Hannah and I spent the next twenty minutes catching up on everything else. Her mom’s health had declined, so she needed to hire more help for the laundromat. I realized we all had obstacles that added more anxiety to our lives, but our approach to dealing with them made all the difference. Hannah and Stori were like the sisters I never had, and I was grateful for their friendship.
“People were talking about the dead body found on Etched Square yesterday,” Hannah said. “Sounds like there’s a serial killer around. Makes me nervous walking around by myself.”
“I’m taking self-defense classes at Kessler’s Studio. Want to learn with me? I’m sure Kain wouldn’t mind teaching you too.”
Hannah lifted a sardonic eyebrow. “And interfere with your happy endings? No thanks.” She smiled. “But self-defense class is a great idea. I’ll look at their schedule and see when I can take a class.”
“Wonderful. We have to take initiative these days. It’s scary out there. Stori should sign up too.”
“Oh!” Hannah hopped up from the couch and walked to her desk, pulling out a drawer. “I bought this for you when I took my mom to New Orleans last month, but I keep forgetting to give it to you. Stori has one too.”
She gave me a gold jewelry box, and I shook it.
“I got it from a local artist. She was helping the community raise money for a needy family of six to get a van. Their old car broke down, and they didn’t have enough money for a new one.”
“That’s very thoughtful. Wish there were more people like her in this world.” I held up a pair of gold earrings made ofvarious-sized wires twisted beautifully together. “They’re gorgeous.”
“Aren’t they? The artist also creates enormous sculptures using mixed media. Stori has the same ones in silver.”
I could wear these to Friday’s banquet. Thoughts about Kain surfaced in my head as I planned on asking him if our relationship was a casual or steady one. Nerves stirred in me, thinking about all the women who had come before me. What if he just wanted us to be casual?
Chapter Twenty-Three
Eva
What should I wear to this fancy event with Kain?I stared at my closet and browsed the three nicest dresses I had. They were more like pretty sundresses, too casual for a banquet. I should’ve gone shopping yesterday.
Not wanting to embarrass Kain or myself, I called Stori, who should’ve been back from New York.
“Hey. You busy?” I asked.
“No, I took a couple of days off. Been working my butt off. What’s up?”
“Can I borrow a gown?”
“Sure. Where are you going?”
“A banquet at some hotel.”
“With whom?”
“Remember the guy who asked me out at the flowershop?”
“Yes! Oh, I want all the details! Be right over! I’ll bring all the dresses that would look good on you!”
Twenty minutes later, Stori arrived in jeans and a T-shirt with the words C-Drama and K-Drama Fan splashed across it. A stylized sketch of an antique fan with cherry blossoms punctuated the phrase. Her dark hair was in two French braids, making her look as if she were still a college student.
With one hand clasping a bulky garment bag, she offered my grandfather a one-armed hug. “Hi, Grandpa Collins!”
All my friends referred to him that way, and he loved that endearment.
“You’re more beautiful every time I see you,” he said.
The last time he saw her was a year ago when she accompanied me to New Hampshire.
“Thank you.” She twirled a braid, smiling. “And you look younger every time I see you.”
“You’re such a sweetheart.” He laughed and continued watching his MacGyver episode.
