* * *
“Let me know when you’re done with these, and I’ll bring in somemore,” Bill said as he and Emma carried two huge stacks of boxes in from thegarage. Glo directed them to put them next to the tree with the rest of thedecorations. It was the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and Emma had always spentthe day with her mother decorating the tree and making the inside of the housebeautiful in holiday style.
“When did you get here?” Glo pulled Emma into a hug. “I expectedthat you’d be off doing something with Dex.” She crossed the room to the boxes.“Or at least have brought her with you. She seems like a really sweet girl,offering to help your dad with the outside lights and all.”
“Right. That’s happening tomorrow.” Bill swung around toward thedoor to the garage. “I’ll get the lights down. You two have fun.”
“Don’t go back up in the attic without Emma out there with you.”
He waved her off. “I’ll be fine.”
“Dex is sweet. Sometimes too sweet, I think.” Emma headed into thekitchen to get something to drink.
“There’s champagne and orange juice in the fridge for mimosas.”
“Good. I need that today.” She mixed the mimosas and brought outtwo champagne flutes full to the brim.
“What’s going on with you?”
Emma flopped onto the couch. “Dex and I had a date to goice-skating last night, and her friend, Grace, showed up.”
“Oh, the needy one from Thanksgiving.” There was no question inher mother’s voice as to whom she was talking about.
“Mom, I don’t know if I can do this again.” She honestly thoughtshe’d be happily married by now. Instead she was dealing with the samesituation she was in with her last relationship. She had no idea how she’dgotten here once more. Women should come with hugely visible warning labels,especially ones with best friends.
“Emma, honey.” She sat down on the arm of the couch next to her.“Just because she’s close with her friend doesn’t mean she’s in love with her.”She put her arm around Emma and kissed the top of her head. “Every relationshipisn’t going to end like yours and Amy’s. Maybe you should call Amy and talk toher about it. I’m sure she has some insight she can share.”
She stiffened at the mention of Amy’s name. “No. That’s nothappening.” The wound was as fresh as the day they’d split. She took in a deepbreath. “Asking my ex-fiancée why she chose Tammy over me isn’t on the top ofmy list, Mom.”
“It really has nothing to do with you. It’s about the feelings shehad for her best friend.”
“Feelings that apparently I couldn’t erase.” And didn’t see untilAmy and Tammy were well on their way to a blissful life together.
“Do you still avoid your favorite Italian restaurant downtownbecause of her?”
She nodded. “The food there is overrated.” It was the place whereEmma had proposed to Amy. She’d said yes and had made Emma the happiest she’dbeen in her life. But that was short-lived. It seemed as though that proposalhad been the catalyst for Tammy to profess her love to Amy. Their lastconversation flashed through her head in vivid color, and her stomach knotted.
“You can’t blame yourself for Amy and whatshername. It wasn’tobvious with her.”
“Looking back, I think there were signs.”
“Signs, I’m assuming, you’ve seen with Dex as well.” Glo tiltedher head. “So with all that in your past, why were you so drawn to Dex?”
“You should’ve seen her at Brent and Grace’s wedding. She wastotally devastated.” Emma let out a huge sigh as she remembered the night.She’d been so sweet and funny. The banter had just poured out of her eventhough she was totally plastered. Only once or twice did she seem solemn, andthat was when Grace had appeared in her vision. If she hadn’t been so fuckingdrunk, Emma would’ve slept with her that night and probably never seen heragain. Then she wouldn’t be in this mess.
“Yet you still took her home and cared for her.” Glo tilted herhead and flattened her lips. “And then went out on a date with her.”
“I did take care of her.” She’d brought this all on herself.“She’s just so perfect, Mom. If I weren’t already gay, I’d probably turn justfor her.” Emma was sure that if Grace liked women at all and had ever kissedDex, she would never have let her go. “Grace must be crazy.”
“Or just straight,” Glo said as she got up, opened one of theboxes, and took out a box of ornaments. “Have they ever…?”
“I don’t know, and I don’t want to know.” She’d thought aboutasking Dex a few times if she and Grace had ever had any kind of relationshipother than friendship, but was afraid of what the answer might be. Despitebeing high maintenance, Grace was gorgeous and insanely sexy.
Glo took out another box of ornaments and handed it to Emma.“After what you’ve been through with Amy, it’s only natural to be guarded abouttheir friendship. Try not to let it get in the way.”
“Too late.” Her voice rose into a fuck-me tone. “I left lastnight.” She took a gulp of her mimosa. “So I’m sure Grace had a wonderful timeskating with Dex all by herself.”
“What about Dex? Do you think she had a good time?” Glo gathered afew strands of garland and went across the room.
“I don’t know.” She stood up and hung a couple of ornaments on thehigher branches that her mother couldn’t reach. She seemed to be gettingshorter in recent years. “She asked me to stay, but I just couldn’t. Not withGrace there. It was too much this time.”
“Letting your pride get in the way again?”
“If you want to call it that.” She let out
