One Last Time(5)

“I’ll get right on that.” I laugh.

Danielle exits the kitchen with a glass of ice water. “I’ve got the cabinets organized.”

I smile at the people who have never let me fall. These girls are the only reason I’m functioning right now. All three of them showed up at the house when I texted Danielle the day after Scott and I decided on the divorce. They hugged me as I cried, made me laugh, and forced me to drink wine until I passed out.

Today, they’re sweating their asses off and helping me haul boxes and furniture.

Nicole snorts. “I’m sure Kris will redo them all. We know you’re not exactly known for your organizational skills.”

Danielle slaps the back of her head. “Shut up. You’re the one sitting on your ass.”

Here we go again.

Heather and I share a knowing look. One of us has to intervene before it ends in a catfight.

I throw my arm around Danielle and squeeze. “I’m sure it’s perfect.”

“Mommy.” Aubrey comes over. “I miss my old room. It was purple.”

“I’m sure Aunt Heather will let us paint it.” I take her tiny hands in mine and squat so I can look her in the eyes. “You could pick any color you want.”

I don’t even look to Heather for approval since I already have it. From the first conversation, she’s told me I can do anything I want to make this house mine. Plus, I think she’s happy to have another excuse not to sell the place. For the last two years, she’s been living with her boyfriend Eli, who happens to be an uber-famous singer and actor. His house is the most ridiculous place I’ve ever seen on Harbour Island, but she’s always loved this house. Not that I’m complaining—she’s saving my butt from having to move back in with my parents.

It’s crazy how they met and became a couple. Who knew that a girls’ night out where four friends went to pay homage to their favorite childhood boy band, Four Blocks Down, would result in a love like that? Not me, that’s for damn sure.

“I bet we could get Eli to help us,” Heather says conspiratorially. “He loves to paint!”

“What does Eli like to do?” His deep voice fills the room, but I can’t see his face past all the boxes he’s carrying.

Aubrey squeals when she hears his voice and runs back to her room.

I laugh at the sight of this superstar carrying boxes for his girlfriend’s best friend. Sometimes, this feels like a cosmic joke the world is playing on me.

Heather heads over and removes a few boxes from his stack. “Babe, it usually helps to see where you’re going,” she chides.

He looks at the rest of us all sitting or standing around, and he smirks. “I see how it is . . . the men do all the work and you guys supervise?”

It sounds about right.

“At least you’re learning, big guy.” Nicole lays her head back and closes her eyes.

“Why do you guys like her again?” he asks.

“We’re not sure.” I shrug. “We’ve tried to get rid of her, but she’s like a bad case of chickenpox. For each one you scratch, another one pops up and is even itchier. We stopped scratching finally.”

We’re the four most unlikely friends, but we work. Our group is unique, in that while we are all close, we’re also close in different ways. Heather is who I call when I need someone to cry to. She’s the most sympathetic person out of the three of them. Danielle is who I call for relationship or parenting advice, and Nicole is who I call when I want to forget the night before. She’s a nut.

I always thought Danni was my person, but when I told her about the separation, she pulled back a little. At first, I thought it was because we would both commiserate over our shitty marriages and now hers is better, but then she offered to watch the kids for me when I have to work, so maybe I’m imagining it.

“Watch it, Eli,” Nicole warns. “You’re not officially a member of this tribe. We can still vote your ass off the island.”

Eli grins and pulls Heather’s back to his chest. His arms wrap around her middle, and I fight the pang of jealousy that arises. “Is that right, baby?”

Heather rolls her eyes and looks over her shoulder. “I’m pretty sure you’re staying. It’s still debatable, though.”

“Can you at least wait a few weeks?”

She shrugs. “I guess so.”

He laughs and kisses her. I turn away, wishing it didn’t hurt.

Scott used to look at me that way. We were playful, loving, and he made my heart skip a beat. He was my knight in shining armor, and I was the princess he rescued, but the fairy tale is over. There is no happily ever after.

We finish getting everything unloaded, and with as much shit as I give Nicole, the girl is busting her ass to get this place decorated. I now understand why she’s one of the top interior designers in Tampa. The house actually looks like a home.

In a few hours, we are able to get the main living areas pretty much done. Nicole directs where the guys should move the furniture, and she manages to mesh what I was able to take from my old house with what she brought.

Scott refused to let me take anything except the bedroom furniture. He said he didn’t want to be reminded of what we once shared. I don’t even know what he means, but it was one less thing I had to buy.