“JO, YOUR CAR IS ON FIRE!” Evie yells.
Joanna just bats her hand behind her and waits for my answer.
“No, she didn’t. That is really incredible, though. When is it?” Why didn’t Evie tell me about it? Suddenly, I remember our first conversation where I accused her of trying to make a big commission off the dogs, and I feel even worse about my prior behavior. Is that why she didn’t want to tell me? Because she didn’t want me to see it as her being defensive?
“It’s next Sunday night. Going to be quite the shindig—a black-tie affair and all the bigwigs in town were invited.”
I nod, still wondering where this is going and how I play a part in it. “Sounds really nice.”
“Oh, it will be! But you know what’s not so nice?” She puts on a dramatic pout. “Evie can’t seem to find a date! What a pity it would be for a pretty thing like her to have to get all dressed up and show up to the event all by her lonesome. Oh, wait! You wouldn’t be interested in being her plus-one, would you?”
Ahhh, and there it is. Everything makes sense now.
Evie lets out a long, defeated sigh and shuts the door. Her cheeks are the color of a candy apple, and I’m suddenly enjoying Joanna’s company more than I’ve enjoyed anything before. “Don’t answer that, Jake. Joanna is a scheming old hen who needs to stick her nose back in her own business.”
“Don’t call me an old hen or I’ll fire you, little missy.”
“Don’t call me little missy or I won’t come to painting night Wednesday.” I can’t decide if these two women act more like sisters, friends, or mother and daughter. I like them, though. And I really like knowing that Evie needs a date. Also, HOW does she not already have one? That question perplexes me. Evie should have a line of men wrapped around the block, begging her to date them.
“It’s black-tie, you said?” I ask, my voice making both of their heads turn and acknowledge me for the first time.
Evie’s brows pull together. “Yesss. Why?”
“Because it would be embarrassing to show up in jeans to a black-tie event.”
Joanna’s face grows into a smile, but Evie still looks skeptical. Honestly, I’m going out on a limb here by inviting myself as her date. I’m really banking on the fact that she and Joanna seem close and Evie would have told her if she already had one. But I’m painfully aware that this could all blow up in my face.
“You really don’t have to come with me. I’m sure I can find someone to go if you’re busy. Joanna never should have put you on the spot—” I cut her off because she sounds nervous but not entirely like she doesn’t want me there.
“I want to go with you.”
I am Ryan Gosling now. No one can touch my smoldering confidence. It’s all fake, of course, but she doesn’t need to know that.
“Really?” The hopefulness in her voice only boosts my confidence more.
I shrug my shoulders. Yeah, no big deal. I go to fancy benefits all the time and definitely won’t have to go out to buy a new suit. “I do. I think it would be fun—if you’re up for taking me.”
She’s trying to hide a smile as she tucks her hair behind her ear. “Yeah, okay, I guess that will work then.”
Chapter Fifteen
EVIE
“So, she’s really mine now?” asks Sam.
“She’s really yours.”
“Like she gets to sleep with me from now on?”
“Yep.”
Sam smiles and lets her toes skim across the pool water again. She’s only dipping her toes in because she’s wearing little-girl skinny jeans and could only roll them up to the ankles. I’m wearing my favorite yellow cotton dress, so I’m able to dip my legs in from the knee down.
The water feels like a bath, and the setting sun is warm on my skin. Charlie is lying down on the side of the pool to my left, and Daisy is lying down on Sam’s right. Other than our different hair colors, we look like a mirrored reflection of each other.
I feel a tether to Sam that I can’t explain, and I wonder if it’s because I see her as a younger version of myself. We sit quietly together by the pool while Jake is inside putting out a few fires with a contractor over the phone. I glance over my shoulder and catch a glimpse of him standing at the window, phone pressed to his ear, but his eyes glued to me and Sam. His brows are pulled together, but he doesn’t look angry—just thoughtful. My skin grows hot knowing Jake is watching me.
All I want to do is obsessively think about what took place this morning in his living room with Jo. Does he really want to go as my date to the benefit? Was it a pity offer? I want to murder Jo for asking him like she did—or kiss her, I can’t decide. But when I get home and give my brain the free rein it wants to turn that conversation over and over and dissect it like a mad scientist, I’ll know for sure.
“Soooo, my dad says I can go to the slumber party.”
“I know! That’s so great. Are you excited?”
Sam kicks some water. “Kind of.”
I look down at her. “Just kind of? I thought you’d be super happy he gave you permission.”
“I am.” Except, she’s not.
I bump her little shoulder with mine. “Tell me what’s up.”
She breathes in and out for a minute and then finally lets the truth out. “I’m kinda scared. I know I put up a big fight about wanting to go…but now that I can…I’m scared I’ll have a seizure while I’m there.”
I understand that, and unfortunately, the chances are pretty high that she will. Stress and sleep deprivation are triggers for a lot of people. “You might. But if you do, Daisy will be there to take care of you.”
And I have no doubt that Daisy will. I’ve been working with them all week, and what I’ve seen leaves me with nothing but confidence.
Sam turns her face away from me to pet Daisy. “It’s not that I’m afraid of the seizure. I’m…I’m afraid of what the other girls will think of me if they see me have one.”
Unfortunately, this is the one thing regarding disabilities that service dogs cannot protect us from—other humans. People can be cruel, especially kids, so I understand Sam’s worry.
“I wish I could tell you that everyone will always understand your seizures—but they won’t. You can’t control other people, but you can control who you surround yourself with. So, if you think that these girls will be mean to you if you have a seizure, don’t go—they’re not worth your friendship.”
“Have you ever had anyone be mean to you after seeing one of your episodes?”
I don’t like this question. It fills my mind with uncomfortable memories that I would rather never think of again. Ones I’ve buried six feet under the ground and promised never to revisit. Looks like I’m grabbing a shovel.
“Unfortunately…yes.” I had a seizure during English class my junior year of high school. I am one of the lucky few who convulse during an episode (did you catch my sarcasm there?). Let me tell you, the jocks of the school loooovvedd that. They spent the rest of the school year reenacting my seizures every time they passed me in the hallway, but they must have been very into drama since they made sure to take their reenactments way over the top. I’m just lucky to have been in high school before the time of social media. I can only imagine how scary high school would be for someone with a disability in the age of smartphones.