“Yeah, Mariah texted me about that yesterday. She has a crush on one of her co-workers. He has a locker next to her at school, but she says he doesn’t know she exists.”
“Yay, high school. Don’t miss that.” Elsie put a swirl of syrup on her pancake and took a bite. So good. “Char, you should’ve been a chef.”
“No way. I’d have to work nights and weekends for the rest of my life. Plus, there’s no money in it.”
That was Charlotte. Ever practical.
Elsie set down her fork. “I was wondering something. When you asked if we needed money … Collin didn’t hire a lawyer for Lydia, did he?”
Charlotte gave her a puzzled look. “I thought you said everything was resolved.”
“It is. Never mind.” So Collin was not the mysterious benefactor. Elsie went back to her working theory that it was some eccentric contact Lydia had picked up in pursuit of an acting career. And that made Elsie about ninety percent less curious about it.
Charlotte’s phone chirped and she picked it up, her forehead wrinkling. “Catherine’s stopping by. She wants to inspect the dress I bought for a charity event we’re going to. I talked her into letting me pick it out, but it has to meet with her approval. You should’ve seen her go bonkers at Collin’s tuxedo fitting. She said a first tuxedo is a momentous occasion in a man’s life.”
“She’s inspecting the dress you’ll be wearing?”
“Uh-huh. Better scarf down your food and then we’ll go try it on. If I wait ‘til she gets here, she’ll follow me into my bedroom and criticize my underwear choices.”
Elsie choked on her bite of egg, trying not to laugh so she could clear her throat. “Can’t wait.”
They ate as fast as they could. Elsie helped Charlotte clean up, carrying everything to the kitchen where they rushed to wash the dishes and put away leftovers.
“How long do you think we have?” Elsie asked.
“About ten more minutes if traffic is bad. Let’s hope a bus breaks down in the middle of the road or something.”
Elsie followed her down the hall, and Charlotte pulled a garment bag out of the closet. She set it on the bed and unzipped, revealing a forest green satin ball gown.
Elsie sucked in a breath. “It’s gorgeous. I can’t believe you get to wear that.”
“Me neither. Just one of the perks of the job.”
And while being glamorous and hobnobbing with the rich and famous wasn’t something Elsie cared about, she could see why it would appeal to Charlotte. This dress was going to make Charlotte’s green eyes sparkle like emeralds.
There was an imperious knock at the door.
“Quick. Throw it over my head.” Charlotte peeled off her shirt and shimmied out of her expensive new jeans while Elsie picked up the dress and helped Charlotte into it. She zipped up the back as the knocking came again.
“Elsie, will you let her in? I’ll be out in a second.”
***
After running a few miles on the treadmill, Will took to the basketball court, shooting from the free throw line and running to retrieve his rebounds.
Gianna had been busy doing her physical therapy with Becky, but afterward, she came in and watched.
“Is Elsie returning to Meryton today?”
He turned and dribbled over to her, putting the ball away on the wire shelf against the wall. “Yes.”
“Then what’s your plan, Romeo?”
Will wiped the sweat from his forehead and threatened to wipe it on her.
She frowned at him, daring him with her eyes to do it. They both knew he wouldn’t.
“I’m only trying to help, Will.”
