“Awww, a child who loves reading. I love that,” Daisy says.
The shop smells like cinnamon and books, and the room we’re meeting in is filled with cozy chairs and loveseats all centered around a large coffee table. A row of low bookcases lines one wall and a window looks out toward the back yard.
The women all chat like old friends do, easy and bright, their words practically flowing on top of one another. There’s this sense of sisterhood in the way they touch one another’s arms or laugh in unison. Greyson’s words sound in my head. I hear his voice saying,Those women are solid.
I stand off to the side of the room, not needing to sayanything just yet. Unsure what I would say if I had to talk. I wonder if Mia felt like this her first day of school. If she did, she never mentioned it.
“Help yourself to snacks and something to drink,” Emberleigh says, stepping up next to me.
I’m about to say no thanks when I realize the “snacks” are straight from Syd and Emberleigh’s bakery, so I grab a plate and take a pastry. Then I glance around the room trying to figure out where I should sit.
“Come sit here,” Winona says, pointing to an open chair. “I want you next to me.”
“I was saving a spot for her over here,” Cass says, patting the cushion on the loveseat.
“Well, I asked first,” Winona says.
“Ladies!” Daisy says. “Hallie won’t want to come back if she sees how crazy we really are on her first day with us.” Then Daisy looks at me. “We promise we’re mostly normal.”
I walk toward the chair next to Winona, giving Cass a smile. She smiles back.
“We’ve been readingA Lifetime of Tuesdays,” Daisy tells me. “But don’t worry, half of us haven’t kept up with the reading over the past few weeks. We’re not strict.”
Winona laughs, covering her mouth and talking around the bite she just took. “We’re the opposite of strict. We mostly meet for the chance to hang out and eat and laugh.”
“And the books,” Daisy adds.
“And the books,” Winona agrees.
Cass gets the ball rolling, sharing something about the book and then everyone discusses their thoughts for a while. But the conversation eventually drifts to our personal lives too.
“So,” Daisy says. “Patrick’s been very impressed with you.”
“With me?” I ask.
“Yes. Doesn’t he tell you?” Daisy asks.
“I think there’s an unspoken rule that you don’t compliment the rookie.”
I think about Greyson and the night Dustin caught us and called it a rookie training thing. My cheeks heat. If I knew these women better, I’m guessing I’d be confiding in them about Greyson—maybe even sharing that story.
“I hope the guys haven’t been too hard on you,” Carli says.
“Not too hard. I have toilet duty, but that’s sort of expected of rookies everywhere. They did pull a few pranks.” I pause. “That’s when I knew I was officially accepted as one of the guys.”
“One of the guys,” Cass says. “You’re so much better than one of the guys. You’re a female firefighter. I admire that more than I can say.”
“Thanks.”
The women insist I tell them about each of the pranks and we all end up laughing together.
“Dustin’s got a gig coming up,” Emberleigh says as we’re wrapping up our time, clearing trash and tidying the room.
“A gig?”
“Didn’t you know?” she asks.
“He plays music?”
