1
AUTUMN
BUZZ BUZZ
“If I never have to fly into LaGuardia again, it will be a damn good day,” Wander said with a huff as she plopped onto the bench across from me. She stole a tortilla chip from the basket between us. “Where’s Whitney?”
“Present!” Whitney called as she hurried out of the bathroom of the little Mexican restaurant. She slid into the booth beside Wander. “How was your flight?”
“Pros of living in North Carolina: Jack.” She beamed from ear to ear, but her expression quickly shifted to a deadpan stare. “Cons of living in North Carolina. Only two major airports, and neither is near Cedar Island.”
“To be fair, nothing is near Cedar Island,” I said as I grabbed a chip and scooped a healthy heaping of salsa onto it.
Wander yawned. “I want my bed.”
“I’m just glad to see you guys,” Whitney said, giving a pointed glance at Wander. “Especially aftersomeonetried to quit.”
Wander held her hands up defensively. Her wedding ring glinted in the light. “I’m back. You can thank Jack for that. Andthe fact that you guys flew across the country to keep me from quitting.”
I shuddered at the memory of taking a spur-of-the-moment flight to North Carolina when Wander was having an early midlife crisis. I hated flying, but I’d do it in a heartbeat for her.
“I wouldn’t give two shits if you quit writing,” I clarified. "But you tried to quitus.That’s a dick move.”
Whitney nodded emphatically as she stuffed her mouth full of salsa. “By the way, I love the hair, Willow.”
“You look like cotton candy,” Wander said.
I fluffed my pale pink curls. “It was a good change from dark purple.”
The server appeared with a drink the size of my head and dropped it in front of me. “Your rosé-arita on the rocks.” He turned to Wander and Whitney. “What can I get for you lovely ladies?”
“Peach margarita on the rocks, please,” Wander said.
Whitney blushed. “Water with lime for me.”
As the server disappeared, I pulled the small bottle of rosé from my glass to pour it into the lime margarita. “What the hell, Whit? We always have margaritas together. It’s like...sacred.”
Wander, Whitney, and I rarely saw each other. We crossed paths a few times a year at publishing conferences and book signings, but that was about it.
Such is the life of an author.
But our digital friendship kept us connected even when the miles between Rhode Island, North Carolina, and wherever the hell I was living at the time separated us.
Whitney chewed on her lip. “I’m actually not drinking.”
Wander lifted her eyebrows, then glanced at me to see if we were thinking the same thing.
Whitney reached into her bag and pulled out two small boxes, handing one to each of us.
Wander and I tore into them like feral animals. I was not one to be shy about opening presents.
“Oh my God!" Wander shrieked when she popped the top.
I opened mine and quickly read the beaded friendship bracelet.
Best Aunt Ever.
“Holy shit!” I said, as I took it out of the box and wiggled it on my wrist. “You’re pregnant?!”
