Phoenix hadn’t worked since they’d gone to hear her play, and Amber had wondered if she’d bring it up. It was getting harder for her to hold in her happiness, when she really wanted to shout it from the rooftops. But as much as she trusted Phoenix, she was afraid that once she started, she might not be able to stop and might say more than she should. “Yes, pretending sounds perfect to me.”
Phoenix lowered her voice. “Come on. I’m happy for you, and you know I won’t gossip.”
Amber’s cell phone rang. “Saved by the bell.”
Phoenix rolled her eyes as Amber pulled out her phone.
Pepper’s name flashed on the screen. “It’s my sister. I’m going to take it in my office.”
As she hurried away, giggles rang out in the children’s area, where a group of young mothers who had formed a moms’ club that came in every Friday afternoon was picking out books with their toddlers. Her phone rang again as she slipped into her office and closed the door. “Hey, Pep. How are you?”
“I think a better question is, how are you? In the last few days, Mom called to tell me I needed to redesign your alarm necklace, Sable texted to say if you confided in me about anything having to do with Dash Pennington, I’d better let her know, and last night Brindle texted with an Amber Alert saying you wanted to watch 365 Days, which I looked up. Supposedly the movie has all sorts of plot holes but amazing sex scenes.”
As Amber processed what she’d said, one thing stood out. “You tell Sable my secrets? I know you’re twins, but I’ve always trusted you.”
“Can you feel me rolling my eyes at you? I would never tell her or anyone else the things you tell me in confidence. I promise.”
“Good, because here’s a secret. I’m going to kill Brindle and make it look like an accident. Why is she sending you an Amber Alert? She usually reserves those for Lindsay and Trixie.” Brindle had coined the expression shortly after she and their friends had started trying to teach Amber how to flirt. It was basically a call to arms for anything guy-and-Amber related.
“Because she knows you’ll talk to me about things you won’t talk to them about.”
Amber paced. “How does she know that?”
“Because nobody holds everything in, and everyone tells me their secrets. I’m the only trustworthy one of us.”
“That’s not true. I never divulge other people’s secrets.” Amber looked through the glass partition at the group of young mothers, dreaming of the day she could be part of a moms’ club, too. “What do you know about Gracie? Are she and Reed trying to have babies yet?”
Pepper laughed. “You did not just ask me that.”
Amber groaned. “Fine.”
“Can we get back to your necklace? Is there a problem with it?”
“Mom didn’t tell you why she asked you to redesign it?”
“No. She said you might need one that’s less sensitive, but that could be a problem, because Reno has to be able to push it.”
She remembered what her mother had said about Dash shutting down gossip and was surprised, and grateful, that her mother had kept the details to herself.
“Are you sitting down?”
“Should I?”
“I think so.” Amber told her about when she’d first met Dash and how they’d come together, including the ambulance fiasco.
“Oh, Amber. I’m so sorry you went through that, but it sounds like Dash handled it well. I’ve never heard of anyone successfully shutting down gossip in our town.”
Amber sat behind her desk. “I know, but all the gossipers have a thing for Dash, so…”
“It sounds like you do, too.”
“I do, Pep.” She told her everything she’d learned about Dash and his family and all that had transpired over the past couple of days. “There was this moment when I was sure he was going to try to convince me to get dirty with him over FaceTime. I was so nervous, even Reno sensed it.”
“Oh my gosh, Amber. I would have been nervous, too. Did you go through with it?”
“No, and don’t judge me, but part of me wanted to.”
“What? This guy has really gotten to you. Why didn’t you go through with it?”
“Because Dash noticed that I was nervous and asked if I was okay. I was embarrassed that he’d noticed, but then I remembered that he’d researched epilepsy, and I realized he was looking after me. You know what he said?” She didn’t give Pepper a chance to answer. “He said talking was enough. That I was enough.” She got choked up thinking about it.
“Oh, Amb. I think I’m falling for this guy now.”
“Please. You’d never date a sports guy.”
“A guy like Dash might be able to change my mind about that.”
“Hands off, Sis. He’s mine.”
“You greedy little thing,” Pepper teased. “I have to be honest. When you first started telling me about him, I was a little worried that you were falling under his celebrity spell like everyone else. But jerks don’t put their siblings ahead of themselves or write handwritten letters, and they definitely don’t research medical conditions of a woman they’ve known for ten minutes.” She sighed. “But he said that to you? Amber, he sounds really special.”
“He is, but it’s new and definitely risky. He’s outgoing and charismatic, and women flock after him, and I’m me.”
“You’re outgoing and charismatic, too. You’re just not loud about it. And guys are always checking you out, but you won’t give them the time of day.”
Amber didn’t argue, because like her other siblings, Pepper would always be one of her biggest fans, just like she was for them. “Maybe so, but there’s no denying that we’re different. He’s an ex-football star, a bestselling author, and a motivational speaker who travels all the time, and I’m a bookish girl who leaves Virginia only under duress.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way. With the right person, you might enjoy traveling.”
“Maybe, but probably not often, like he travels. He’s in LA right now, and he said it’s exhausting. I can’t do exhausting—you know that. It messes with my epilepsy.”
“You haven’t had a seizure in years.”
“Yes, but we know the things that can trigger them, and exhaustion is high on the list. I’m not letting any of that stop me from being with him. I’m just acknowledging that those hurdles exist, because you understand my worries.”
“I do, and I’m glad you’re not letting them hold you back because it sounds like even with your differences, your core values are well aligned. If you’re that into him, why didn’t you just tell Brindle? Sable, I understand. She’ll threaten him within an inch of his life, but the most Brindle will do is cheer you on.”
“I’ll tell her. But Brindle just wants me to be happy. All she sees is a chance for me to have a good time, while you analyze everything. You see the good, the bad, and the red flags, and you give it to me straight. I need that.”
“So I’m the buzzkill?” Pepper laughed.
“No. You’re a realist who taught me to be careful with my heart, and I love who you are. Besides, you’ll always be the sister with the best hidden figure.”