Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 111732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 559(@200wpm)___ 447(@250wpm)___ 372(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 559(@200wpm)___ 447(@250wpm)___ 372(@300wpm)
She slides on her sandals and grabs her purse. “What time is our flight tomorrow?”
“Eight. I’ve arranged a van to take all of us to the airport from your place.”
“Good thinking. With five people, there will be a lot of luggage.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
Marnie smiles down at me on the bed. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”
My stomach clenches at the thought of Marnie walking out that door without me. And then, at the thought of me spending another lonely, aimless night on my couch, while Marnie and Ripley, and our parents, too, eat dinner together and chat about our parents’ getaway to wine country.
“Hey, maybe it’d be easier in the morning, if I stay at your place tonight,” I say. “There’s a futon in your dad’s office, right? I could sleep there. Or on the couch. Whatever.”
Marnie’s chest heaves. “That’s a great idea. Our parents should be back by five. Why don’t you come with me to pick up Ripley now, and we’ll pick up takeout on our way home for all of us? We can have dinner and hear all about their trip.”
Relief and excitement wash over me. “Great. Maybe after Ripley goes to sleep, we could sit down and talk about all the business stuff I was going to tell you today over coffee.”
“Oh, yeah. Great.” She tucks a lock of red hair behind her ear and bites her lower lip. “After that, once everyone else has gone to bed tonight, maybe you could sneak into my room and get in one last practice run before our Secret Family Camp Fling officially begins.”
I get out of bed and pull her to me. “You’re a mind reader, Marnie Long. Hell yes. That sounds fucking amazing.”
23
MARNIE
What in the Modern Family is going on here?
I’m sitting at the dinner table with Dad, Gigi, Ripley, and Max, enjoying the delicious spread Max and I brought home for our big family dinner. Currently, Dad and Gigi are in the throes of regaling the group with stories of their romantic getaway. They’re freaking adorable together. Finishing each other’s sentences. Laughing heartily at each other’s jokes. However Gigi might have been holding back before, perhaps due to the guilt she felt about recognizing Dad in that deli line and not copping to it at the time, she’s clearly not holding back anymore. And the result is obvious. They’re closer than ever. Smitten. And absolutely lovely to behold. Not only for me, but for Max, too, which I know because we’ve been exchanging knowing, amused looks throughout the meal.
Speaking of Max, he’s sitting next to Ripley again. But not because she begged him this time. But because he sat next to her after getting his food from our little buffet line in the kitchen. When Max took his seat, Ripley gasped and said, “Look, Mommy! Maxy is sitting next to me!” And what did Max say to that? “Of course, I am. Where else would I sit?”
“So, what did you all do while we were gone?” Gigi asks.
Reflexively, I look at Max, and the wicked smile he flashes me makes me blush and look down at my plate.
“Mommy and I went to da movies!” Ripley bellows happily.
“Oh, yeah? What movie did you see, pumpkin?” Gigi asks.
It’s all the prompting Ripley needs to tell the group all about it.
As Ripley talks, I dare to peek at Max again, and this time, the radiant smile he flashes me stops my heart. That wasn’t a suggestive smile. That wasn’t a wicked smile that said, “We fucked all day, and nobody here knows it.” No, that particular smile was sweet. Wholesome. The kind that overtakes a person’s face, without their consent, whenever they’re feeling pure joy.
“And what about you, Marnie?” Dad says.
I look at Dad, thinking he must be asking what I’ve been up to while he’s been away. But he’s standing and holding several empty plates . . . which means he must have asked if I’m going to get more food or if he can take my empty plate to the kitchen.
“I’m all done,” I say. “Thank you. But I’ll clean up, Dad. You and Gigi must be tired.”
We go back and forth, but ultimately, it’s decided I’ll help Dad clean up while Gigi, at her request, gives Ripley a bath and Max finishes the business research he’s doing for me.
In the kitchen, Dad and I get to work like a well-oiled machine, with me rinsing and Dad loading the racks like the meticulous engineer he is.
“It seems like you and Gigi had a blast together,” I say.
Dad blushes. “We did. She’s so much fun.”
I stop what I’m doing and face him. “I hope you know I’m one thousand percent happy for you and not feeling conflicted at all. Mom wanted you to find love. So, if you’re falling in love, or you’re already there, you don’t need to hide that from me.”