Chapter Thirteen
Nine Weeks Until the Divorce Is Finalized
The first time Marlee had taken Bert a cup of coffee, it’d been an accident. She’d unintentionally ordered a vanilla latte instead of a caramel latte, so she’d had an extra. Bert had been flying a sign on the corner and she’d offered the extra to him. He’d been so thrilled she swore she’d keep doing it. There was something about making him happy that made her happy. It was, after all, just a cup of coffee. Then his friends had started showing up, and she’d brought them coffee, too. Yes, she could’ve donated a boatload of money to a charity—and she did back when she had it—but doing it her way meant she also got to make friends. Got to see that a cup of coffee could make a difference in a person’s day.
Delivering flowers was no different. It brought about the same rush.
Kellie: Marlee’s too busy for us.
Becca: Because she’s married with a job, she’s practically a grown up.
Marlee: I love my job.
Sadie: I love that you love your job.
Marlee: I have deliveries. Chat when I’m done?
Becca: We’re here.
Marlee: Pocket friends are the best.
Kellie: Go get ’em, girl.
“I’m going to run this batch over to the museum.” Marlee boxed up the delivery she’d prepared. Jase’s delivery driver, Ethan, was gone that afternoon, so Marlee was on delivery duty. And. She. Loved. It.
Delivering flowers made people happy. Which meant it made her happy. Which meant everyone was happy and she loved her job.
Which sucked, because Eli wasn’t thrilled about her job. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to. After a month of living together, it seemed they knew each other better than she and Scotty had after ten years.
He brought her food when she was working, and they still saw each other in the evenings. He was so funny about everything. Half the time, he grumbled and avoided her. The other half, he was bringing her food and checking on her.
“Vait,” Jase’s grandmother, Babushka, hollered from the back room. “Vait for me.”
Jase’s grandmother was Russian to the core. Marlee’s grandmother had been prim and proper and loved Marlee with all her heart. Jase’s grandmother was not prim and proper. With her strong opinions, thick accent, and eccentric style—Marlee had no idea there were that many shades of lime green or that you could get flip-flops in pink or a manicure to match—Babushka was a total kick in the pants. The woman was pushing ninety and made Marlee smile all day long. That wasn’t even an exaggeration. Babushka was crazy and awesome, and Marlee loved spending time with her. Well, when Babushka was at the shop. She wasn’t always at the shop. She lived at the retirement community up the block, so she spent a lot of time there. Although, she’d been stopping by more frequently as of late.
“You’re coming?” Marlee asked.
“Of course, no von gives me great-grandbabies. I have nothing to do. I’m not staying around here to rot.” Babushka shuffled to the back exit with Marlee in her wake, lugging the box.
Marlee definitely didn’t want to leave her there to rot.
“You’ll drive,” Babushka said.
Marlee would have to, seeing as how Babushka had no driver’s license and Heather had shared the story of Babushka totaling Heather’s cookie delivery van in an effort to push Jase and Heather together.
“Lothario, come.” Babushka snapped her fingers.
Lothario trotted along beside her.
Eli had officially been replaced as his favorite. And he had yet to hump any part of Babushka or her clothing. Marlee had a theory about that: Lothario and Babushka were kindred spirits of sorts—Babushka had two boyfriends and Lothario had an affinity for Eli’s shoes, Scotty’s sweaters, and Jase’s vases. Lothario and Babushka understood each other on some deep level.
“I’m stealing your grandmother,” Marlee yelled to Jase.
“Are you stealing her or is she stealing you?” Jase yelled back.
Er.
“I’m not really sure,” Marlee replied.
