“I’m off the market,” Elodie says. “So I plead the Fifth.”
“I didn’t realize you were seeing someone.” In school, she was always a quiet girl, but since she moved home, she’s been so private that it can be hard to converse with her.
“I’m not.” She leaves it at that.
Durban enters the room from the distillery. His dark gaze sweeps over the small crowd, touching on Edna’s impressive, colorful stack of skeins, to the table full of goodies that Elodie brought, and finally to us. His gaze warms when it lands on me and we share a secret smile.
From the amused look that Clem and Elodie exchange, maybe it’s not so secret.
I almost regret not wearing a dress, but there’s no wedding plans today. Just me patiently waiting for Durban to help me unwind. I threw on a loose pink blouse and some gray linen pants, but the heat in his eyes makes me feel like I’m wearing the lacy underwear he spared the other day.
Haven tosses him a rag and comes out from around the bar. “You ladies have a good evening.”
“Hot date?” Glory, one of Edna’s friends, asks.
“I just had it with all of you.” He executes a bow that looks elegant despite his jeans, cowboy boots, and plain black shirt.
A chorus of awws and laughter rings out.
“Take a few cookies,” Edna says.
“Don’t mind if I do.” Haven grabs a few and leaves.
We continue to crochet and chat. Durban keeps us filled on water and mocktails. We each had a drink when we first arrived and then switched to nonalcoholic stuff. One by one, the women take off.
Elodie, Clem, and I are gathering bags of yarn to haul out for Edna when Durban swoops in and lifts almost all of them in one hand.
“Oh, say.” Edna sighs wistfully. “There was a time I could do that.”
“Gotta let the rest of us shine once in a while.” He follows her out. Elodie’s the only one who snagged a bag, so she trails after him. If I walk out that door, my night is over and it’s only early evening.
“I can stay and help clean up.” Clem scoots chairs in.
“It’s your day off. Go home. I can do it.”
She hesitates. “I would feel guilty, but I think there’ssomething else you want to take care of.” Her gaze strays out the window, where Durban’s very fine ass is on display as he loads the back of Edna’s car.
“We’re colleagues.” If colleagues spread themselves out on the other’s desk.
“It’s best I stay out of my boss’s business.” She hitches her tote bag full of yarn and hooks it over her shoulder. “Even though I want to know it all.”
“There’s nothing to tell.” There’s so much to tell, but I have to keep it all to myself. I’m glad I’ve reconnected with the Palmer sisters since I’ve returned home. When I lost my job, my fiancé, and my best friend, I also got dropped by a ton of other friends. There weren’t enough threads connecting us to survive the severing of the other parts of my life.
Clementine and Elodie are two more reasons why I want to make it work at home. But I don’t quite trust them with the agreement between me and Durban. My job and reputation are on the line. So are his.
Or I just want a reason to keep us a secret, to have fewer people giving him their opinions about me, like all of Stanford’s friends and family did for him.
Durban enters and our gazes connect. Aware of Clem’s observations, I look away.
“Thanks for cutting me loose,” Clem says like she doesn’t notice. “See you next month, Campbell?”
I nod. “I think Edna’s down to make this a thing.”
Durban grabs some empty glasses. “I believe her words were ‘You could’ve rolled me in honey and tossed me into a hornet’s nest and I’d have still had a good time.’”
Clem’s grin is fond. “Nothing scares that woman except for taxes and sitting still. Have a good night.”
When she leaves, Durban doesn’t move. “You don’t have to help clean up.”
