Emma stopped in the middle of the room. “I accidentally broke up with your cousin.” She shook her head. “No, that’s not true. I did it on purpose, but I hate it.”
“Oh my God,” Alison said, stunned. “What happened? No, let me guess. He’s a guy, so . . . he did something stupid.”
Emma sagged. “I think I have a problem with being all the way happy.”
“Well, that’s dumb.”
“Gee,” Emma said dryly, “I’m so glad I’m sharing this with you, you’re being so sweet and understanding.”
Alison laughed. “You’ve got the wrong person if you think I’ve got any sweet or understanding in me.”
“I signed up for a 5K.”
Alison blinked in confusion. “You were going to run? On purpose?”
Emma snorted. “I used to love to run.” She paused, her eyes reflective. “Things are different now.”
“What does this have to do with the breakup?”
“Canceling the 5K made Simon think that I’ve settled with my recovery, rather than pushing for more, and because of that he thinks he took advantage of me before I was ready to be with someone.”
“Men.” Alison shook her head. “Look, just tell Simon you’re different now, and so are your goals.”
Emma stared at her.
“What?”
“I’ve been struggling with this whole thing for what seems like forever, unable to put it all together in my head, and you just figured it all out in less than a minute?”
Even though she knew Emma wasn’t necessarily complimenting her, Alison still felt a warm fuzzy. “It’s because I’m brilliant. Just go to Simon’s, tell him about your epiphany, and then jump his bones. He’ll forgive you.”
“Yeah? And how’s it working for you and Ryan?”
“Hmph.” Alison was hoping tonight was the turning of the tide. “Are you going to talk to Simon, try to work things out? Tell him my brilliant thought on the matter?”
Emma looked away, but not before Alison saw a sheen of tears. “I don’t think it’s that simple,” she whispered.
“Is that why Hog’s sad, because you are?” Alison asked.
They both looked at Hog, asleep on the floor.
“Huh,” Alison said. “He’s okay now, I guess.”
“He was never not okay. He was emotionally supporting you. It’s what he does.”
Alison felt something in her chest sort of roll over. Damn. What was it with all the feels today? “For a drooler and a guy who poops literal mountains, he’s not so bad, is he?”
“He’s tied for the best dog on the planet.”
“Tied?”
“With Killer,” Emma said, like duh, wasn’t that obvious?
This shocked Alison almost as much as Hog had. It shocked her into feeling bad about the whole pretend-friendship thing. “You love my dog?”
“Of course I do.”
She was flummoxed. And speechless, which almost never happened. “But . . . you’re not a big fan of mine. And Killer and I, we’re two peas in a pod.”
“Yes, but your personality in a six-pound fur baby is a lot easier to handle.”
“Ha ha.” Alison’s phone buzzed. Her calendar alert, and the warm fuzzies vanished, replaced by anxiety. “Whelp. Fun as this is, I’ve gotta go.”
“Where to?”
Alison hesitated. She’d really like to talk to Emma about the barbecue to get her take, but if she failed tonight, and let’s face it, odds were not in her favor, then she’d have to admit that.
“Spill,” Emma said. “It’s your turn. I know you came here for a reason.”
Alison warred with herself, but apparently her need to get Emma’s opinion won. “I’m going to Ryan’s. He’s having a barbecue.”
“You’re finally working the plan to get him back in your life. Nice. What’ve you accomplished so far?”
“I’m bringing my famous seven-layer dip to the party.”
Emma laughed.
Alison didn’t.
“You’re serious?” Emma asked. “You made him a dip? That’s it?”
Alison pulled out her phone and looked at it. No notifications. Why didn’t it ever buzz when she needed it to?
“Nothing from our list?” Emma asked. “Nothing at all?”
“Well, I am learning to be nice even when people are insinuating I’m a dumbass.”
“You’re a brilliant dumbass,” Emma said. “If that helps.”
Alison shook her head. “I’m going to be fine at this thing, right? Lie to me. Tell me I’m going to be fine.”
Emma smiled, wrapped her fingers around Alison’s wrist, and tilted it up so they could both see her I’m fine tat.
“And if all else fails,” Emma said, “take your own advice and jump his bones.”
Alison laughed. “Yeah, you’re right. Thanks.”
HALF AN HOUR later, Alison pulled onto Ryan’s street and gulped at the number of cars parked . . . everywhere. In his driveway, on his grass, lining the entire street.
Don’t panic. Probably there’s another party on the street somewhere, which would mean all these people milling around weren’t here for Ryan’s barbecue.
Of course he did know everyone in the whole damn town. And . . . oh boy. His front door was wide open, and music and laughter and talking spilled out into the night. There were people on the porch, people on the grass.
People everywhere.
Alison had to park two blocks down. Heart pounding, sweating in some very uncomfortable places, she pulled out her phone and texted Simon.
ALISON: Where are you?
SIMON: Got delayed. Be there in thirty.
ALISON: You said you’d be here when I got here.
SIMON: Dale called 911. He wanted to thank the first responders for being so nice when he fell. Only he didn’t tell that to the dispatcher, and the first responders who showed up aren’t the same ones as last time, and now he’s invited them inside for brownies. We don’t have brownies. Wrapping up now.
ALISON: YOU SAID YOU’D BE HERE WHEN I GOT HERE.
SIMON: Gee, I’m sensing panic.
ALISON: Yes, join me won’t you? I’m going to blow this without you.
SIMON: Stop texting and get your ass in there. Smile. Maybe refrain from speaking until I arrive.
ALISON: Omg. Bring your dad and the first responders. Just hurry.
ALISON: Hey!
SIMON:
ALISON: I hate you . . .
SIMON:
ALISON: Okay, I don’t hate you, but you’d better be driving!
Shoving her phone away, she rolled down her windows to help with the sweating-in-uncomfortable-places thing. “You want this,” she told herself in the rearview mirror. “You want Ryan back in your life. All you’ve got to do is smile. That’s it. And it’ll be because you like him. In fact, you’re pretty sure you love him and have since that very first night when you were stuck in a cabin with no power and he produced a battery-operated lantern and a deck of cards, and you entertained each other without a single awkward moment. So suck it up and remind him how good you can be together.” With a nod at her reflection, she got out of the car and came face-to-face with Bill.