Page 97 of Good Girls Don't Kiss and Tell (Rock Canyon, Idaho 7)

“I’ll text you later.”

Eric walked toward the elevator, and as the doors shut, he realized he’d never felt so alone.

* * *

Gracie sat beside Gemma’s hospital bed, a death grip on her hand and tears rolling down her cheeks.

“You scared me to death, damn you.”

Gemma’s face was completely leeched of color, but her smile was bright at least. “I’m sorry. To be fair, Travis scared you. You would have never known if he hadn’t panicked.”

“You don’t understand, I need you. I can’t imagine my future without you. I want us to be eighty-year-old bitches sitting on the front porch in rockers, yelling at the kids that run by. I want us to prank the other geezers in the nursing home.”

Gemma laughed weakly. “Charming.”

“So, no more freaking me out, because you just took twenty years off my life. Seriously, I think you turned my hair gray.”

Gemma pretended to search her hair. “I’m not seeing it. Have you been down to the NICU yet?”

“No, I wanted to check on you first.”

“I haven’t seen them yet. The nurse is supposed to come by tomorrow and take out this drip.” Gemma’s hazel eyes flooded, and she sniffled. “I haven’t even held or seen my babies yet.”

Gracie got up and hugged her, her heart breaking as her best friend fell apart in her arms.

“You’ll see them soon, and then you’re going to have them all to yourself. You just do what the doctors tell you.”

Gemma pulled away, wiping at her cheeks. “God, you’re so bossy.” Once she was dry, she added, “How are things with you? I want to hear all about your trip.”

“No, you don’t,” Gracie said.

Gemma frowned. “Why not?”

“’Cause it was pretty…catastrophic.”

Gemma’s gaze narrowed. “What did you do?”

“Why do you always blame me?” Gracie asked, avoiding her eyes.

“Because I know you!”

“Now, that’s insulting. I am a damn delight.”

“Tell me. Now.”

Gracie didn’t know how to explain what had happened without telling Gemma about the book, and for some reason, despite how pissed she was, she didn’t want to betray Eric. So, she fibbed a bit.

“He just said some pretty hurtful things about me…and although some of them might have been partially accurate, it still wasn’t right or fair.”

“If he was a jackass to you, then forget about him. You deserve someone who thinks you’re amazing.”

Gracie loved Gemma, and it was exactly the kind of thing she would have said to her if their roles were reversed. And yet…

“Actually, I think I deserve someone who sees me for who I am, warts and all, and loves me anyway.”

Gemma scrunched up her forehead, obviously confused. “Yes, but isn’t that what I basically said? You deserve someone who thinks the world of you.”

“Yes, but I’m not perfect, and I don’t want someone who thinks I am. That’s probably why I dump so many of my boyfriends, because they don’t see the real me.”