“Wills, of course I want to know what’s going on with you. And celebrate it. I’m so excited you’re getting married, and it couldn’t be to a better guy.”
I picked my spoon and ice cream up from the floor and got a second spoon out of the drawer for Willa. Every time she said she was on a diet she would make up the extra calories she saved by eating healthy meals with ice cream. We settled on the couch and started eating the ice cream straight out of the container.
“And I didn’t break up with Mason. That would mean we were together in the first place.”
“That’s not what I was told,” she said.
“By who?”
“Landon.”
“Of course, I could have guessed.”
“He said that Mason was beside himself after he fired you. And nobody could talk to him for days for fear of losing an appendage.”
“I’m so sorry for everything that happened. I tried to explain but didn’t do a very good job of it. But I have to think of Nora. And I’m not too keen on having to leave the state. He was so angry, I think at this stage he is ready to move me to another state himself.”
“Oh, I think you’re wrong,” Willa said, looking smug. “He asks Jameson about you every day.”
I tried to ignore the spark of hope flaring to life in my chest. I couldn’t get my hopes up and instead changed the topic. I would dissect every word Willa had said later tonight when I was wallowing in my bed. “Tell me what you’re planning to do for your engagement party.”
Willa’s face lit up and she put her spoon down, a clear sign that she meant business. We sat down on the couch, both putting our feet on the coffee table.
“Now that you know, I can start telling people. And we want to get married quickly. So I was thinking of having the engagement party in a week or two?”
“You haven’t told anyone yet?”
“Of course not. I wanted to tell you and Maisie first. You are my best friends.”
She held out her fist and I bumped it. I felt tears spring to my eyes.
“You are my best friend in the world, you know that, right?”
“And you are mine,” Willa responded, blinking rapidly.
We both lost the fight against the tears, and I found my head squashed to Willa’s comfortable boobs.
“We need to stage another intervention. This time for Maisie,” she said. I mumbled my agreement, not willing to move my head off its comfortable resting place just yet.
“Are you going to help me plan my party?” Willa asked, playing with my hair.
This time I sat up. “What kind of question is that?”
“Good. Then we need to start with the guest list. And I just want something small. Rayna is doing the catering, but I don’t know where we should hold it yet. Jameson lives above the garage, my apartment is too small, and there’s no way anything decent will be available to book on such short notice.”
I chewed my lip, knowing the perfect place. I just wasn’t sure if Mason would be happy with me offering up his farm. Especially not now. But this was my best friend so I went for it, consequences be damned. “You should have the party at Mason’s place. It’s beautiful. Lots of space. And he’s done a ton of work to it. The house is massive, and the views are amazing. Perfect location for an engagement party.”
“Brilliant idea, I’ll call Jameson now so he can ask.”
Willa held out her hand, and I handed her phone back. The call lasted for half of the movie, and I typed out a lot of text messages and deleted them again while she was gone. They were all to Mason, but none of them made it past a draft.
When my phone binged with an incoming message I nearly dropped it.
Maisie: Can you pick me up?
Me: Where are you?
Maisie: On the corner of Petal and Stem.
Me: Be there in 5.
Maisie: Just beep your horn when you’re there, I’m hiding behind the bushes and can’t see the road properly.
“Willa?” I called and walked to the kitchen.
She came back out of her room where she’d been hauled up talking to Jameson. “Gotta go. Love you too. I’ll see you tonight,” she said into the phone before hanging up.
“Feel like going for a ride? I have to pick up Maisie.”
She put on her shoes and grabbed her coat. “Count me in. She’s got some explaining to do.”
“I can drive,” she said.
“All good, I’ve got it,” I responded, holding up my keys.
As with every other drive within the Humptulips town limits, this one was short and I came to the corner where Maisie was a few minutes after we left Willa’s house.
As soon as I honked the horn, Maisie stumbled out of the bushes that covered the side of the road bordering the park. She ran up to us and dived into the back seat.
“Let’s go before he notices I’m gone,” she said.
“Who’s he?” I asked and pulled away from the curb.
“Oliver.”
“Was that who you were with this whole time?” Willa asked, ready to start her inquisition.
“That rat bastard tricked me. I thought I knew him, but he is the devil incarnate. Conniving and ruthless.”
I was so confused. Were we talking about the same guy?
“Was he over six foot tall, had dark, almost black hair, blue eyes and talked with a sexy deep voice? Owns a fortune 500 company?” I asked, just to make sure this was the Oliver we had met in the office.
“Yes, that’s him. You can add lying bastard and untrustworthy to the description.”
“I think we need an explanation, honey,” Willa said. “Let’s go back to my apartment. We’ll have a sleepover.”
“I’m in,” I said and turned at the next light to go back to her
