Unlucky in Love

Sundays were probably my favorite day. I didn’t have class, and I could sleep in without feeling guilty. I usually went shopping, or if it was nice out like it was now, I took Poppy and Emma for a walk.

And that’s exactly what I was doing right now.

Dominic and I had trained Poppy some obedience stuff, so I trusted her without a leash, and that was good so I could push Emma’s stroller.

She was still asleep, which, again, was a nice thing. It meant I didn’t have her cranky, and she wouldn’t wake up the neighbors sleeping in.

I walked down the block to Jim & Patty’s Coffee, which was seriously fantastic. Although I didn’t drink coffee, they made the best coffeecake I’ve ever had.

They may even beat Mimi’s Café muffins…and that was really hard to do.

I put the leash on Poppy and hooked her up outside, and then walked in, got a piece of apple coffeecake and a juice, and then came out and sat down at a vacant table next to where Poppy was.

I slipped on my sunglasses and started reading my book. Em was still sleeping, and Poppy was sunbathing, so that left a peaceful morning all to myself.

“Hey, Ember,” I heard, and I sighed quietly and looked up. Autumn and Leah were coming down the sidewalk amongst the rows of shops.

Fuck.

My.

Life.

“Hey,” I called back. They came by, holding their designer bags and wearing identical Dior sunglasses.

Holy God, they were acting like…like…best friends.

“Mind if we sit down?” Autumn asked, and I shook my head and marked my place in my book. They sat down at the table, and Poppy got up and went to sniff them. She backed away from Leah and licked Autumn’s hand when she petted her.

“So, we were out looking at houses and apartments, and we found this really adorable one with three bedrooms, and an attic and a basement—”

“Like pretty much every house around here,” I interrupted Leah. “So where is it?” She told me the address, and my eyes flamed. “Yeah, I don’t think you’ll want to live there,” I told them.

The last thing I wanted was to have them—who I thought were out of my life for good—living across the freaking street from my house.

Leah took off her sunglasses and eyed me speculatively. “Why not?”

“Because there’s a lot of kids and dogs in that neighborhood, and it’s not really for partying college students.” I said, feeling old. God, I was only nineteen, and I felt like a thirty-year-old.

I mean, I loved my life, but really I felt a lot older than I was.

“Well, we’re not going to college,” Leah said. “Sean and Logan are, but me and Autumn were just going to do whatever until…” she glanced at Autumn, as if asking permission.

“Until what?”

Autumn smiled. “Until our due dates. We’re both three months along.”

I gawked at them, not knowing what to say.

I could drop this.

I could drop their drama, move on with my life, and never even have to get involved in their shit ever again.

And why was that so hard?

Did I not want to be drama free?

Did I want to know every single detail of their lives like I thrive on it?

What the hell was wrong with me?

Emma stirred, and then gave me the pouty look that was basically a threat. Either I pick her up, or she’ll scream until someone does. I sighed and took her out of her stroller and held her on my lap. She fussed a bit, and I got her binkie out and popped it in her mouth. She started to coo and play with my long necklace.

“Oh, my God, she’s so cute!” Autumn said, smiling at her.

“Thanks,” I said, not being able to resist the compliment. It was about my baby, so it’s not like I was self-absorbed.

“So why don’t we want the house? Is it too close to a particular ex of mine?” Leah asked, practically glaring at the baby that was half Dominic.

I bit my lip slightly to keep from retaliating. “Um, I have to get home. I’ll see you later.”

* * *

I was sitting on the front porch that afternoon, reading, when I noticed a black Escalade pull up in front of the house across the street following a white Ford Focus.

They didn’t see me as they all got out of the car, but I knew they knew I was glaring at them.

“Hey, what’re you doing?” Dominic asked, coming up the steps. He had just gotten home.

“Seeing our new neighbors.” I said flatly, nodding towards them. Dominic glanced over and then sighed and sat down next to me on the porch swing. “I want to use my birthday present now.” I told him, and he looked confused for a second, and then took out his phone.

“Where to?”