“You mean like Marcus?”
Laurel sighed loudly. “I know Marcus isn’t interested in me, Riva. He’s just been a gentleman, polite and kind. Windy straightened me out on that one. And if it’s any consolation to you, I’m done making myself a fool over him.” She glumly shook her head. “I can’t believe how juvenile I’ve been ... and toward you too.” She looked into Riva’s eyes. “I’m so sorry.”
Riva hugged her. “No worries, sweetie. I think we’ve all been getting used to living in a houseful of females.”
“Kind of like a boatful of fools?”
“Maybe a little.” Riva waved at Windy and Marcus who were walking around the side yard toward them.
“Windy is willing to join us,” Marcus said.
“I’m not too sure how helpful I’ll be with an intervention,” Windy admitted, “but maybe I can offer some friendly persuasion.”
“You be good cop and I’ll be bad cop,” Laurel teased.
“I think we should all be good cop,” Riva said. “At least to start with. And if anyone needs to get tough, I guess it should be me.”
“With backup,” Marcus told her.
“Okay, team,” Riva said. “Ready?”
“We’ll beard the lioness in her den,” Laurel joked.
“I never understood that saying,” Riva admitted as they went inside. “A lion already has a beard.”
“I think it just means to face them on their own turf,” Marcus said as they stood in the foyer.
“We’re the fearsome foursome,” Laurel declared. “Let’s do this!”
Marcus blocked the stairs. “Would anyone object if I said a brief prayer before we go up?” The women agreed and he quickly asked for God’s grace and help and direction. “Most of all, we ask that you make us vessels to pour out your love,” he said finally. They all echoed his amen.
As they went up the stairs, Riva saw Marcus in a whole new light. He truly was a good man, and she was grateful for his friendship ... and maybe even something more. But it was something she couldn’t really wrap her head around at the moment or maybe she didn’t want to.
Kitty’s initial shock over being invaded by the “fearsome foursome” turned into anger. Instead of reacting to it, the four surrounded her bed and took turns encouraging her to take the challenge and reinvent herself.
“Your party-girl lifestyle isn’t working for you,” Windy said gently.
“And it will work even less as you get older,” Marcus added.
Laurel crossed her arms across her chest. “And like it or not, we’re all getting older.”
“This is your chance to start over,” Riva told her. “Doesn’t a fresh start sound appealing?”
Kitty shrugged.
“When Marcus and I visited Danny today, I was blown away by how great his farm looked.” Riva sat on the edge of the bed and pulled out her phone. “We’re not suggesting you get back with him, but we are encouraging you to at least talk to him.”
“What did you think of him?” Kitty asked Marcus.
“I like him. And I really like his farm.”
Riva showed Kitty photos and watched her expressions as she flipped through the shots.
“I guess it’s not as bad as I thought,” Kitty conceded.
“I think you’ll find Danny is changed too,” Marcus told her. “He seems to be taking his sobriety very seriously.”
“In fact, that’s the one condition Danny mentioned,” Riva said. “He won’t get back with you if you’re still drinking.”
