I sigh and drop into the empty seat next to Simone.
“Five minutes,” I say. “That’s all I can spare. I have tables waiting on me!”
“They’ll live. You shouldn’t even be working so hard now,” Chantal replies with a wave of her hand.
Simone shakes her head in agreement. “Please tell me Tom’s not working you to death on reopening night.”
“We’re all working hard. We wanted tonight to be asuccess,” I say defensively. “But wait… why shouldn’t I work hard now?”
Simone, Chantal, and Monique share a glance. The sort of look that tells me they’re in on something I’m in the dark on.
“I mean… you’re one of us now,” Chantal says. A slow smirk comes to her face. “You don’t need to be about that struggle life anymore.”
I blink a few times, completely lost. “One of you how? I’ve always been Black.”
Chantal releases a snort of a laugh. “Now, you know good and well that’s not what I meant.”
“She’s talking about your man,” Monique jumps in. She’s sipping on the straw of the Long Island iced tea I delivered her a while ago.
“My man?”
“Killian,” Simone adds. “No need to pretend you’re not dating him. The entire clan knows.”
“He’s cute,” Monique says. “Way cuter than the redhead who yaps like a chihuahua.”
“That would be Sean, and he’s obnoxious to everyone. Don’t worry.” Chantal’s gaze travels over to the table opposite theirs, where the men they’ve come with are seated.
…and a few others, including Sean, have joined them.
My face has warmed up, and I nudge my glasses up my nose, stalling for time as I think up what to say. It’s true Killian and I are officially dating, but we hadn’t planned on making a big thing of it. I didn’t really think any of the ladies would notice.
“Have we been that obvious?” I ask.
Chantal raises both brows. “Are you really asking that right now? Have youseenyou two?”
“Killian does look at you like you hung the moon,” Simone says. “Which is interesting because he’s scowling like Oscar the Grouch any other time.”
“Speaking of romance,” Monique says, tone brighter than seconds ago. “I’m tired of pretending I don’t see that giant rock on your finger, Chani.”
Chantal’s face lights up with the beam she gives.
Simone grabs her hand and holds it out for everyone at the table to get a good look. “Read ’em and weep. An engagement ring that would probably make Elizabeth Taylor jealous.”
Monique snorts. “If she were still alive.”
“You’re engaged to Lochlan?”
“He asked me last night! He was so romantic about it—andnervous! It was the cutest thing.”
“Congrats, Chantal. I’m happy for you,” I say, sliding out of the booth. “I should get back to work. Thanks for... you know, including me.”
“Anytime, girl,” Chantal says warmly.
Simone winks. “We’re serious. You’re one of us now.”
I turn to walk away from their table, weirded out by the fact that I enjoyed that exchange. It was possibly the first time I’ve been included in a girl group like that and actually felt welcomed.
Growing up, I wasn’t the most popular kid in school. I had one, maybe two friends at best most school years.
