“She likes my mom. Call her next time,” Isabella said.
“Your mama is a saint. She’s already watched the kids once this week.”
“And she’d be glad to do it again.” Isabella smiled.
Kelsey kissed Charlotte on the head. “Thankfully, my in-laws are coming to my rescue—once again.” These days, Ricky’s parents spent nearly as much time with the kids as she did.
“You better plan ahead and ask them early to babysit on Halloween,” Isabella said.
“Already done. While the grandparents take the kids trick-or-treating, I’ll be working.”
The signs posted around the bar were an annoying reminder of the O’Henry’s Halloween Couples Costume Party in a few weeks. Last year she and Ricky dressed as Jim and Pam fromThe Office. This year, she’d planned on dressing in her usual wardrobe of a flannel and jeans.
Isabella pouted her lips. “Kels, no. Please at least dress up.”
“What am I gonna wear? Who am I gonna get to dress up with me? The only person other than Ricky I’ve gone to a couple’s costume party with was Davis, and that was so many years ago.”
A spark twinkled in Izzy’s eyes, and Kelsey shut her down before she could even speak. “No. Davis and I are friends. Best friends. It’s not gonna happen.” She and Davis Vance hadn’t worn those costumes since before there was a ‘Kelsey and Ricky’.
That Halloween, nearly ten years ago, the two of them had shared an almost kiss. It was still her biggest regret. It had nearly ruined their friendship.
“Hey, I thought I was your best friend?”
“You’re my best girl friend.” Kelsey flashed her a smile.
Leo shuffled up behind Izzy, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her in close.
Seeing her Isabella happy caused a flutter in her chest.
“Hey, Kels,” Leo said, releasing his hold on Isabella.
“Don’t stop groping my best friend on my account,” Kelsey teased.
Leo hunched his shoulders. “Can you blame me?”
“Not even a little. Sheisthe hottest woman in the bar tonight.” Kelsey set a beer in front of Leo with a smile. “You better take her out on that dance floor.”
“You know I don’t dance.” Leo chugged his beer.
“That’s a great idea. Please, Leo,” Isabella coaxed, dragging him away and toward the dance floor.
Leo gave Kelsey a strained look, pushing a hand through his hair.
“Hey, if you don’t, I will. And you can watch the three hellions.” Kelsey held out Charlotte who hadn’t stopped crying, tears and snot streaming down her red, blotchy face.
“Uhh…on second thought, dancing doesn’t sound so bad.”
Kelsey smirked and returned Charlotte to her hip, squeezing her closer. She knew that would do the trick.
“We’ll be back.” Isabella dragged a reluctant Leo toward the dance floor.
“Hey, Kelsey?” Julian, the bar’s chef called from the kitchen. “The water is still leaking in the kitchen.”
A crowd of customers huddled at the bar, signaling her. Even with a baby on her hip, she filled glasses of hard cider and beer one by one as if on autopilot.
“Yeah, yeah. It’s on my list,” she said, pinching at her flannel shirt to find some relief to her overheated body in between serving the customers.
Igniting the gas fireplace in the corner of the bar to ward off the crisp temperature outside felt like a horrible mistake now as her skin sweltered. The thousands of glowing fairy lights she and Isabella had strung across the ceiling to create a cozy fall vibe seemed like a good idea at the time, too. Now though, they only made her feel feverish.
