Lainey leaned back in her chair, smiling so hard her cheeks hurt. She missed this. Just women being women.
Finally, one by one, the women yawned. Dani was the first to stand. “I’d better get home. Ryker is in charge of Jack and the baby. They were both sleeping when I left, but who knows now?”
Emelia gathered the wine bottles and brought them into the kitchen while Isabelle carried in the glasses and put them in the dishwasher.
“Thanks for letting us invade. Next time I’ll bring my lavender shortbread bars.”
“Holding you to it,” Lainey said.
“You survived your first surprise girls’ night,” said Joy. “Now you’re officially one of us.”
Lainey grinned. “I’ve always wanted to belong to a group of women.”
She followed them to the door, offering hugs and promises of getting together soon.
When the car lights disappeared down the street, she closed the door slowly and leaned back against it.
Finally, the house was quiet again.
Quiet in a good way, though. The air was filled with memories and traces of perfume. She brought the last of the crumpled napkins and cutting board into the kitchen. The small soapbox Isabelle gave her sat on the counter. She opened the box and laughed. Dragon Defender had a sticker of a small boy holding a sword, with a dragon breathing fire behind him against a giant. Luke was going to love it.
Then she picked up Looking for Love, wrapped in blush-toned tissue paper with gold stars scattered across. The tagline read: “Searching. Not settling.”
She smiled and set the soap down. Turned off the lights and headed upstairs. She peeked in on Luke, sound asleep with onefoot peeking out from under the blanket. She blew him a kiss and closed the door gently.
Finn’s name echoed in her mind. Along with Joy’s words.
Old friends, huh? Isn’t that code for “more than friends”?
Maybe it had been once.
But now? The truth was messier. Complicated. And hers to keep close for a little while longer.
CHAPTER 15
Lainey dressedand helped get Luke ready for the babysitter. School was just a couple of weeks away, and she was more than ready. And yet, it saddened her that Luke was growing up so fast.
They ate breakfast together, and Lainey smiled as he chattered away about all the adventures he and Zara were planning for the day.
“Ah, to be a kid again,” she murmured. No worries. No responsibility. Just fun.
“That’s wonderful, sweetheart,” she said as the doorbell rang. Zara.
“You be a good boy for Zara,” she said as the little boy jumped down from his seat and ran off to open the door.
Lainey followed, greeted Zara and returned to the kitchen to fill her to-go mug with coffee. She picked up her clipboard, purse, and car keys and then headed out to the site into a humid Florida morning.
The sky was gray, thick with clouds that promised an afternoon shower. She hoped it held off so the guys could get inside and work. Summers in Florida were unpredictable. One moment it was sunny; the next, a torrential downpour.
She turned the radio on, letting the music fill the car. She sang along to a couple of songs she knew.
Thoughts of the previous night drifted in, making her smile. The women had been so warm and welcoming. The evening was filled with laughter, shared stories, and an unexpected connection.
What exactly was this Brotherhood, she wondered. Lainey knew they provided security. She’d met Finn and Ryker and suspected Caleb might work for them as well. He had the look Finn and Ryker had. They’d been soldiers. She could see it in the way they moved, eyes that didn’t miss a thing. So did that mean everyone who came over last night was connected to them? Hmmm.
Regardless, she had new friends!
Feeling more optimistic than she had in a while, Lainey parked in her usual spot by the site, gathered everything, and walked toward her temporary office space. The building was still rough. Eventually, the building would be turned into offices, but right now she was the only one in it.
