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When Sophie told me where she was dress shopping, I knew I had to dress semi-nice. I also had no idea why she wanted to go there. I have a better idea now.
“My friend is getting married. We were dress shopping.”
“That’s fun… or not,” Lisa backpedals at the sight of my scrunched-up face.
“It would be,” I sigh, “but she’s turned into someone I don’t recognize ever since he put that ring on her finger.”
“Sometimes we can be silly when it comes to who we love,” Lisa attempts to reason. I shrug.
“A complete one-eighty isn’t being silly. It’s just… weird. You didn’t change for Palmer, did you?”
“Well, no. But I don’t see my parents very much because of him. They don’t approve. And Palmer hates going to their house for dinner.”
Remembering the place from when I went there, I smirk. I bet he would. It was a mausoleum.
“Tell me about your friend. What is she changing about herself?”
Oh, god. What isn’t she? I launch into my list of complaints about the new Sophie, Lisa murmuring condolences and asking probing questions. The topic gets us all through lunch, and when we step out onto the street, I look around expectantly.
“Where’s your car?”
“Oh. I got a lift. We don’t have a car as such. The Pines has a communal Wild Hawks Chevy that I drive if I need groceries or whatever. Bullseye was using it today, but he dropped me here.”
“Oh. I can drop you home.”
“Perfect.” Lisa flashes me a smile, following me to my BMW and sliding in.
We drive in silence – it’s a bit hard to have a conversation when I have to watch the road, so she can’t read my lips – and she directs me to the apartment building I remember her and Palmer going into after I met her at the diner last time.
“This is The Pines,” she gestures. “Come on up.”
The Pines is the name of her apartment building towering above us. I follow her in. It’s a walk-up, and they are on the sixth floor. I don’t know if I’ve ever been in a walk-up that is more than three floors before.
Lisa and Palmer’s apartment is nice. Small, though. I peek through to the bathroom and the two bedrooms. My bedroom is about half the size of this entire place.
“So was mine,” Lisa laughs when I admit it. “It wasn’t this cozy, though.”
I get what she means. This place feels a bit like being wrapped in a warm hug. There are nice prints on the wall and cute throw cushions. There are some framed photographs of Lisa and Palmer. They are smiling and laughing in every one of them. My parents aren’t even laughing in their wedding photos.
“Come through to the kitchen for some coffee.”
Lisa leads me through, humming to herself. She seems incredibly happy here. Happier than I’ve ever seen anyone back in Pinedale. Happier than Sophie looks when she’s with Hugh. That’s sad. That’s a sad realization.
Sitting at the table in the kitchen, I accept my mug of coffee and smile as Lisa sits across from me.
“So, how are your hours so flexible?”
“Oh. I work at the clubhouse. I answer the phone. On their switchboard. They let me set my own hours now I’m an old lady.”
My nose wrinkles. What the hell is that? “What’s an old lady?”
Lisa giggles, sipping her coffee and rolling her eyes, her head tipping to the side.
“It’s like, being officially recognized as a partner of a Wild Hawks member,” she explains. “Palmer and I are engaged, but the club treats me like I’m already his wife because I’m his old lady.”
Fair enough. Lisa tugs the collar of her T-shirt to the side, exposing one of the collarbones and my eyebrows shoot up. She has a tattoo along her collarbone.Palmer.
“He branded you with his name?” I squeak, leaning in closer to look at it. It looks nice. Dainty without being girly. “Did you brand him with yours?”
