“I’m jealous,” Nicki said with a grin. “Autumn’s never photographed my shop.” She turned to Lainey. “I own Petals to Go. And while I’d like to think flowers are relaxing, try making arrangements and dealing with an indecisive bride, her crying mother and an interfering mother-in-law, who each have an opinion.”
Lainey laughed. “Florist drama. Who knew?”
“Well, try dealing with twenty tween-agers,” said Joy. “Half of the girls in my class are making goo-goo eyes at the boys. The boys are launching rubber bands at the girls and laughing when they scream.”
“So that’s what I have to look forward to, huh?” quipped Lainey. “Maybe I’ll just homeschool. You know, add it to myever-growing list of items I’ll never accomplish unless I clone myself.”
They all cracked up.
Lainey leaned back in her seat. Being here with old and new friends, cold drinks and conversation was exactly what she didn’t know she needed.
The girls finished their drinks and ordered another, plus some snacks—zucchini fries with a lemon aioli and a charcuterie board. No one wanted to get drunk.
They were laughing about a horror story Mia had just finished telling them, about the wedding where the groom was drunk and fell into the cake, when Autumn leaned over, eyes gleaming.
“So, Lainey, you’re not just here for drinks and war stories, are you?”
Lainey blinked. “What do you mean?”
Autumn tilted her head toward the bar. “That.”
The entire table turned.
Lainey followed their gaze, and her stomach dipped. A group of men was laughing at the bar, ordering drinks, watching the game on the overhead TV.
Finn stood out immediately.
He was dressed in jeans, a black tee stretched across his broad shoulders, and with a beer in one hand, looking all sexy and hot.
“Oh, that’s just Finn,” Lainey said casually.
Nicki giggled. “Just Finn?”
Lainey shrugged. “I’ve known him forever. We went to school together. Long time ago. All ancient history.”
“Hmmm,” Autumn murmured into her glass. “Ancient history is looking mighty sexy.”
“Seriously,” Mallory added. “The whole group there. All hot.”
“Hey, hey,” Isabelle called out. “No eyeballing Will or Colt. Everyone else is fair game.”
“And Austin,” Joy added. “He’s happily married.”
“Okay then. We’ve got a firefighter—married.” Nicki ticked off her fingers. “Two security guys—spoken for. That leaves the rest of the security guys and a deputy.” She stared at Lainey. “So, Finn is a…?”
“Ex-SEAL and security contractor,” Lainey muttered. “He also does construction.”
Mia leaned forward. “So, tell us more about this ex-SEAL, security expert slash construction worker.”
Lainey bit back the urge to say,so tell me about Caleb and why you’re avoiding him,but she didn’t. This was all in fun. Mostly.
“Nothing worth telling.” She took a sip of her drink, ignoring her cheeks heating up. She focused on her drink. How cold the glass felt in her hand. How the sugared rim sparkled under the lights. And that wedge of lime? A perfect foil for the white drink.
Autumn snorted. “Riiight.”
The table burst into laughter again, and Lainey let herself laugh too.
That was until she glanced back at the bar.
