“Oh, nothing!” I say. I shove my phone back into my pocket and try not to be disappointed.
But as we get down to the bottom of the hill, my pocket buzzes.
Seth: But I’ll see you at the baby shower, right?
CHAPTER 16 Seth
Gloria and Emily’s house is the kind of place people move to LA for—a mid-century modern on a Silver Lake hillside overlooking Hollywood, complete with palm trees, a pool, and the smell of orange blossoms on the breeze. Inside is just what you would expect from a pair of set designers. The bathrooms alone are more beautiful than any room in my entire condo.
“You made it,” Gloria exclaims as I walk into the backyard, where about twenty intimidatingly stylish people have congregated around a long table surrounded by electric pink bougainvillea. I scan the crowd for Molly. She’s not here. I dislike how much this disappoints me.
I hold up two sparkly gift bags—one from me, and one from Marian—to the mothers-to-be. “For you.”
“We said no presents!” Emily objects. “Childbearing is so commercialized. It’s sickening. All the twins are getting are cribs and some swaddling cloths.”
“No diapers?” I ask innocently.
“Nope.” She laughs. “I hope that’s what you brought me.”
“One’s from me and one’s from Marian. She was so bummed she couldn’t make it.”
“Ooooh, open the one from Marian first!” Gloria says.
I point to the purple bag. “That one.”
Emily fishes inside and then bursts out laughing. “Oh my God, that tramp.”
“What is it?” Gloria asks.
Emily holds up two tiny Cubs jerseys with RUIZ on the back.
“Well Lordy me,” Gloria says, shaking her head. “I would never have imagined she could be so devious.”
“They’re signed,” I say sheepishly.
“What’s in yours?” Emily asks, grabbing the other bag. “It better not be matching hats.”
She pulls out a copy of Goodnight Moon.
“Awww, that’s more like it,” Gloria says.
“It was my favorite growing up,” I say. “I can’t wait to read it to my kids someday.”
Gloria kisses my cheek.
“You’re cute, ya know that?”
“It’s my only good quality.”
“I’m glad you’re here, Seth. It’s always a delight.”
“I’m glad I could come too. It’s great to see your place in person. It looked fabulous on Insta but wow. That pool. If I lived here, I would do nothing but lounge on a swan float drinking piña coladas.”
“Did you bring your swimsuit?” she asks.
“I wasn’t aware this was a baby shower slash pool party.”
“This is LA,” she retorts. “Every party is a slash pool party. And don’t worry, you can skinny-dip. LaCroix?”
I accept a coconut-flavored sparkling water that tastes deliciously of sunscreen.
Gloria’s sister, Eliana, emerges from inside the house, with Molly in tow.
Wow.
Molly looks so beautiful with the sun glinting off her curtain of dark hair that I have to look away. My days of admiring Molly’s beauty should be decidedly behind me. This is just a reflex.
“Elle!” I cry, getting up to give her a hug. “I had no idea you lived here.”
“Oh God, I don’t,” she says with an exaggerated shiver. “Never ever. I’m in New York with the sane people. I just flew in to host this shindig.”
“And what a host you are. So positive and full of joy,” Gloria says. “And only forty minutes late.”
“Sorry, I overslept. But just wait ’til you see what I have in store for you. You’ll wish I were less fun.”
Molly slings an arm around Elle’s shoulders. “Miss Gutierrez here is always fun. You should have seen her last night at the bar. Threw back like ten tequilas and took home a twenty-four-year-old Australian surfer.”
“Um, you matched me on tequilas and spent all night flirting with a fireman,” Elle retorts. “Did you get his number?”
