Too Late To Love Me I Already Left With His Twins (Lydia and Dave) novel Chapter 174

Prep

She grinned.

What?”

“You didn’t need to do all this.”

“Yes I did.”

“No seriously-”

“You gave me free PR strategy sessions that increased my engagement by forty percent in two days,” she interrupted dramatically. “You are not escaping appreciation.”

I laughed softly.

“This is insane.”

“No,” she corrected while hugging me quickly. “This is friendship.”

Friendship.

God.

That word still felt unfamiliar in my life.

Because somewhere between motherhood and work and survival, I had forgotten what female friendships actually felt like.

The easy kind.

The safe kind.

The kind where conversations flowed naturally.

Anna pulled back slightly then looked at me carefully.

“You look exhausted.”

“I have not slept.”

“That’s obvious.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Then immediately she switched into helpful mode.

“Okay, what’s left? Tell me everything. I’m helping.”

Dessert tables covered in galaxy themed treats.

Interactive puzzle booths.

Photography corners.

Soft pastel lights wrapped around the garden.

It looked magical.

Actual magic.

At some point Anna physically forced me onto the couch.

“You are resting.”

I can’t.”

“You literally look faint yourself.”

“I’m supervising.”

“You’re hallucinating,” she corrected. “Sit down.”