Page 35 of Shameless With Him
Lacey:Turn on notifications. I know you’re hiding from it. But there’s so much to do. And I can’t have you be the one who’s running us behind.
I love my sister. I love my sister. I love my sister.
And if I kept telling myself that over and over again, I wasn’t going to freak out over everything Lacey was doing. Because, dear God, my baby sister was going to drive me crazy.
I got in my car and drove towards my mother’s house. We were doing wedding planning there since Lacey and John’s place was in the middle of being packed up. Lacey was sorting through everything for what needed to go with them for the move, and what needed to be sold or donated. So, I knew my sister was busy with all of that, plus her day job, and the wedding planning. I did my best not to stress over it. Plus, I knew that my mother still worried about Lacey’s health these days. After all, high stress and anxiety could lead to Lacey getting too tired. My sister didn’t have the energy that even I did, even though I wasn’t the most energetic person in the world. But that’s what happened when you had to pour chemical after chemical in your body when you weren’t even big enough to ride the Batman ride at a theme park.
Lacey:Are you here yet?
I snorted as I pulled into the driveway, shaking my head. Only my sister would ask that question considering that, no, I wasn’t actually out of the car yet and wouldn’t be texting and driving. I got out of the vehicle, and my mother opened the door before I even had a chance to knock or open it myself.
“Zoey,” my mother said, disappointment in her tone.
“Hi, Mother, I’m here. Early compared to the time that I was planning on.”
I bit into my protein bar, and she narrowed her eyes. “Is that all you’re eating?”
“Yes, I’m sorry. I didn’t see the updated time, not that I could have come anyway at that time. I was planning on eating during my little break between work and this. Sorry.”
“I have some cucumber finger sandwiches if you’d like some. We were having tea while we waited.”
Tea. And I hadn’t been invited. But that was fine. I wasn’t actually jealous. I had been working all day, my hands ached from the number of twists I’d had to make with the bouquets, I had a cut on my thumb that hurt like a mother, and I didn’t even really like going to teas or doing them. It was my mother and Lacey’s thing, while Mom and I had other things we liked to do. I hated the fact that I was feeling jealous at all. Because it had nothing to do with wanting to be with my mother or Lacey, it was the fact that I was here, and nobody seemed to be grateful.
And, wow, that was an ungrateful thought. I would push it out of my mind and just work on this.
“Thanks, I would love a finger sandwich if you have any left.”
I leaned over and kissed my mother on the cheek. “And you look really wonderful, Mom.” I was being truthful, she looked great, she always had. She tended to tell the world that she had aged twenty years back when Lacey was sick, but I didn’t think so. I thought the determination and strength that soaked into her bones and her veins just made her even more beautiful. I didn’t mention that, though, because she didn’t like to be reminded. After all, Lacey was a constant reminder that we’d almost lost everything. And that was why I wasn’t going to freak out and get stressed out over Lacey’s demands. She was freaking out enough for both of us. I was going to get over myself and try to do better at this whole maid of honor thing.
“Thank you, darling. You look great, too. But what happened to your poor hand?”
She reached for my thumb, and I winced. “Thorn.”
“Can’t one of your workers take care of the thorns for you?”
We made our way into the house, and I could hear Lacey on the phone, her voice animated but happy. That was a good sign. “Not really. We all have to deal with certain aspects of the job. They’re closing up the shop for me today since I worked so late last night. And I scheduled it that way so I could be here. I really am sorry that I wasn’t here on time. I didn’t get the update.”
“You’re going to turn on notifications, correct?”
I winced. “I hate them.”
“And now you’re whining. You’re not usually a whiner.”
“No, I’m not, and I’ll try to do better.” I said the word try because I really wasn’t sure I wanted to turn on notifications. It was the principle of the thing.
We made our way deeper into the house, and I almost tripped over my feet.
Lacey was not talking on the phone. No, she had been talking about wedding plans with someone else. Namely, the best man. Caleb. In my mother’s living room. Looking very, very sexy in a Henley with his sleeves pushed up to his elbows, and jeans that showcased his very nice thighs.
I was going to hell. A very, very lovely hell with lots of my friends most likely, but I was still going there.
“You’re here,” Lacey said, cupping her hands in front of her. “We can really get started now.”
Since Lacey’s back was to Caleb, she missed the widening of his eyes. I did my best not to smile at that look because the expression of fear on Caleb’s face was quite hilarious.
“Okay, I’m here. Sorry I’m late.”
“No bother, really.” Lacey walked around the table and picked up her tablet, as well as her large binder.