Page 36 of Pages of Amber
He tilted his head. “You could use all those things too. Why not come with us?”
“M-me? What?” she sputtered.
Evelyn jumped in. “That’s an amazing idea. Come with us, please. I promise you won’t even notice the guys cramping our style. It’ll be so much fun.”
“I don’t want to be in the way.”
“You won’t be. Not at all,” Noah answered with a calm certainty.
Evelyn immediately backed him up. “He’s right. You won’t be a bother. You’ve been working hard on this project too. Some time off would be good for you.”
“You’re welcome to join us, Amber. It would be a lot more fun if you came along. Well, that and you wouldn’t have to subject yourself to Ev’s whining before you eventually say yes.” Emmett laughed.
Evelyn shot her brother a look, then doubled down on asking Amber to join them.
Amber had always thought of herself as a resolute, strong-minded person or at least she would’ve been when a particular situation ever called for it. If Evelyn was a store clerk, Amber would have somehow bought out the store on a single trip. They hadn’t been kidding about the guilt trip magic. By the time she headed out of the library, a decision had been made.
Amber was going to the Coney Island Fair.
At the sound of the doorbell, she clutched her bag tighter. A damp palm swept over her attire. She’d chosen a pink sundress that flowed down her body. Its straps tied up at her shoulders, leaving her arms bare. Soft as cotton, it wouldn’t be able to keep her warm if the temperature changed so she’d stuffed a sweater into her tote.
Her makeup was light, her hair clipped back with the largest hair clip she owned, the sandals on her feet were perfect for treading the boardwalk and the beach. She’d fussed over bringing a novel, wondering what they might think if they saw her reading for leisure and not education. But she was dying to know the ending. Reading at midnight wasn’t nearly enough when she was dead on her feet from working on a pile of notes and assignments.
“Amber, your friends are here.” The call jolted her from her thoughts. Throwing a thumbs up at her reflection, Amber headed for the door. Her hand paused on the knob as another swirl of nervousness raced through her. On a whim, she swiped the novel from her bag and dropped it into her bedside drawer. She could wait to know what happened next.
She heard Evelyn first. Her bubbly voice poured from the kitchen, her excitement reaching Amber through the walls. Dottie murmured something and Evelyn burst out laughing.
“Hey,” Amber greeted as she stepped into the kitchen. Dottie looked up from the pot over the stove, her cheeks red. Amber wasn’t sure if it was from the steam or from laughing. Evelyn spun to her, a beaming smile on her face.
“Hi!” She hugged Amber, barely able to keep still in her excitement. “You look cute.”
“So do you,” Amber returned the compliment. Evelyn looked lovely in a pair of denim blue dungarees and a long sleeved shirt patterned with flowers underneath. Her brunette hair was up in two buns, her eyelids sparkling with a glittery eyeshadow and her lips coated in pink gloss.
“Are you ready? Dottie said you were all over the place looking for what to wear this morning.”
Amber eyeballed the older woman who was suddenly acting like she wasn’t there. “Dottie’s a bit of a gossip. Don’t listen to her.”
“Hey now,” she objected. Flicking the spoon at them, she narrowed her eyes. “It’s not gossip if it’s the truth. You were running around here like your hair was on fire.”
“Dottie,” Amber whined, trying to get the older woman to stop embarrassing her. Beside her, Evelyn burst out laughing again.
“I think it’s cute. You should have seen Noah. He chased us out of the house. As if doing it the last time wasn’t enough.”
“Last time?” Amber asked.
“You know, that time you asked him to come early for the press interview. It was chaos then too.”
“Oh.”
“Here you go.” Dottie dropped three bottles of orange juice before them. “You’ll need to keep hydrated throughout the day. It’s a long walk around Coney Island. Amber, did you pack sunscreen?”
Amber dipped her hand into her bag and waved the bottle at Dottie.
“Alright. Off you go then. And say hello to the boys for me,” Dottie called out.
“Where are the boys anyway?” Amber asked as she stuffed the bottles into her bag.
“Outside. They’re holding the taxi for us. Emmett was too lazy to drive and Noah thought we should take the train so we don’t have to look for parking.”
