30 Days (Lost Love Trilogy #1) - Belle Brooks Page 0,3

replay the last time I did.

***

I freshened up before putting on a summer dress. I slipped flat sandals onto feet that begged for me to get them off and crawl back under the covers. That wasn’t going to happen, since Sammy coated my bed with water, so I’d get up. Bitch. Dragging my tired body into the living room, I found my bestie and Mum whispering. They were close and hunched into each other. It was obvious they were talking about me. Those two were in cahoots.

I crossed my arms, narrowed my eyes and pursed my lips. “So what are we discussing, ladies?” They both jumped backwards, putting space between them.

“Oh … you know, the weather.” Mum’s cheeks flushed.

“And the newsroom,” Sammy added.

“Well, they’re both great topics of conversation. I’m sad I missed it.” Liars.

“We didn’t hear you come in, sweetheart.” Mum walked over to me, pulled my head forward, and kissed my cheek. “How are you feeling today?”

“Like flowers blooming in spring. Never better.”

Sammy rolled her eyes at me, then huffed. “Save us the sarcasm, will you?”

“What? I feel great.”

“Yeah, and you look it.”

“See. Flowers in bloom … Spring … Happiness.”

“If you say so, petal.” Mum smiled. Her blue eyes no longer gleamed like they once did. I knew my downfall was breaking her heart. “Have a good day, you two.” She winked at Sammy, which pissed me off. Cahoots.

“Come on, Ginger, you’ve got your way. I’m up. I’m dressed. Let’s go.” I sighed.

“Seriously. Is Ginger going to be my new nickname? I ask because I hate it.”

“Well, yes. It suits you. The ginger hair. The pale skin. Those soft blue eyes. Definitely a Ginger. No longer a Sammy.”

“I see.”

I hopped into the passenger side of her Mazda6. “What’s with Dorothy, anyway?” Sammy had recently come up with a nickname of her own for me.

She laughed, obviously pleased by her own creativity. “The Wizard of Oz. You, my friend, are lost and in need of finding your way home. You need an awakening to slap you back into life.”

“No, I don’t. I know where I live, so Dorothy is a stupid name.”

“If you say so.”

After bickering about nicknames for the duration of the car ride, Sammy pulled up outside our regular meeting place. We glanced at each other briefly. Ginger then chewed on her bottom lip. She was nervous. Why?

“The Coffee Club,” she stated, slowly, strangely, although it was obvious where we were. We came here all the time.

Making my way from the car, I tripped on the guttering. Fuck my life.

“Come on, hop along like a bunny,” Sammy called back to me, entering the restaurant. “Booking under Spencer,” she stated when I caught up.

“Spencer. Yes. Your party has arrived. Please follow me.”

“Party ...? Sammy, what party?” I whispered in confusion. I couldn’t people right now. Why was she doing this to me? “Sammy, what party? I repeated. She said nothing, and before long, I was faced with said party. Ange and Sophie. Great.

“Samantha. Abigail. It’s so good to see you.”

Sophie stood, rushing towards us. She was dressed in the latest fashion. Her short blonde bob was styled perfectly, and as always, she radiated beauty. I couldn’t help wanting to mess her hair a little. I mean, when did messy ponytails go out of style?

Ange was quiet; she always was. Perhaps Ange was someone I could tolerate. She too was well-presented, not a brown strand out of place, nor a single lash framing her wide dark eyes uncurled. Nope! I couldn’t do this. I needed out. I wanted to say, “Why do we have to do lunch with people?” Instead, I forced a smile and accepted a soft kiss to the cheek from Sophie’s red-stained lips.

“OMG!” Her excitement was apparent as we sat. “I have so much to tell you, Abigail.”

Sammy moved her hand back and forward in front of her neck, the universal sign for shut the conversation down.

What was that pain-in-the-arse trying to hide from me? Normally, I’d roll my eyes and fake interest in any conversation, thinking about my own shit rather than listening. But good old Sammy had sparked my curiosity.

“OMG. Seriously, I cannot wait to hear all about it, Soph. It’s been too long. I’m afraid I’m completely out of the loop on everything.” I glanced at Sammy. “Order me a thick shake, will you, Ginger? I can’t wait to hear the news.”

Sammy’s eyes grew big, and the fake smile she was displaying was funny. “Why don’t we do the catch-ups after we order?”