If anything, I need to give it more time, at least a little more. In a few weeks, if I’m still feeling this way, if I’m just as miserable, maybe I’ll change my mind and actually consider it. But not now.
It’s Saturday afternoon, and I have everything set up to start on a new dress. Apparently, I’ve lost my mind because this one is for me. I’ve been designing my dream wedding gown for years and when the idea to start making it popped into my head, well, it was the first time since Riggs left that I felt like I could breathe. It has everything, including the most beautiful satin and lace I’ve ever seen. When it’s finished, it will be a classic ball-gown design with all the right embellishments. If I finish it. If I start it. I’ve been sitting here staring at the fabric for two hours. Just staring at it.
I’m startled by the sound of my phone. It’s Riggs!
“Oh my God, you finally called.” My heart is racing. It’s been two days since I last heard from him.
“I know. I’m so sorry. Things have been a real shitshow here, you have no idea.”
“What’s going on?”
“We’re still in Queenstown. The film crew doesn’t have all their equipment yet. They also don’t have the permits they need, and three of their top people quit two days ago. It’s an absolute disaster. But Ash and I think we can make some lemonade out of these lemons.”
“Are you thinking about coming back?” God, I hope so, like I’ve never hoped for anything before. Please let him say yes.
“No, there’s no way we could do that, but it’s going to be at least two weeks, maybe three before the National Discovery team will be ready to go.”
Three more weeks? All the air leaves my lungs. “Does that mean our ninety-four-day countdown won’t even start for another three weeks?” That’s more than a month added on. How can this be happening?
“Hold on,” he says calmly. “We’re wondering if we could fly you and Rhonda down here. You could stay with us until the network pulls their heads out of their asses and they have things ready for us to head up into the Southern Alps. Can I talk you into coming to see me?”
I’m speechless. I’m literally so excited, I can’t get the words out.
“Maddie? Did I lose you?”
“Yes!” I shout. “Yes, yes, yes!”
“Perfect. Ash is talking to Rhonda now. How soon could you leave?”
How soon? Wait. What about the store? What about Ms. Southerby? Rhonda and I run the place. Ms. Southerby has never lasted more than half a day. Her rheumatoid arthritis aside, she just gets so tired. On the rare occasions when Rhonda and I couldn’t be there, and she’s had to step in, we’ve posted a sign on the door letting everyone know that the hours would be from nine to noon. Could we really be gone for weeks? There’s no time to get someone to fill in. We’d have to train them for one thing and there’s no way the store could be closed for that long.
Reality crashes over me. I can’t just walk away from my job for that long. It isn’t possible.
This is such a letdown, like I could fall apart right here, right now. With my phone to my ear, I start to fold the fabric to put it away for safekeeping. There’s no way I’m making the dress now.
“I want this more than anything, I really do, but…”
“You and Rhonda couldn’t leave work that long. I thought that might be a problem. Now, please don’t get mad at what I’m about to suggest. What if I covered your expenses? I’ll double what you make. Hell, I’ll triple it.”
“It’s not about me. Ms. Southerby needs us. If we took that much time off, she could lose everything. We barely keep the store open as it is and I couldn’t do that to her.”
He lets out a long sigh. “I get it. And for the record, I think it’s admirable. You don’t see that in my world.”
“Your world?” I don’t know what he means. This isn’t something we’ve ever talked about.
“Yeah, my world before I met you. When you have money, you’re surrounded by people who also have money. Most of them are decent people, but their kids, the ones my age, well, typically they’re self-serving. The girls I’ve dated have all been like that. They’ve only cared about themselves and their own needs. That’s why I love how you’re putting Ms. Southerby’s needs above your own. You have no idea how refreshing that is, but at the same time, I miss you.”
Of course I miss him too, and I’d do just about anything to be able to come see him, but not at the expense of the store. “I’m really sorry.”
“You know what? Forget I brought it up. Let’s talk about something else. What’s the latest with the Jam Opera?”
I try to sound cheerful as I tell him about how two more of Zane’s ranch hands have gonorrhea now. “Apparently, there was a lot of sneaking around going on between Zane’s ranch and the Jam Squad’s barndominium.”
“Wow. Now that everyone knows, what happens next?”
I love followingthe gossip as much as the next girl in Sweetbriar, but how much he’s into the whole crazy thing cracks me up. “The girls swear they’ll never have anything to do with the boys again. The funny thing is, people keep sending the guys lotion and sex lube with little notes, like, ‘It might be a while before you get any, so I figured you could use this.’ Chelsea says there’s practically a whole pallet of lube stacked up in her barn and more packages keep coming, all from anonymous people.”
“That’s hilarious,” he says with a hearty laugh. “You think the girls will really stay away?”
