With one last glance at Sean where he was talking with Ellen, I got into my car and didn't look back.
Wouldn't ever look back.
Putting my phone to my ear, I dialed my best friend and unloaded.
"I'm coming home."
***
I drove ten over the speed limit the entire way and didn't once get pulled over.
Either it was divine intervention happening, or I was just not speeding as much as other drivers.
Regardless, I pulled up in front of Aspen's house seven hours later and turned my car off in her driveway.
I didn't even make it out of my car all the way before my best friend was on me, tackling me to the ground and wrapping her legs and arms around me like a monkey on crack.
"Jesus," the breath left my lungs, whooshing out so fast that I got light-headed.
"Your phone's ringing."
That was from Aspen's husband.
I looked up and grinned at Drew.
"Yeah," I acknowledged. "Been doing that for a couple of hours now."
Or six.
He allowed me an hour before he'd started calling, trying to figure out where I was.
I hadn't answered at all. The only clue he had that I left the city was that I'd at least called Big Papa and told him that I wasn't going to be home tonight.
Though, that was out of courtesy to the man I was staying with since Big Papa was a worry wart.
"I missed you so much," Aspen said, squeezing her arms tighter around my neck.
I patted her elbow.
"Yeah," I wheezed. "But if you don't let up, I might die."
She snorted.
Did her grip around my neck let up, though?
Hell no.
"People are staring, Aspen," Drew pointed out. "And your brother just pulled up."
I looked up, the inch that Aspen's grip allowed, and waved with my fingers at her brother.
He grinned at me.
"Looking a little red there, girl."
I snorted, patted Aspen's arm again to get her to let me go, and I breathed a sigh of relief when she finally did.
We both made our way to our feet, and Aspen was on me again.
"I've missed you so much. Do you think it'd be okay to … "
"No." Drew and Downy responded at the same time.
I rolled my eyes.
"We can paint each other's nails," I informed her. "But I'm not going out drinking. The doctor strictly prohibited that."
She huffed. "That's ridiculous."
I shrugged.
"Not even wine?"
I shook my head. "Nope."
"Come inside," Drew said. "And make sure you dust yourself off. Y'all have grass in your hair and on your asses."
I started to dust the grass off of my shirt, and followed Drew inside, waving at Drew's daughter who was on the phone talking to someone.
She waved back but didn't disrupt her phone conversation.
"Who's she talking to?" I asked as soon as the door closed.
"Her man. He calls at the same time every day … if he can. They're doing really good together," Drew answered.
Drew's daughter had met a boy who'd gone into the military, and he'd gone on his first deployment only three months ago.
"Is she still living at the dorm in the family housing?" I asked.
Drew grunted.
I grinned.
"What's for dinner?"
My phone rang again, and I looked at Drew accusingly.
He handed it to me, and I silenced it by pressing the 'ignore call' button on the screen.
Then I shoved the thing into my pocket and crossed my arms over my chest.
"You're a stubborn bitch, you know that?"
I looked at Aspen.
"Look who's talking, felony girl."
Aspen flipped me off.
"My life isn't under scrutiny here, yours is."
I shrugged.
"Well, my life is just that-mine, and you need to butt out of it."
Aspen rolled her eyes as Downy started to chuckle.
"Do you remember that time my sister went all Carrie Underwood on your brother's cop car, and you didn't see your way out of it?" Downy butted in.
I turned my glare to him.
"This is an A and B conversation. C your way out of it."
He did spirit fingers, raising his fingers high up above his head and wiggling them. The move made him look sort of ridiculous, causing me to sigh.
"Can you at least give me until tomorrow to talk about it?" I asked.
Aspen's mouth twitched, and I moaned. "Oh, come on!"
And that was how I ended up pouring out my recent life story to my friends, who apparently didn't have anything better to do with their lives.
"So you just left, and you didn't wait to see if he had anything to say?" Aspen asked with incredulity. "That doesn't sound like you."
She was right. It didn't.