch it with her over and over again. But his underwear is not what I’m referring to.” She points her finger toward me, jogging my memory back to this morning. Colin’s underwear drawer. The square-shaped thingymabob.
“We’re gonna find out,” I whisper back at her.
“If you weren’t going to, I sure as hell was,” Holly mutters. “But, I think Jane organized us coming back here to keep you from doing so. She knows something. I smell fuckery. Maybe not bad fuckery, but fuckery nonetheless. There’s something going on.” I giggle at her train of thought. Man, I’ve missed my partner-in-crime. Her brown eyes widen. “Sydney… what if it’s a…”
“Nope. Don’t say it. It more than likely isn’t, and I don’t want to get my hopes up. It’s too early for that, right? Right,” I jumble out, but now the wheels in my head are turning.Right.I nod my head hard one time and tell myself there’s absolutely no way in hell that Colin already has a ring for me. If it’s a ring, it’s just a pretty, everyday sort of ring. Certainly not an engagement ring…Shit, now I gotta know!
“As soon as we retrieve my car and get back to my place in the morning.”
“Or we could go now?” She arches her brows at me.
“Whatever you crazies are over there plotting, nobody’s going anywhere tonight,” Jane grumbles from across the sectional, effectively ruining our idea.
“Yup. She knows something.”
“Fun-sucker,” Holly mumbles, shoving more popcorn into her mouth.
Chapter 24
Colin
Ahhh… This morning has started perfectly. I cast my line back out into the lake, taking my time reeling and teasing the lure in, aiming to attract a bass. Well, it’s almost perfect. The only thing that could’ve made this day better would’ve been waking up next to Sydney. Reaching up, I rub at the ache missing her has caused in my chest. And damn how I miss her. We have zero cell service where we are fishing today, and it’ll be spotty at best when we get back to our site set up near the river. I wish I could just hear her raspy morning voice and see that first smile. Those little, quiet moments in the morning when I hand her her first cup of coffee for the day are some of my favorite.
Mark sets up his chair and an extra behind me. I nod and mutter a thank you. I’ve already been out here for an hour, but they both decided to sleep in. Waking up alone for the first time in months was pretty depressing. Trystan is carrying hisgear, a chair under his arm, and a cooler full of cold beer for later. I’m thankful I brought my hoodie; this morning’s a bit nippy. It should start to warm up pretty soon. I’m glad fall is finally settling in, and it’s not sweltering hot out here. The forest surrounding us is gorgeous. Vibrant colors among the leaves are starting to really make a show. It always amazes me how it’s all green one day, and I tell myself I won’t miss that Fall is here, that I won’t miss the change, but somehow, every dang year, I look up and see that I have indeed missed a bunch of the turning process. I needed some nature time badly. Maybe Syd will want to go on hikes. Man, I can’t wait to go on adventures with her.
“What time did you start out here? Any luck so far?” Trystan asks groggily as he starts fixing up his pole.
“I’ve only been fishing for about an hour. I couldn’t sleep anymore. It was weird without Syd. I’ve got a few in the basket.”
“You’ve gotten spoiled. I’ve forgotten the feeling,” he mumbles, casting out his line on my left. Mark grunts in agreement on my right.
“Any new developments or potentials in your guys’ love lives?” I pose, suddenly feeling selfish that these guys have worried about me all these years, but I haven’t really asked much about what they’re looking for. I guess we’ve all kind of steered clear of that department. Since they casually dated, it never really occurred to me. Crap. Have they been nervous to talk about things with me all this time because of Jenna?Sigh…
Mark laughs half-heartedly. He sounds a tad testy.