I’m ticklish there…actually everywhere.”
Hailey came after me as I made a dash for the bathroom.
“Your butt is especially ticklish. I noticed how you wiggled when
I ran my nails over it.”
I yelped and hopped around as I tried to escape her grasp.
Fuzzy stared barking and ran around us as Hailey tried to reach
around me. My phone added to the noise as it played the tune
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signaling Kalen’s call. “You have to answer it,” Hailey said with
a grin as she backed away and pulled my phone from my jacket
and handed it to me.
“Yes, Kalen,” I gave Hailey a warning glance as she and Fuzzy
circled me like two sharks. “Hailey and I were running.” I rolled
my eyes and grinned at the accusations. “We like to exercise.”
Hailey made a grab for me as I ducked into the bathroom. “At six,
okay. Need us to bring anything? Okay, gotta go, sis. Love you,
bye.” I snapped the phone shut and plastered my backside against
the bathroom wall.
“We were running?” Hailey said, running her fingertips
down my ribcage. “You are such a liar.”
I clamped my arms at my sides giggling like a child. “We
were running. You were chasing me. I’m going to find your weak
spot and exploit it mercilessly if you don’t stop.”
“Okay, truce.” Hailey held up her hands. “No tickles, I
promise.” She leaned against me and nibbled my earlobe. “I
noticed you said ‘us’ when you were talking to Kalen.”
“You’ve been invited to dinner, and if you don’t stop, you’re
gonna have to go without me and explain to my family that you’ve
loved me to death.”
Hailey insisted on bringing something despite the fact that
Kalen told us not to. She wanted something that Kalen could
enjoy, too, so we skipped wine and decided on pastries.
“Cheesecake?” Hailey looked at the refrigerated section of
the bakery. “Or lemon doberge?
“Anything chocolate will suffice, I promise. What about this
French silk pie?”
“Hailey, I thought that was you.”
Hailey and I turned, and I watched in shock and horror as the
woman’s gaze locked with mine. We both stood mute staring at
each other. Hailey looked between us bewildered. “Is something
wrong?” she asked as the woman stared daggers at me.
“Look, I was having a really bad day,” I started to explain.
“You know each other?” Hailey asked.
The woman pointed at me angrily. “That’s the woman who
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humiliated me at the health club you talked me into visiting.
Thank God I hadn’t already signed up for a membership when
I ran into her.” She tore her gaze away from me and looked at
Hailey. “I’ll see you Monday,” she said before she stalked off.
We paid for the pie in silence, neither of us willing to discuss
the encounter until we were in the confines of my car. Hailey’s
face was flushed as I let her in. I took my time as I walked around
to my side of the car. Taking a deep breath, I climbed in and
waited to hear what came next.
‘“Start stepping, sister,’ that’s what pissed her off the most.
She ranted for two days about it.” Hailey ran a hand through her
hair. “Well now, you’ve already met my boss. Guess I don’t have
to make that introduction at the banquet next year.”
I sank low in my seat and covered my face with my hands. “It
was just such a bad day,” I said, my voice coming out muffled.
The car went silent. At first, I thought Hailey was crying. I looked
over at her with shame and regret to find her head thrown back in
laughter. She was clutching her chest and gasping for air.
“Oh, my God, we laughed behind closed doors for weeks,”
Hailey said between fits and snorts. “She’s such a bitch, and it
was so great to hear that someone cut her off at the knees.” Hailey
wiped at her eyes. “It was worth the ass chewing she gave me for
talking her into visiting the club.”
I half laughed as I relived that embarrassment.
Hailey clutched my shoulder and kissed me on the cheek.
“You’re a hero around the office. I can’t wait to tell everyone that
it was my girlfriend who humiliated Sue Kellerman.”
I felt so relieved that Hailey didn’t want to choke me and even
more elated when she referred to me as her girlfriend.
Kalen’s house smelled of pasta sauce when we let ourselves
in. My stomach growled in anticipation for her spaghetti. When
we walked into the kitchen, Mom was at the stove and Kalen was
at the table with her feet propped up.
“You are pathetic,” I teased. “Making our dear mother slave
over the stove while you lounge around.”
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“Bite me and put the bread in.” Kalen pointed to the garlic
bread awaiting toasting.
I set the pie in front of her. “A gift from Hailey.”
“Oh, Hailey, you’re my hero for the next hour at least,” Kalen
said as she eyed the pie.
Mom smiled and kissed my cheek, then moved quickly to
Hailey and did the same. “Sit down, sweetie,” she said to Hailey
as she pulled out a chair. “Let me get you a glass of wine.”
“Can I help with anything?” Hailey asked.
“No, no, you sit,” Mom said as she coaxed Hailey into a seat.
I smiled over at Hailey as my mom fawned all over her.
I hugged Kalen, who held on to me a bit longer than normal.
“You feeling okay?” I looked down at her swollen feet.
“She’s been drinking Gatorade.” Mom stabbed a spoon in
Kalen’s direction. “Can you believe it? I like to have had a stroke
when I caught her chugging from a bottle.”
“What’s wrong with Gatorade?” I looked at Kalen, who sank
down in her seat the same way I did a while ago.
Mom looked at me like I was insane. “It’s loaded with sodium.
That’s why she’s been so puffy lately. She’s full of fluid.”
“I’ve been throwing up.” Kalen waved her hands in the air. “I
thought I was supposed to replace my electrolytes.”
“She’s on a strict no-salt diet, so if you see her with anything
but water, slap her.” Mom turned back to the pasta and stirred.
“Pour the wine, please, Shannon.”
“It’s nice to see you again, Hailey,” Kalen said as she leaned
on the table. “I’d give you a hug, but I’m grounded and I have to
sit in this chair.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your incarceration,” Hailey said
with a smile. “Can I get you anything to make your stay more
comfortable?”
“Get me a spoon and drag my chair into the den. I’l hold the
pie.”“Don’t be nice to her,” I said. “She’s punished. Don’t let her
get close to the pie either.”
“Hailey, let me give you a word of advice,” Kalen said drolly.
“Don’t ever get pregnant. Everyone tells you what to do. Mom
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and Todd tell me what I can and can’t eat. The doctor tells me the
same, and the baby says eat everything in sight.”
Hailey simply smiled in response.
“Did you girls have a nice time last night?” Mom asked as she
drained the pasta.
Hailey shot me a grin before she answered. “We did. Dinner