Ginny resisted the urge to flip the device at him. Instead, she reached into his duffle bag and pulled out one of his T-shirts, slipping it over her head as she grinned. “I think you should answer your messages. Just so my brother doesn’t get it in his head to come over here for the second morning in a row with a wake-up call.”
Tucker shot upright, thrusting his hand forward. “Yeah, good idea.”
Ginny bounced onto the bed and across his lap first, diving in for a morning kiss before she could think better of it.
He didn’t seem to have clued into the concept that morning breath was bad, and just the pressure of his arms around her as he hugged tight—not a thing wrong with that scenario.
She scooted back quickly though, just in case. “My sister’s messaging me. Let me see what she wants.”
The two of them must have looked a sight. Rearranging pillows so they were propped up sitting comfortably in the bed to check their phones.
“I swear to God we must look like one of those social media disaster ads. No one communicates anymore…,” Tucker muttered softly, but he still thumbed open his messages.
Ginny snickered then glanced down to see what Dare had spewed at her.
Dare: It’s seven o’clock, wake up, wake up.
Dare: Boxing Day, and I’ve got a million things I need to do, but I want to talk to youuuuuuuuuu.
Dare: Wake up, sleepyhead. I can’t imagine you’ve got anything happening over there that should’ve exhausted you so much that you’re still sleeping.
Dare: Ping
Dare: Ping
Dare: Okay, I’ll stop now, just in case you actually are still sleeping. Lazy butt. Message me!
Ginny chuckled as she messaged back.
Ginny: Motherhood has not increased your patience any.
Dare: I’ll have you know I’m extraordinarily patient in some areas. You are not one of them. The Coleman gathering today is at Whiskey Creek ranch for Boxing Day shenanigans, as Lisa would say. What mischief are you up to?
Ginny glanced over at Tucker who was making funny faces as his thumbs moved over the screen. Oh, there were a few things that she wanted to do. Speaking of which—
Ginny: One. I told Caleb what I was upset about, just like you suggested, and everything’s cool and over and forgotten.
Two. Tamara gave me a present from my mom that’s been packaged up for nearly fourteen years.
Three. I’m currently in bed with Tucker.
She hit send with gleeful delight.
Tucker elbowed her in the side. “The expression on your face right now is downright evil.”
“Talk to my brother and ignore me. I’m having fun with my sister.” Ginny ordered. She leaned closer, though, peeking at his screen. “Are you telling him about us?”
He sighed. “I guess that means you just told Dare where you are, yes?”
Before Ginny could answer, her phone went off with three rapid pings in a row.
“I’ll get back to you on that,” Ginny told Tucker.
On her phone, Dare was blowing things up.
Dare: Holy shit
Dare: That’s for all three of your bombs
Dare: Did you have fun? Did you stay safe?
Of course Dare would focus on the Tucker part of the occasion.
Ginny: Yes, mom. Safer than a certain other person I know.
Dare: Stop it. We used condoms. Anyway, was it good?
Ginny: As always. Tell you more about that, later. Right now I’m a little more focused on the present from Mom.
This time the message took a little longer to arrive, and Ginny feared her sister was probably writing some huge missive. She glanced over and examined Tucker again.
He had put his phone away and was watching her.
May as well stick to the truth. “Yes, I told Dare you and I are in bed together. She knows about all the other times. I told you that, and you said it was okay.”
He shrugged. “Just getting everything straight so there’s no misunderstanding later.”
That didn’t sound like a hey, ho, everything’s kosher. “What does that mean?”
He leaned forward. “It means once you’re done talking with your sister, we’re having another conversation about the sexing business, capisce?”
Ping.
Ginny waved a hand in the air. “I’ll get back to you on that as well. I’ll have my people call your people.”
She got a lip twitch out of him. It was stupid how good that made her feel.
Dare truly had written a mini novel.
Dare: First, I’m glad you talked to Caleb. I’m glad it’s behind you.
I need to say—you are so freaking good at that telling the truth thing, and I’m glad. I would have stewed over it for three years and ended up hating everybody, including myself. But like you said, you’ve talked about it, it’s over, it’s done. I love you.
Dare: Next part. The present from your mom. I read that, and I swear a freaking load of butterflies took flight in my gut. That is the most Oh My God thing I’ve heard in a long time.
How are you doing? Do you want me to come down and be there when you open it? Do you want to—I don’t even know what to offer. Tell me what you need, and I’m there for you.
I love you so much, and I’m equal parts excited and terrified for you right now.
Yup. Her sister understood completely.
Her own answer took a bit of time to compose.
Ginny: I love you too. Right now the present is sitting on the dresser top, looming ominously. Thank you so much for offering to be there when I open it, and I would totally take you up on the offer other than that’s not a good idea, because you’re the one with the babies, and you’re going to come to me? If I need you to hold my hand, I will admit it and haul my carcass up to you.
Ginny: But it’s already feeling a little less gut-numbing. I think I might open the envelope first and see how emotionally devastating Mom decided to be. It could be a card with a farting dog on it, and there’s not a lot of backlash from that. Know what I mean?
Dare: I could see your mom doing that.
Ginny: So can I.
Dare: My babies are calling, and my man is waving frantically. I’ve got to go. Call me if you need me.
Ginny: I will.
Dare: I love you, Truth.
Ginny: I love you, Dare.
Ginny stared at her phone for a minute, the familiar phrasing such a part of her past.
Tucker stroked his fingers up and down her arm in a gentle caress. “You okay?”
It was good to answer, once again, truthfully. “I think I am.”
She had good people around her. So many people willing to support her and help her, and that’s what she wanted to be for them. Supportive.
A seed of an idea began to grow.
Barely past seven and already the day was lining up to be a doozy. Tucker curled himself into an upright position so that he and Ginny were face-to-face.
“How’s Dare?”
A true smile of contentment crossed Ginny’s face. “She’s good. Her three kiddos are adorable, and her husband’s so freaking head over heels for her that it’s kind of obnoxious to be in the same room as them. Plus, she’s got hordes of Coleman family at her beck and call.”