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“If y’all could make yourself useful and shut my door on your way out, I’d appreciate it.” She picked up the basket and cut each of us down with a single look. “Maybe I’ll let you come around to apologize in a week or so, but even then it won’t be to listen. That’s how it’s done, right?”
“Listen—” Remy stood next to me and found himself cut off, too.
“Bye, y’all.” She cocked her hip out as she watched us and there was something so powerful in her stance, in the way she carried our baby, that I wanted to drop to my knees and beg her to listen to me. “Don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya.”
One by one we filed out of her house and before I could turn around to close the door, it slammed shut. The sound of the lock engaging was just icing on the cake.
Remy looked at me and then at Wells. “What the fuck women was she talking about?”
Wells let out a relieved breath. “Thank fuck. I had no clue, but I was worried one of you had done something stupid.”
I glared at him. “You think I might’ve had three women come to our gate and apparently flash their tits? Are you insane?”
“Let’s go.” Remy looked back at the little house and frowned. “We’ll figure it out. We’ll figure out how to fix this, too. First, we have some messes to clean up.”
63.
***Wells***
Iheldmyphonebetween my ear and shoulder as I finished the last brush stroke of my painting. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I heard you right. What did you say?”
Tony from Golden Flowers seemed more than a little put out. “The lady opened the door, saw the flowers, screeched at me, and invited me in for a glass of sweet tea. She’s great. Sure did make me dislike you guys, though. Did you really invite three birds over right after she told you she loved you?”
I dropped my phone into my can of paint thinner and went to find Remy and Boone. They were both looking out the window and jumped when I asked what they were doing.
“Come look at this.” Boone waved me over and pointed down below on the back patio. “She’s insane. But hot when she looks a little unhinged.”
I looked down and saw Memphis using several large bouquets of flowers to make something on the stone. “What’s she doing?”
We all watched as she worked and when she stepped back to reveal she’d arranged the flowers in the shape of a hand flipping the middle finger, I let out a bark of laughter. “So hot. I know she didn’t go to art school, but that’s pretty artistic.”
Remy grunted and sat back in his chair. “So much for flowers working.”
Boone dusted off his hands before shoving them into his pockets. “It was only phase one. And she’s engaging with us. That’s a good sign. I think.”
“Something will work.” I watched as she walked back towards her house, holding her back like it hurt. “Does she need to see Braddock?”
“I already called. He said pregnancy hurts and of course she’s holding her back.” Remy tapped his fingers on his desk. “Tomorrow will work. I’m adding in this belly band thing that’s supposed to help her back.”
Only when tomorrow came we were once again gathered at his window as Memphis stacked the boxes of gifts and very purposefully set a bottle of lighter fluid and matches next to the pile. It was impactful, to say the least.
“She needed that belly band. Dammit.” Remy watched the window until she was out of sight and then moved back to his desk. “Okay, so gifts didn’t work.”
“She’s going to take that belly band. She’s still walking funny.” I shook my head in frustration. “I’ll be right back. Or she’ll murder me. Either way, just move on without me.”
I had to stop at the stairs and go back to his office to ask what a belly band looked like, but after that I was on my way to battle. That’s what it felt like anyway. I found the band thing in the pile and marched the way to her house. I knocked once on her door and then pushed it open. She looked up from her seat on the couch with fire in her eyes, but I cut her off before she could kick me out.
“Remy ordered this for you because we can all see you walking around here, holding your back like someone’s grandmother. It’s supposed to help by holding your belly, or something. You’re going to put it on and wear it or I’m going to put it on for you. You’re not hurting anyone but yourself by not using this.”
She narrowed her eyes at me and seconds went by in silence before she stood up and grabbed the band from me. “I wanted to keep it anyway.”
“You’re welcome.” I turned and went back to the house, my heart pounding. She was somehow more and more beautiful every day. Her bump was getting bigger and I missed touching it. It wasn’t easy to walk away from her but I knew it was a process.
Remy and Boone were waiting for me on the back patio. They saw that I didn’t have the band and Remy grinned. “You did it.”
“I’m going to lose my mind if she doesn’t talk to us soon. She’s stunning and we’re missing it all being this far away.” I looked back down the path. “I say we move up the baby furniture.”
Boone shrugged. “I’m tired of waiting, too.”
