Gretchen and Jack joined us, bringing me a piece of banana cake.
I pressed the backs of my cold fingertips to my cheeks. “I still can’t believe this many people showed up for fitness classes. Honestly, I half expected to be chased out of town with pitchforks.”
“Nah.” Gretchen waved her hand. “Green Valley is sexually enlightened and surprisingly woke.”
“Love is everywhere. It’s the fresh mountain air,” Jack said, surveying the crowd, possibly looking to get enlightened himself.
“Geez, girly, you may have to hire more than just me part-time,” Gretchen said as she flipped through the sign-up sheets. “Your first month is booked solid already.”
“I know. Talk about champagne problems.”
Ford squeezed me close to whisper in my ear, “I’m so proud of you.”
I looked into his eyes and felt the familiar tingles of love. “I’m so proud of us. Look at us going after our dreams and shit.”
He lifted his chin. “Damn, it feels good.”
I nuzzled his chest, loving the smell and warmth of him. He was mine. All mine, mine, mine.
I studied all the people who had come to my little open house from the safety of Ford’s chest. I was still just a little overwhelmed by it all. People who I assumed hated me had shown up. People I didn’t think even knew I existed. Some even shook Daddy’s hand as he went around with Mrs. Albensi. Daddy beamed with pride. I was proud of him too. Ten weeks sober. It hadn’t been easy but he’d been working hard at it. All by himself, with our love and support—and, of course, Mrs. Albensi and his sponsor.
Excited whispers broke out all over the room and I lifted my head to see what caused the commotion. In walked Jethro Winston and Sienna Diaz. To my complete surprise, I felt nothing. Well, notnothing, nothing. I felt a little thrilled to see THE Sienna Diaz in my studio.
Jethro scanned the room as Sienna nodded politely at the crowd that immediately descended upon her. When he found me and our eyes met, he lowered to whisper something in her ear. Sienna freaking Diaz looked up at me and smiled so dazzlingly perfectly I could only smile back.
“Is Sienna Diaz smiling at me?” I asked through clenched teeth.
“Yup,” Gretchen answered. “Good gravy, she’s gorgeous. Oh shit, Jet’s headed this way. I’m out.” Gretchen grabbed Jack by the wrist and dragged him away, obviously using his height as a shield. The coward.
"Want me to stay?" Ford asked me. He brushed back my hair from my face and rubbed a thumb over my cheek.
I'd kept the half-shaved look for a while and now had a messy bob. I missed my length some days but liked this style a lot, too.
“Just give us a minute,” I said.
“I’ll be checking out that German chocolate cake if you need me.”
I smiled at him and took a deep bracing breath as Jethro Winston came to a stop in front of me.
“Hey, Suzie,” he said tentatively, as though he was bracing himself for a screaming rampage.
In his defense, it was possible that once or twice, maybe, after the motorcycle incident I had cursed him out loudly. In town. For everyone to see.
“Hey, Jet,” I chewed the inside of my lip. This wasn’t awkward. Not at all. I certainly wasn’t thinking about the fact that I was a member of a society that had been founded specifically to talk shit about him.
But now, truthfully, with him standing in front of me, I truly didn’t feel anything but…neutral. If anything, I felt a little bad that he was obviously so nervous. Part of me wanted to scream ‘Boo!’ just to see what he did. But that wouldn’t be nice... Maybe later.
“The studio looks great.” He glanced around, hands deep in his pockets.
“Thanks.” I followed his eyesight. It wasn’t much. A room surrounded in mirrors, ballet barres and some poles, a few stacked chairs in the corner. But it was all mine, and I was damn proud. My therapist told me it was important to celebrate all the little wins.
Turned out all my lost wages had been calculated by the new owner and the G-Spot gave what was due to me. It was enough to buy rent for at least a year on this studio in downtown Green Valley.
“There were a few things I wanted to tell you.” Jethro squinted as he spoke, not quite able to meet my eyes.
“Okay.”
“I heard about what happened with Occum and those guys, Rooster and Cueball. I know they’ve been missing for a while but it looks like their bodies were finally discovered.”
