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Harper snorted. “You calling my man an attention whore?” She stuck her hands on her hips and mock glared.
“No,” Brooke said with a glare. “I would never. He’s so shy and hates the spotlight.”
The group of them broke out in giggles right there in the meat department of their local grocery store.
They were nuts.
Kelsie vowed then that she’d enjoy the day and stop obsessing over Ty and why he left. If it were her fault, solving that mystery wouldn’t make him return faster. She’d come to the store with the ladies, who were quickly becoming her close friends, and they were shopping for an extravagant barbeque at the clubhouse. If there was ever a time to enjoy life, it was now.
Who knew when the next shoe would drop?
So, instead of prolonging the discussion, she turned to Brenna. “Did we think about dessert?”
“Oh, we did not,” Brenna responded. “Good call.” She grabbed Kelsie and Liv’s hands before speaking to the others. “The three of us will run next door to that cookie place and buy them out while you gals get the rest of the stuff.”
“Yesss,” Jo said, rubbing her hands together. “That place is the shit. Get like ten of every flavor.”
“Will do.” Brenna hauled them off, not that Kelsie and Liv needed much encouragement to join her.
“What cookie place is next door?” she asked as they exited the building. They flanked her, each taking a side in an unspoken agreement to keep people—men—from getting too close. Liv shot lasers at any man who so much as glanced in their direction. Kelsie couldn’t say she felt at ease, but there was strength in numbers, and so far, she’d handled the outing well. Later, she’d probably collapse from the exhaustion of being on alert and tense, but she could handle it.
“It’s called Dough My Goodness. Have you had them?” Liv asked.
“I haven’t.”
“Girl, you are in for a treat. They are the best cookies I’ve ever had. Before I met Spec, I’d go so far as to say they were better than sex, but now…” Liv shrugged with a twinkle in her eye.
Barking out a laugh, Brenna said, “I’d have to agree with you. We’ll say they’re better than sex with anyone besides our men. Maybe you’ll get a chance to find out.” She elbowed Kelsie as she winked.
“Me?” Kelsie said with a snort. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh, I think she’s talking about a very handsome older man named Ty,” Liv said in a sing-song tone, nearly skipping in her damn fancy heels.
Ty? Did they know she’d kissed him? Her face heated. “What? I, uh, I mean, um—”
The women laughed. “Yeah, that’s what we thought,” Brenna said with a giddy grin.
Kelsie stopped walking, making the other two halt as well. “Look, even if I was interested in him, which I’m not,” she rushed to add, though they both looked at her like they didn’t believe a word out of her mouth. “Pretty sure it’s a bad sign if a man flees a city to escape you.”
“Or, he wants you too much, and it’s fucking with his head.” Liv linked her arm with Kelsie’s and tugged her along.
Wanted her too much?
No way. That was insane. She frowned.
Wasn’t it?
“C’mon.” Liv shook her arm. “No more man talk. Only cookie talk. You need to get the right mindset to pick out which cookies you want. This is important business.”
Kelsie laughed. “I thought we were buying all the cookies.”
“Huh, you’re right.” Liv grinned wide, showing off her perfectly straight and gleaming white teeth. “Doesn’t change anything. For the next ten minutes, all you are allowed to think about is sugar and fat.”
God, these women made life fun. When had she laughed so much? When was the last time she rode the wave of life’s simple pleasures?
So long ago, she didn’t remember specifics.
Each of the Handlers’ women seemed to genuinely enjoy her company. They weren’t fake and wouldn’t put on airs if they didn’t like her. The warm feeling of authentic friendship was one she hadn’t experienced in ages, maybe ever. Growing up, she’d always had to wonder if friends only wanted to be around her because of her influential family. The ones she decided might want to be her friend often ended up on the wrong side of her father’s business schemes and scams. These days, Kelsie kept to herself in her quest to keep off her family’s radar and protect innocents. That meant becoming a homebody even when the loneliness became unbearable. But today, she didn’t need to worry about any of that.
