Page 16 of A Lesson for Laurel

Rose was pregnant and due in three months. It was babies galore since she’d been employed here.

Ivy’s sisters, Jasmine and Dahlia, both had boys in the past month or so. Then Poppy, Violet who managed the flower shop, and Rose were all pregnant.

There were a few weddings coming up too.

It seemed to her when people were hired, shortly after, their personal lives took off along with their careers.

Hmm, interesting that just occurred to her.

It might have brought up thoughts of Easton, but she’d push them off.

“We are just talking,” Poppy said, putting a cute pout on her face. “Nothing wrong with that. I wanted to make sure Laurel wasn’t regretting moving to a smaller area.”

“I’m not,” she said. “Or I don’t. I love it here. The area and the job. I can go home and visit any time I want or see friends too.”

Not that she wanted to because some of her old friends were tied to Philip. Others were married or had kids.

There was no one in her life who was in the same situation as her. She was used to it.

Just like the way she was raised. Being unique wasn’t a bad thing by any means.

“And we want you to,” Rose said. “You don’t have to work on the weekends.”

“I didn’t work this weekend,” she said, smiling. “It was nice and quiet here just like we like it. Is there something you both need? Did you want to go over the production schedule or make changes? I’ve got a meeting with Lily tomorrow for it.”

“We’ll all meet then,” Rose said. “I just saw my nosy sister over here and wanted to make sure she wasn’t giving you a hard time. I’m going over to my side of the building to get some things done.”

“It’s my side of the building too,” Poppy said. “I’m coming with you. And slow down, I can’t walk as fast as you. Baby Tatum likes to kick my bladder when I do it. I can’t pee on the floor.”

She heard Rose cover a laugh as the two of them walked away and she got back to unplugging her laptop and moving everything off her desk.

She was glad they’d left and didn’t see her moving furniture or they’d want her to get help.

Laurel didn’t need it. She was tough and could handle it all herself.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Her shoulders dropped when she heard Aster’s voice behind her. She’d just gotten one side of the L-shaped desk lifted to put sliders under it to slide the whole thing easier.

“Moving my desk so I’ve got a better view of the floor and my door.”

“Let’s do it together,” Aster said. “This way you don’t break the thing.”

“It’s not going to break,” she said, grinning. “And if I loosen some screws, I can fix it easily.”

“Too many independent women around here,” Aster said.

“Not a bad thing,” she said.

Aster lifted the other side of the desk much easier than her and slid the tiny circles under the legs, and the two of them moved the desk in place faster than if she could have done it alone.

“Anything else you need moved before I leave? Your bookshelf closer to you or are you leaving it there?”

Her head went back and forth. “I could move it closer since you’re here. Did you see me doing this and come down or was there something else you needed?”

“I was on the floor and saw you doing something and wasn’t sure what. The window is big and I figured I’d see if everything was okay.”

“Thanks,” she said. “I’m not one for asking for help but do appreciate it.”

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