Colette rounded the counter and leaned against it. “You should tell them.”
“Believe me, it wouldn’t be the weirdest secret someone has kept in our group,” Maggie said with a forced grin. “Besides, who wants the sad divorced lady at their bachelorette party? Isn’t that all about?—”
“Being single and celebrating it?” Colette said. “Which is why a joint bachelorette party is so weird to me.”
“God, you are so straight sometimes,” Maggie said, shaking her head.
Colette laughed and gave her a strange look, but again, didn’t say anything.
She spent the next few hours rearranging displays, swapping out a set of ochre throw pillows a customer had ordered online and staging a new “eccentric kitchen essentials” shelf featuring a charcuterie board in the shape of a middle finger.
After, she slipped out the back door and into the hot afternoon air, letting it press against her like a warm wall. Her car was waiting in the small lot behind the shop, already baking. She climbed in, started the engine, and turned the AC on full blast. Then she hit the call button. Colette was right. She had to just be honest with her friends.
“Well, hello,” came Kiera’s cheerful answer. “I know what you’re going to ask, and yes, the penis straws have already been ordered.”
“Perfect. I’d expect nothing less.” Maggie smiled butdidn’t respond right away. Her eyes were on the traffic, but her thoughts were somewhere else entirely.
“You okay?” Kiera asked, softer now.
“Yeah,” Maggie said, too fast. “Excited for a weekend of debauchery, obviously.” The trip was coming up quick — just over a week and a half away.
“Uh-huh.” Kiera didn’t push, but Maggie could practically hear her raised eyebrow through the phone.
This was it. This was the moment she could tell Kiera. Her mouth went dry, and she drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. “Sorry, I’ve been swamped with the shop,” Maggie added.
“How can you be swamped with a volunteer job in a shop you don’t own?” Kiera asked with a laugh.
“I have never half-assed anything,” Maggie said.
“Nope. Full-ass Maggie.”
“Coincidentally, that was also my nickname in high school.”
“You’re ridiculous,” Kiera said.
Maggie swallowed again. Her courage was fading fast. “Anyway, I’ll be there for the trip. Just let me know what you need.”
“Expect chaos. Possibly matching jumpsuits.”
Maggie winced. “If I end up on TikTok, I’m suing.”
“No promises,” Kiera said. “Wanna FaceTime later tonight and go over the last of the details?”
“Sure. I miss your gorgeous smile,” Maggie said. Maybe she’d be braver tonight. Maybe she’d have a glass of wine and practice what she was going to say in the mirror.
“Sure. Izzy would love that, too. Maybe we can nail down the last of the details. I have a spreadsheet that could rival Danica’s.”
“Feel free to keep that to yourself,” Maggie said. “Okay, talk later?”
“Love you, Mags.”
Maggie hesitated, then said, “Love you too.”
She hung up and let her hand linger on the phone. Then she turned onto the access road toward the kids’ school and let herself slip comfortably back into mom mode.
CHAPTER 2
Gwen
