Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 47615 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47615 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
My best friend, Abby?
She’s everything I’m not.
Tall, athletic, and a talented dancer with a college degree.
I missed her like nothing else when she was away, and since she came back from college, I hardly get to see her anymore.
So, I’m all in when she suggests a sleepover, just the two of us like it used to be.
That’s the good news.
The bad news?
She’s on call, waiting to hear if she’s got a part in an off-Broadway production.
KANE
Jen?
Little chubby Jen?
I know it’s her. She’s Abby’s best friend.
I used to drop Abby off at Jen’s place so her mom could watch her when I went off to work. But that was a long time ago. And Abby’s all grown up. Jen, too by the looks.
I can see that for myself.
I haven’t seen her for years. I’ve been working the oil rigs, so I am away a lot. Until she magically appears in my kitchen wearing nothing but her panties and a T-shirt.
Giving me silent instruction on just how grown-up someone half my age can really be.
Abby’s arranged a ‘sleepover’ for her and her bestie.
How cute.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
CHAPTER ONE
Jen
“That’s great, Abs, really is…,” I tell my best friend. Doing my best not to sound heartbroken at her ‘good news.’
Trying my best to be happy for her instead of feeling like our plans have been ruined.
“…I know! They said they’d let me know ASAP, but when…I mean, if they call. I have to be ready to leave within the hour. Flying out to New fucking York! Can you believe it?” she squeals down the phone at me so loud I have to hold it away from my ear.
Drowning out the sound of heavy city traffic mixed with the car stereo, Abby’s super excited she’s been short-listed to fill in for a dance company member who sprained their ankle.
And no. No, I can’t believe it. This weekend especially. It was supposed to be our time together.
Abby is a dancer. She studied it at college while I missed her like hell and tried not to go insane living at home with my mom. Working at the local diner so we could and can still make ends meet.
Abs has worked so hard, too, just her bestie wasn’t able to go to college with her.
And this short-list thing could be her foot in the door. The big break she needs.
But she’s on the short-list. Meaning: ‘Don’t call us, we’ll call you.’
And with only an hour’s notice, by the looks of it.
Sounds serious.
And how exactly is that supposed to be good news? For me, though, I mean.
I know it sounds selfish, but I haven’t caught up with Abby properly since she came home from college.
This girl’s weekend was supposed to be just us like it used to be.
“Does that mean…?” I ask with a grimace, and only when I can get a word in once Abby stops for air.
“Does that mean our weekend’s off?” I ask her, point blank, hearing the tremor of emotion in my voice which makes me feel stupid.
Abby’s the one and only person who gets me. And spending time with her is like breathing fresh air.
I need this weekend to happen.
Plus, it’s the only time I can get off from work. But there I go again, making this all about me.
Her silence doesn’t help things, and from the sound of the traffic, she’s hours away as it is.
“Abs?” I ask, but she giggles, doing that thing on the phone where one of us just goes quiet to see how long they can go without laughing.
I don’t know, we’re like twenty years old, but some things never get old.
“Abs, I’m serious,” I remind her, sniffing back my emotions and smiling again.
Abby always makes things better somehow, just by being herself.
“Of course, we’re still having our weekend, silly!” she chuckles. “Why would you…? Oooh, I get it—the on-call thing with the dance company. Look, if it happens, it happens. If not, we can still have a great time,” she assures me, making me relax instantly.
“Just you and me, like it was before we got old and haggard,” she jokes.
“Speak for yourself,” I reply with some sarcasm.
She laughs louder until she snorts, making me do the same.
Making me forget all about my stupid mood.
Making me feel like everything’s okay with the world again.
Abs just has this effect on me. I guess that’s why I’m a little codependent on her emotionally.
“Except…,” she says, sucking air through her teeth, suddenly remembering something.
“Uh-oh,” I groan, trying not to, but rolling my eyes.
I knew it! I just knew it.
“…Except my Dad will be home,” she finishes saying, sounding a little disappointed herself.
“Your Dad?” I rasp, feeling myself swallowing hard at the mention of her dad.
“Yeah,” Abby drones. “I forgot, this is the weekend he comes back. I keep forgetting he doesn’t actually work months at a time anymore. He calls it semi-retired.”