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“It’s nothing serious.” I open the box Jillian brought over and hear them snicker. “What?”
“It’s been two weeks since you banged on his door with a bottle of whiskey,” Jillian starts, to which Tara adds, “And banged the hot cop.”
While Will and I have a little something going on, I’ve been hesitant to talk to the girls about him. All they know is I stayed the night. No additional details given. “You think you know me so well.”
“You smile at your phone while you’re in public,” Tara says.
“You started wearing makeup again and not on workdays,” Jillian adds.
“You whistle.”
“You sigh.”
The two of them seem to have quite the list of things that I’ve been doing lately. Okay, so maybe I have been adding some extra mascara on a random Tuesday.
“Will and I’ve been spending time together, and it’s … nice,” I state with a sigh and quickly regret it.I hate when they’re right.
The two of them look at each other with mixed faces of disappointment and confusion.
Tara falls back into her seat and looks at me with a tilted head. “We both know, for you to be going down this road with Will and to even be talking about marriage in such a romantic light, it has to be something more than … nice.”
Give them something more? Even if I wanted to tell my two best friends exactly what it is between Will and me, I wouldn’t be able to explain it.
With a clearing of my throat, I tuck my hair behind my ear. “Okay, so you know how Will is easy on the eyes? He’s easy on everything. We laugh when we’re together, and we have this awesome banter. He’s kind and generous with his time. I just … we’re just … it’s nice.”
I turn away from them and unload the box at my feet. Aside from the glass hitting the shelf, the room is so silent.
I stand and run a hand through my hair. “Listen, I’m treading lightly. He works four twelve-hour shifts a week, plus overtime. I work weekends and have kids. There’s not a ton of time to devote to this. Jillian and I also discussed how damaging this could be to Lavish Events if word gets out I’m dating a former prospective client. Plus, I don’t want the kids knowing. Hunter already grew too attached to Will while working on their magic show. If this thing with Will doesn’t work out, I don’t want them to get hurt.”
“Sounds to me like you’re a chickenshit,” Tara challenges.
“I’m not—”
My words are interrupted by my phone ringing. I feel a large smile grace my face and then quickly remove it just to prove my friends wrong.
“Hi,” I answer the phone.
“What are your plans tonight?” Will asks, and just the sound of his voice has been biting my lip.
“Izzy has therapy, so Tyler is taking Hunter to the Lego Store, and then the three of them are having dinner in Newbury.”
“So, you’re free?” he asks with a laugh, and I reciprocate, putting a hand on my forehead when I realize that my children’s agenda is not always mine. “Have dinner with me.”
“On your workday?”
“I’m leaving work at three because I worked a double and am now mandated by our great state to take a rest. Before I go to sleep for the next twelve hours, I want to see my girl.”
My cheeks warm, so I bow my head, covering it with my hair to hide from my friends and their stares. “That sounds like a great idea. They leave my house at five. I’ll text you when I’m leaving the house.”
“Can’t wait.”
I hang up and slide my phone into my back pocket. As I spin back to my friends, I see they’re still in the places they were before I took my call. Tara, lounged in her chair with a Cheshire cat smile on her face. Jillian in her auburn hair, dark-eyed glory, seeming pensive in the corner.
The two are too silent.
“What?” I challenge them.
“Well, I do declare, Melissa Jones. I believe you have fallen in love.” Tara swivels full circle in the chair, and Jillian gazes at me with a worried expression.
