That damn blush came back, giving me away.
Denise spoke up before I could find my words. “Didn’t I notice you sneaking in the back earlier? Or did I see it wrong?”
Lennix’s eyes bugged out with excitement. “What was she wearing?” she asked my manager, not even bothering to hide her nosiness.
“Um, a pink sweater, I think.”
My friend sucked in a gasp so big, I was surprised she didn’t suck all the air out of the building. “A pink sweater, you say?” She slowly swiveled her head in my direction, a Joker-style grin on her face.
The door opened again, setting the bell off. “Oh good, you’re here!” My sisters Sunny and Gypsy came rushing in with more of my friends on their heels. Naomi skipped in, followed by Rae, who was preceded by her baby bump that seemed to be getting bigger by the day.
I rolled my eyes at the ceiling on a laugh. I should have expected they wouldn’t wait for me to come to them. I wouldn’t have been surprised if the entire town already knew about my date.
“You guys are just in time,” Lennix said with a grin like the cat who just had an entire bowlful of cream. “Holly was just about to tell us why Denise caught her sneaking in the back this morning in the same clothes we helped her pick outyesterday.”
My friends and family all made sounds of shock that more accurately belonged in a telenovela. “All right, all right. No need for pearl clutching. We’re all adults here.”
“Ooh, you little hussy!” Naomi squealed, skipping up to me and bumping her shoulder against mine. “Got you some!”
Rae plopped down in the plush chair closest to the register, propping her feet up on the matching ottoman. She fished around in her giant purse and pulled out a gallon-sized plastic bag filled to the top with her current pregnancy craving, chocolate covered raisins. Reaching inside, she snatched up a handful and stuffed them in her mouth. “How was the sex?” she asked, the words coming out a garbled mess around the wad of candy she was chewing.
“Yes, that.” Lennix snapped her finger and pointed at her sister-in-law. “That’s what I want to know.”
I let out a snort, sure they were joking, but when my humor was met with silence and eager expressions, I realized I was not getting out of it. “I don’t suppose you guys would let me get away with saying a lady doesn’t kiss and tell?”
Gypsy blew out an exaggerated raspberry. “Not a chance.”
“I’m not discussing my sex life with my big sister.”
“So youdidhave sex,” Naomi crowed victoriously.
My blush was so fierce I thought my entire body was about to go up in flames. “You really are pains in my ass,” I grumbled. “We did. And it was the best I’ve ever had.”
They lit up in a flurry of squeals. Their excitement for me was contagious, and I couldn’t have fought down my giddy smile and girly giggle if I’d wanted to.
“Oh, honey. I’m so happy for you.” Gypsy’s arms rounded into me and squeezed tightly.
“You’re happy for me that I had good sex?” I asked with an incredulous laugh.
“I’m open-minded. Still, I raised you, so I can do without any details. But that’s not what I meant. What I’m happy about is that you met a man who treated you so well you’re lit up like a Christmas tree right now. You look happy.”
My brows pinched together in confusion and my head tipped to the side. “Gypsy, Iamhappy.”
Her eyes skipped across my face like she was taking every inch of it in, studying me for any signs I wasn’t being completely truthful. “I know,” she said softly. “I know you’re happy. But this is different. You never lit up with any of those other guys. You’d be excited and hopeful, but afterward, a little of that would be dimmed, like you were settling because some expectations hadn’t been met. You had that look last night, and today you could usher ships to land in the dark.”
It felt like a million butterflies were fluttering around in my belly. She was right, and I hadn’t realized I did that. “He was amazing,” I admitted quietly, so only she could hear while our friends carried on conversations around us. “It wasn’t the sex, Gypsy. Well, notjustthat.” A teasing smile pulled at my lips. “Because,oh my god! But it was so much more than that. After watching me make my coffee this morning only one time, hemade me a second cup exactly how I preferred it. And do you know what he planned for our date?” She shook her head, her eyes glittering and happy. “He took me to theinsanecabin that’s actually more of a mansion that he’s renting and made dinner for me. Because he recalled when I mentioned how exhausting it was, running the shop day in and day out, and he wanted me to be comfortable.”
“Wow.” Gypsy and I turned to see we’d gathered the attention of the rest of the group. It was Denise who’d made that declaration, her jaw hinged open as she gaped at us. “Nowthat’sa man.”
“Right?” Naomi lifted a hand and fanned her face. “Good lord. He looks like thatandcooks?”
“Like he’s a classically trained chef,” I replied just to throw gasoline on the fire. “And because he wasn’t sure what I liked or if I had food allergies, he bought the stuff for two different dishes.”
Lennix leaned farther into the counter. The ladies were waiting with bated breath for all the tea. “Shrimp with pasta that he made from scratch.”
“You lucky bitch!” Naomi yelped. “God, I’d hate you if you weren’t such an amazing person who deserves to be treated like a goddess.”
I let out a laugh, my chest expanding and rising with happiness. “All right, you got what you wanted—minus the details.” I pointed directly at Lennix, her bottom lip coming out in a pout. “Still, it was a first date.Andhe’s only here on vacation. You guys need to remember that.”
