Page 28 of The Bad Girl

Chapter 12

Nadine

On Nola Laybeck’s Instagram, a picture of her shaking Maxwell’s hand sits prominently at the top, and on her story, there’s a fifteen-second clip of them talking that shows me briefly in my canary-yellow dress with the shiny red accents.

Prince Harry was livid. It was almost like he was an old dog who’d just discovered his master had adopted a younger puppy. He kept looking for pats on the back, an ear scratch, a ‘good boy,’ but nothing sated his vanity. I almost felt bad for him.

Almost.

It’s dark by the time I enter my apartment, dampening my mood. Before coming home, I stopped by my police department’s Victim’s Services to drop off supplies. I haven’t been able to pick up a shift in months, so I decided to drop off some items that are always in demand: soap, shampoo, tampons, razors, and a couple of outfits. It’s not a lot, but it’s something.

As soon as I walk through my door, I kick off my bright-red ankle booties and crash on the couch, physically and mentally exhausted.

Being bad is not as leisurely as I thought it would be. Quite the opposite.

My phone vibrates, and I look at the screen to see a text from Allison, which triggers my memory, and I realize I have a message from Tom waiting for me.

Allison:I hope you aren’t too upset that I didn’t ask you to be in my wedding party. It was a hard decision, but I honestly didn’t know if you wanted to be in it.

I’m relieved the ‘elephant in the room’ is finally being addressed and that I didn’t have to be the one to bring it up.

Nadine:No worries. I’m just excited for your big day.

Allison:Are you going to bring a hot +1?

I guess she doesn’t know that her brother is asking me. Hmmm…

Nadine:I’ve been striking out in that department an awful lot lately.

Allison:You’ll find Mr. Right eventually.

Nadine:I sure hope so! If only I’d stop going for losers.

Allison:I know it’s weird because of how we left things, but I miss you.

And it looks like the elephant’s cousin decided to show up—the one I didn’t want invited to the party. And maybe it’s time to put this elephant down.

Nadine:I know this is awkward for both of us, but I was young and dumb, and what girl hasn’t had a crush on their best friend’s brother?

Allison:I’m so glad you think that way. Tom has some things to tell you, it’s really important to him. He’d kill me if he knew I was texting you about it. I know he’s inviting you to coffee. I’d really like us all to get together after that and celebrate.

My hands are now shaking, making it hard to text her back.

Get together and celebrate? What does that even mean? Has he confessed feelings for me to Allison? But if that’s it, then why didn’t he tell her he was inviting me to be his date to the wedding?

Nadine:Sounds great.

I rush to my kitchen, pouring myself half a cup of red wine. It’s gone in a minute, and I decide to pour myself a full cup.

Tom Decker has something to tell me. Afterward, Allison wants to celebrate. What could it be other than feelings realized after so much time spent apart?

This means that for six, long years he’s been thinking about me, and after dating a handful of train wrecks, he’s ready to circle back around to the ‘one who got away.’

But then why didn’t he tell Allison he was inviting me to be his date to the wedding?

Of course, I could be misreading this, so I go into Facebook Messenger to finally read Tom’s reply.

Tom:I’ll make myself available. You look great, by the way.