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I nodded along. “Yeah, I should back out now if it’s a race. I’d just bring the team down.”
Margaret shook her head. “No, this isn’t going to be some boring battle. We’re all going to come up with challenges. Mayor Stevens said he was going to talk to the guys about coming up with some, so we need to come up with some good ones, too.”
“Wearing a period simulator for fifteen minutes!” Gertie Holland, the stylist, jabbed her finger in the air. “No! Thirty minutes!”
“They should be forced to walk around in heels to make their ass look sexy!” Joanie groaned. “My toes are punched half to death right now.”
“Cook a whole meal while holding a baby!”
“Clean the house after working a double!”
“Paint their fingernails without messing up.”
“Do yoga!”
“Apply perfect makeup and not sweat it off!”
“Do their hair every single day!”
The list went on and one with the women throwing all out the idea of things that we had to do but didn’t think the men would be able to. It was early in the morning or I was sure the ideas would’ve been less stereotypical. We were all running off of our first sips of caffeine and coming from just having to get ready for the day.
After a night of wondering if I could sneak the guys into my room, I’d woken up without my full brain function that morning. I hadn’t been able to, so I’d spent the night tossing and turning. Somehow, I was already spoiled. I wanted to cuddle.
Sighing a little too loudly, I drew unwanted attention my way. Looking around quickly, I swallowed and smiled. “I’m really good at crafting. Maybe we should have some kind of crafting battle.”
Margaret stared at me long after the others looked away and started talking amongst themselves about different ideas. Everyone seemed excited about the idea of battling the men for some reason. Margaret’s eyes slowly narrowed and she nodded to herself. “It’s my night to hang out with Forrest, isn’t it?”
My cheeks heated when everyone looked at me. “Um. You don’t have to do that.”
Joanie patted my thigh. “Let her! I need a night away from the diner. We could go to the bar and relax a little. I would die for a night to get away from Chase. He’s at the diner all the time and now he’s hanging out on his porch every night, which happens to look right into my windows. I can’t help but see him.”
I didn’t get a chance to say anything before Margaret rushed on. “That sounds like a brilliant plan! Maybe a few of you women should go out together. You deserve it. I can stick around to watch whoever needs watching.”
Billie looked over at us hopefully. “A night away from my cabin surrounded by my bosses sounds really great.”
I wanted to stay home and spend time with the guys but I didn’t want to let the women down. “Okay, sure. As long as you don’t mind watching Forrest, Margaret.”
She waved me off and stood up. “Okay, everyone. Keep coming up with ideas for the battle. We’ll have another meeting when I know a little more.”
Billie walked over to me as soon as everyone started standing to leave. She smiled brightly, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I hope it was okay I invited myself. If not, I can just—”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course, it was okay. I might be a hostage to the night, so come at your own risk, I guess.” I smiled back at her. “If you get tired of hearing me complain about being tired, just leave me to my own devices.”
Joanie put her arm over my shoulders. “We would never leave a friend behind.”
“A friend leaving me behind at Jack’s is how Forrest came to be.” After I said the words, I realized how much of an overshare that was. “Sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me lately. I think the filter between my mouth and brain is on the fritz.”
“That seems like a good story to hear tonight over a few shots of whiskey.” Billie glanced down at her watch and groaned. “I have to go. Work calls. Should I just meet you guys there?”
We settled the details and Joanie and I walked to the diner together to start our day. She went to the back and I stopped behind the counter to pull on my apron and grab my order pad. I took over for the waiter who opened the diner and served the early morning customers. His name was Brian and he rarely said a word to anyone, but he didn’t need to in order to be good at his job.
I worked through the morning and then spotted the guys coming in around lunchtime with a man I didn’t recognize. They went to the same booth they always went to and I walked over to see what they wanted. And to see them. It scared me to admit that I’d missed them the night before.
Justin looked up and grinned at me when I got closer. Pulling me onto his lap, he tipped me back and kissed me within an inch of my life. When he let me up, I was breathing heavily and my heart was racing. My panties were definitely uncomfortably damp, as well.
“Hi, Vi. You’re a sight for sore eyes.” He nuzzled his nose into my hair and kissed my neck. “Missed you.”
I sank into him even more. “I—”
