“You have the best friends, my dear.” Evelyn patted the blanket beside her, indicating it was time for Rachel to sit. “Who would’ve expected that?”
“Can I offer you a margarita?” Molly chimed in.
“Or any non-binding legal advice?” Sadie offered with a laugh as baby Luke grabbed Evelyn’s pearls and shoved them in his mouth.
“Yes on the margarita,” Evelyn said in her thick drawl. “That answer is always yes.” Evelyn then caught Rachel’s gaze and trapped it with her own. “I’m not in need of any non-binding legal advice presently, but I’ll keep you posted.”
“What did you want to talk about for the trip?” Rachel sat back down, giving a bit of space between her and her former mother-in-law.
“I’ve already directed the staff to set up an office for you,” Evelyn announced. “Bob used to work all the time when our children were smaller. Dave still does.The work ethic is wonderful, isn’t it? So I suppose it’s to be expected that you can’t take time away for family.”
Don’t engage, Rachel. Don’t engage.Not when she’d used all of her built-up frustration engaging with Evelyn yesterday.
“A real office will be significantly better than your cubby at home,” Molly said, all perky like this was a good thing and Evelyn hadn’t just built Rachel up and put her down in the same sentence.“Or Starbucks.”
“We have a cappuccino maker,” Evelyn assured, as though this was one of the reasons Rachel would want to attend. “But if you have any special requests for espresso brands, let me know. I’ll ensure they’re provided. And skim milk, of course.”
Well, that was nice. Rachel did enjoy espresso. She tended to live on caffeine lately. She also preferred her milk of the whole variety.
“Anything else?” Rachel asked.
Evelyn held the baby with one arm and the margarita with her other. “We just want to be sure that nothing comes up to change your mind about joining us.”
“I already said I’d go.” Rachel sipped from her cup. “You can stop selling it now.”
“Consider it done.” Evelyn took a cautionary sip from her travel mug. “This is wonderful.”
“Isn’t it though?” Molly said.
“Have a sample,” Sadie handed an extra gift bag of Kaiya’s samples to Evelyn.
“How’d you get two?” Molly’s forehead scrunched.
“I guess Kaiya trusted me to give it out for her.” Sadie’s eyes glimmered.
Molly huffed, because they all knew—even Molly—that if she’d been given two, she’d probably have used both.
Evelyn pulled open the bow on the bag and pulled out a sample bottle. “I just love mint.”
“I’ve never tried that one,” Rachel said as Evelyn opened the bottle to give a good sniff. “I got lavender. It’s my favorite.”
And, come to think of it, nearly every time she got a sample from Kaiya it came with a lavender bottle. She glanced to where Kaiya was helping her daughter across the monkey bars. Huh.
“Oh, lavender is my favorite, too.” Evelyn held out the mint bottle and did a quick swap to try the other.
Rachel gave the mint a go and…oh, it was lovely. Not lavender lovely, but still nice.
“Skin care samples, toaster tarts, margaritas, and friends,” Molly said on a sigh. “The perfect Sunday morning.”
Evelyn popped the entire lid off her cup and peered inside. “I didn’t know margaritas would taste so good this early in the day.”
“Travis made them,” Molly the-freaking-traitor announced without giving any thought to present company.
“Travis brought you drinks?” Evelyn eyed Molly, clearly surprised. “I didn’t realize you two were close.” That last part held a subtle note of concern.
Shit.
Molly’s eyes widened at Evelyn’s tone. Evelyn’s not-sure-I-like-this mama-bear tone. Rachel had a similar version she used when Brady had brought a frog to live in their shower and neglected to mention it to her until she went to clean the shower and found a giant bullfrog lapping up water from the drain plug.
