Reaching down for her hand, Abby said, “Um, Arabella, let’s go change.”
Arabella seemed to be sobering up quickly as well. She stood and nearly ran out of the room behind Abby.
Twenty minutes later, all six women sat in the living room while Kyle paced back and forth and gave them a lecture that would make any father proud. Aiden, Hunter, Hudson, and I stood off to the side.
“What if something had happened to Willa, and the five of you were too drunk to do anything?”
Candace raised her hand to speak. Kyle glared at her, but then gave her a nod.
“To be fair, Officer…” She tried not to giggle. Clearing her throat, she went on. “We haven’t had that much to drink. I think we all got caught up in the moment.”
Arabella covered her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing and ended up hiccupping.
Hudson stepped up next to Kyle. “I don’t see any harm in having a bit of fun, ladies, but we might want to…tone it down some. The music anyway.”
“And the drinking,” Kyle added, shooting a scowl at Bree. She stuck her tongue out at him and mouthed, party pooper.
Greer stood and walked over to Hudson. “I’m sorry we let things get out of hand.”
He leaned down and kissed her. “I’m just glad you’re having fun.”
“Let’s keep the fun PG, please,” Kyle added.
“Since when did you become Dad?” Greer asked with one raised brow.
“Okay, okay, we got the lecture. You boys are free to leave now.” Brighton stood and started to motion with her hands for us to go.
Before Hudson left, I heard him ask Greer, “Are you keeping that outfit?”
I rolled my eyes and started toward the front door, but not before I turned and looked at Abby again. She was dressed in yoga pants and a long-sleeve T-shirt. Her legs were pulled up to her chest, and she had her arms wrapped around them. Our eyes met, and she quickly looked away.
When I chanced a look at Arabella, she was pretending to brush something off of her own yoga pants. She brought her hand up to her mouth when she hiccupped again.
“We promise to behave…some!” Brighton called out as she waved goodbye, then shut the door after pushing Kyle out.
I walked down the porch steps and turned back to face the house. Hunter stopped next to me, and we looked up at the window, where the girls now stood, staring back at us.
“Dude,” he whispered.
“I know,” I replied.
“Poker night’s over, gentlemen,” Aiden called out with a laugh. I turned to look at Hunter. We both laughed as we made our way back to the cars. I caught sight of Aiden and noticed he had the shirt and shorts Willa had been wearing in his hand. I chuckled and shook my head as we called it a night.
Abby
I stood at the window and watched the two cars drive down the driveway. My heart was still pounding like crazy. The way Bishop had looked at me made my insides melt. I knew it was only because of how I’d been dressed, but it still felt so good to see an expression other than anger or pain on his face.
Arabella’s voice was suddenly next to my ear as she whispered, “I almost kissed Hunter. If you hadn’t come over and took me to change clothes, I would have.”
A small laugh escaped my lips. “Why do you think I rushed over there? Other than the fact I realized how we were dressed?”
She raised a brow. “You almost kissed Bishop?”
Nodding, I turned and sat down on the window seat next to Arabella. I closed my eyes and sighed. “God, the feeling of being in his arms. Any rational thoughts I had left…just got swept away.”
“Same. I don’t think I drank that much, because I sure sobered up fast.” She hiccupped, and we both started to giggle. “Okay, maybe I do still feel a bit lightheaded.”
She exhaled and I could tell that the memory of being in Hunter’s arms had come back to her. “It felt so right, Abby. And every part of me wished I could go back and change things.” She wiped a tear away. “Change how I handled it with Hunter—or the lack of handling it.”
“You’re preaching to the choir.”
“Are you two crying?”
Arabella and I looked up to find Bree standing in front of us with her hands on her hips and a very unhappy look on her face.
“Why are you crying, Arabella?” she asked.
“I’m…I’m not crying. A tear just slipped free.”
Bree tilted her head. “I’m pretty sure that’s the same thing. There is no crying at this party. None! Come on, you two, we’re taking shots!” She grabbed us both by the hand and pulled us up.
Arabella argued as she tugged us toward the kitchen. “I’m just now feeling normal, I don’t think—”