Girl Crush(86)

I hadn’t packed a suitcase but figured Collier had overseen that process, not wanting anyone to see my unmentionables…or he’d left it to Ronnie, in which case I could always go shopping whenever we got wherever we were going.

I hugged my friends goodbye and finally pulled away from V who’d become a blubbering, emotional mess. I half wondered if she were pregnant, but quickly rid my mind of that thought.

When I pried myself out of her embrace, I glanced up to see West just a few feet in front of the group. The smirk on his face told me he was up to no good, but instead of questioning him, I went with it. He reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out the key fob. I stopped in my tracks when he held them up. “Elle, you want to drive?”

The squeal that escaped my lips was high-pitched and overly girly, but I’d wanted behind the wheel of that car since the day Collier and I met. I grabbed the keys from his hand before he could tell me it was a joke or change his mind and galloped past him to the driver’s side door. My husband followed behind me and opened the door to allow me to get in.

I heard him tell everyone bye one last time, and they all waved as he got in the passenger seat.

My heart raced as I pressed the ignition button, and then it soared when the engine came to life. “You ready?”

“For the ride of my life? Yeah, babe. I waited thirty-nine years to take it.” He kissed me once more, and I pulled out of the driveway to head to the airport.





Epilogue





We spent seven glorious days in Maui before returning home to our lives that were forever changed. When I’d gone to work the following week, my boss had made a wise crack about my being off the market and getting married because I was pregnant. Maybe I shouldn’t have told Collier, but in hindsight, it was the best thing I ever did. He insisted I quit and that led me to be a stay-at-home wife until the baby came. I spent time helping Collier out at work, menial tasks like putting packages together or stuffing envelopes, but it gave me something to do, and I got to see my sister-in-law all the time—and my husband wasn’t a bad consolation prize, either.

Six months later, we welcomed Garrett Collier West to the world. I didn’t have a clue what to do with a little boy and was completely lost with the parts that made him different from me. But together, Collier and I figured it out—even if it took us a couple years. Our friends adored him, and as the only child in the group, he was spoiled rotten. I could only imagine what they were going to do with the prissy little girl that would come next or the little girl Trish and Ronnie were finally adopting. Guess we would find out in a few months when they both arrived.





Acknowledgments





Girl Crush was one of those books born in the spur of the moment after a conversation with a friend over her exasperation with the male species. We joked about what it would be like to truly give up on men and switch teams. And from that late-night hurrah, Giselle was born.

Thank you to Carina Adams for the late-night hurrah. Without you, there’d be no Gizzy.

Leddy Harper, my whore, my woobie, the other half of my brain. You gave me Veronica, letting me borrow her from I Do(n’t)…without her, Gizzy wouldn’t have had a sidekick or a story. But more than that, thank you for always being a champion of everything I do. This has been one of the best summers I can recall.

Linda Russell. Here’s to number six together. <downs shot> My world changed when I joined the Foreward team. <spins & twirls> The countless hours you put in are not unnoticed or unappreciated. Not only do I think you’re the best publicist a girl could have, I’m proud to call you friend as well. <spanks> The Mister. You continue to sacrifice so I can chase this crazy dream and often have more faith in me than I do myself. I don’t have words to express my gratitude for all you do.

Mini-Mo. I love you.