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MILLIE

“Please tell me you’re not replacing my lamp with that.” Sara points at the lamp Lennox has just turned on. It’s white marble in the shape of a woman’s body and covered with a hot-pink fringed lamp shade with pink crystals hanging from it.

Tilting my head one way, then the other, I survey it. “I actually kind of like it.”

Lennox grins. “Thank you. Had to spice up the apartment a little now that it’s mine.” She shimmies her shoulders and turns in a circle. “You really don’t mind me staying here?”

Sara snorts. “Like that would stop you.”

Lennox adjusts a photo frame on the bureau. The picture is from last week—another boozy Sunday brunch with the girls. Ava, Hannah, Lennox, Sara, and I are all smiling big at the camera. The rest of the girls are holding champagne flutes in the air, but I’m holding Vivi. She was in another blue outfit, courtesy of Aiden.

It’s been a few weeks since the adoption was official, and the boys are in the Stanley Cup Finals. We’re going to game one tonight, and I couldn’t be more excited.

Lennox started a new job, trying her hand at wedding planning, and has decided to stay in Boston for good.

My phone buzzes, and I roll my eyes when I see the text.

“Those girls really don’t take a hint, huh?” Lennox says, eyeing me.

I shrug. Chrishell and Taylor have been blowing up my phone for the last few weeks. Apparently now that I’m engaged to Gavin, I’m worth their time again. Too bad they aren’t worth mine. Today’s text is about the game.

Chrishell: Hey babe, Taylor and I got the three of us matching jerseys. Can you get us tickets to sit with you in the box? It will be like old times.

Sara grins devilishly. “Oh my god, you should totally tell them yes, and then when they get there, have security tell them their names aren’t on the list. I’ll have so much fun waiving at them from inside. Of course, my waving would be with my middle fingers.”

I giggle. “No. Seriously. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that the best revenge is being happy. And I am.”

“Aw,” Lennox croons. “Look at our Millie, all grown up.”

“Please come tonight,” Sara begs her for what has to be the fifth time since we arrived.

Lennox spins and lets out a loud sigh. “No, and you know why.”

Sara glares at her. “One of these days, you and Aiden need to talk, but I’m not saying it has to happen tonight. Just come to the game. What’s the worst that can happen?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Lennox says, her tone dry. She taps a pink painted nail against her lips. “The boy could run into the glass, miss a winning shot, and end up with a concussion.”

“Knock on wood! Where the hell is wood around here?” Sara whips her head from one side to the other, grimacing at every surface in the room.

Lennox replaced all of Sara’s serene furniture with sleek white pieces with glossy surfaces that are decidedly not wood.

“Where’s your shower dildo?” Lennox teases. “That counts as wood, right?” She scurries into the bathroom.

My mouth falls open. “She’s joking, right?”

Sara scowls at me. “Obviously I didn’t leave my shower dildo in her bathroom.”

So she does have a shower dildo. Damn. Lucky Brooks.

In a louder voice, she calls for Lennox. “Babe, seriously. You can’t avoid him forever. The kid is obsessed with you. One day he’ll wise up and break up with that vapid woman Jill. Then you’ll have your second chance at love .” She draws out the last word, all girly like, and we both laugh.

Lennox appears in the bedroom doorway, giant pink dildo in hand. How in God’s name does she fit it? “Do I literally knock on it or, like, rub my hand on it?” She glides her hand up and down the silicone toy like she’s jacking it off, sending all of us into a fit of giggles.

“Stop. Seriously,” I say through tears. “Do you really use that?” I whisper.

Sara rolls her eyes. “She wouldn’t have to if she’d come to the goddamn hockey game and let Aiden see her for freaking once. What are you so afraid of, anyway?”

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and Sara’s starts singing at the same time. Aiden stole her phone the last time we were out and programmed it so a recording of him singing his version of “Fergalicious”—Sara-licious, naturally—plays every time she gets a notification.

We let it play for a few seconds, because it’s just as hilarious today as it was a week ago, before either of us looks at our phone.

Aiden: Okay, fam jam, I’ve got news!

Beckett: Did your adult teeth finally come in?

Brooks: LOL

Gavin: No news, Aiden. You’re supposed to be heading to the arena right now. Unless that’s your news, we’ve got issues.

Brooks: True. Where are you?

Beckett: Uh-oh. Did you get stuck in the bathroom?

Brooks: Burn.

Aiden: You all suck. Girls, are you here yet?

Sara smiles at me. After my engagement, Aiden added both Sara and me to the family chat. I’m sure they have a chat without us too, because I see Gavin rolling his eyes and laughing all the time while my screen is blank, but I appreciate the sentiment.

Me: We’re here. Be nice, boys.

Beckett: Hi Millie, Hi Sara. We’ll see you both tonight, right?

Sara: Obviously. I’ll be the one with the blue hair.

Brooks: Crazy girl!

She grins at me. “We should totally do it!”

I giggle as I look back down at the phone.

Aiden: Can I speak now?

Gavin: Please. We’re all waiting on pins and needles.

“What are you two smiling at over there?” Lennox asks, sidling up close to me.

I tilt my screen so she can catch up on the thread. As I do, another text pops up.

Aiden: We’re adding another girl to the family! Jill and I are engaged! She said yes! picture of vapid Jill holding out an oversized diamond

“Holy fucking shit.” Sara mutters the words running through my head.

Lennox’s mouth pulls into a tight smile, and her usually bright blue eyes go dull. “Well, I guess that’s that. Now you can all stop playing matchmaker. Looks like that second chance with ‘the love of my life’ is over.”