“Really?” Farrah asked. “Well, I could sell it now, I guess. I just thought spring would be a better time.”
“What does Darren think of you moving to Burlington?” Aria batted her eyelashes and sipped her punch like she hadn’t just asked a loaded question.
“I’m not—we’re not dating anymore.”
“The whole town knows that,” Aria said, setting her cup on the counter. “But what does he think of it?”
“I don’t know.” Farrah glanced around, noting the sympathy in her friend’s eyes. “I don’t actually talk to him.”
“He owns the farm where you work,” Michelle said. “How do you avoid him?”
It was actually Darren who moved like a ninja around the farm. Farrah tried to find a reason not to tell these women anything. But she wanted them in her life, the same way she’d wanted to share all her secrets with Darren.
“I don’t know,” she said again. “He doesn’t come into the boutique while I’m there.”
“How do you get paid?” Aria asked.
“Direct deposit.”
“So you really don’t talk to him.” Aria wasn’t asking this time. She did seem sort of stunned though.
Farrah shook her head, her stomach starting to cramp from all the punch.
“But you will,” Michelle said. “When you’re ready to get back together with him.”
“Michelle,” Meredith warned.
“What? You don’t think they’ll get back together?” She looked at Meredith with challenge and then switched her gaze to Cheryl. “I’ve seen them together. Heck, we all have, right? They love each other.” She drained the last of her punch, and Farrah wondered if hers wasn’t spiked with something stronger than almond extract. “Of course they’ll get back together.”
“I…I think he’s probably moved on,” Farrah said. The words made her chest feel too small to house her heart. “I don’t think he’ll take me back.”
“Why not?” Meredith asked, her curiosity open now.
The door opened and Audra and Meagan entered. Farrah thought maybe she’d be saved from answering, but Hazel waved them over and said, “Farrah’s telling us about Darren.”
“No, I?—”
“He asked about you today,” Meagan said, cutting her off. She wore a glint of excitement in her eyes.
“What did he say?” Aria asked, as if Darren were her ex-boyfriend.
“He just wanted to know how you felt things were going in the boutique. I said you hadn’t mentioned anything one way or the other, and that I’d find out.”
Farrah didn’t like the weight of all the eyes that swiveled her way. “The boutique is fine.”
Audra rolled her eyes, and Farrah’s defenses shot up. “What? The boutiqueisfine. You’re there every day. Do I complain about anything?”
“Sure, the boutique is fine. You’re fine. Darren’sfine.” Audra set her purse down and reached for a cup. “But fine isn’t a great way to live.”
“That’s because you’re dating Sherwin,” Farrah said, cocking her own eyebrows.
The women rounded on Audra now. “You’re dating Sherwin?” Meagan practically screeched. “Sherwin Mayfair? Why didn’t I know this?”
A healthy blush crawled across Audra’s face. She looked at Farrah with murder and happiness in her eyes. “We—we’re not really dating.”
“I saw them kissing earlier this week,” Farrah said. “The thing about a greenhouse is there’s a lot of glass panels.” She laughed, along with a couple of the other women.
“Fine.” Audra lifted her chin. “I like Sherwin Mayfair, and we’re dating.”
