Wait.
What?
Adam was volunteering?
Oh no! This wasn’t a good idea.
There was no way I could work that closely with Adam. It would require spending a lot of time together and constant communication. The saliva grew thick in my mouth as I tried to swallow.
I could barely even speak to the man without getting tonguetied—unless I was scolding him, apparently. Not only that, but wherever Adam went, enormous groups of people immediately seemed to gravitate. That was the opposite of what I wanted.
I rolled my anxiety ring and pursed my lips.
I had no other volunteers, and I really couldn’t do this by myself. I bit my bottom lip and went back to my inbox. Maybe I missed an email from another parent volunteer?
I scrolled through twice.
Nothing.
I picked up my phone and texted Rose and Marissa. My besties always came through in a crisis.
Faith:So, remember that meeting I had with a parent before the break?
I had told them about the meeting with Adam but had left out names. I never wanted to start a rumor about anyone. I learned back in New York how hurtful words and gossip could be, and I wanted to err on the side of caution now.
Rose: You mean the one you let past-mama-drama enter the convo and had you baking all Thanksgiving break?(eye-roll emoji)
Marissa: I still can’t believe you wouldn’t tell us who it was with.
Rose: Right? And I don’t buy the excuse that you were worried I might retaliate.
I smiled. I loved our Three Musketeers trio. The Rose threat wasn’t far off either. I took the blame, but Rose was still ready to go fight my battles. That she owned the only salon for thirty miles meant she could start a rumor fire quickly and do some serious damage. She wouldn’t without my permission, but still.
I felt like names were necessary now for them to understand the situation.
Faith: Yep…well… It was Coach Peters, and he also just volunteered to help the class for the business fair…to apologize and spend time with Danny.
Rose: Hunky Peters!!! Girl, you are going to get one-on-one time with him! (flame emoji) Lucky! He’d better be nice though.
Marissa: At least you finally got a volunteer? I’m so sorry about the anxiety spike over Thanksgiving. No fun! We should do a girls’ night.
Marissa had always been a bit more level headed than Rose, not that that was saying much.
Rose: A hot, muscly volunteer. He could just pick you up if you need to hang signs above 5 ft.
Faith: Ha ha…
She wasn’t wrong. At barely taller than five feet—without heels—I always had a step stool handy.
Marissa: Want to come over for ice cream so we can discuss the plan of attack? I will grab Ben & Jerry’s.
The B&B Marissa was running with her hubby Scott had become a great place when we needed to meet up and didn’t want the audience and eavesdroppers that came with eating out in this small town.
Faith: Cherry Chocolate, please
Rose: Cookie Dough
Marissa: Got it! See you ladies tonight. 6?
