Page 35 of A Lesson for Laurel

“And that is why you were hired and no one else was promoted,” Lily said. “Sometimes you need a fresh insight. We agree with your approach. My sisters and I, we would cover a shift for someone and have in the past.”

“But there is no reason for you to do it now.”

“No,” Lily said. “We’ve got enough staff for it. And if Denise couldn’t find someone, she knows she has to fill that shift herself. It comes with the position and pay raise she received last year. She knew it.”

“But she rubs people the wrong way and if she had to ask someone to fill the slot, they might say no on principle alone,” she said.

“You catch on pretty quickly. Maybe she’ll start to take another approach and learn from you.”

“I’m not sure anyone wants to learn from me,” she said.

Lily lifted an eyebrow. “Everything okay? Outside of work? Not trying to be nosy, but we don’t want to lose people we like and are good employees either. That includes you.”

She let out a sigh. “Just me being an idiot and now have to swallow my pride.”

“Ahhh,” Lily said. “That is the hardest thing to do. But I think the more we do it, the stronger it makes us. Saying you’re sorry is never easy but helps you sleep at night.”

“I could use the sleep after last night. I’ve had enough sleepless nights over a man. I thought those days were long gone.”

“Oh,” Lily said. “Good thing it was me that ran into you and not Poppy. She would have sniffed out man issues a mile away.”

She laughed. “I’ve heard about her when it comes to that.”

“All in good fun,” Lily said. “I’ve been told I’ve got a good ear if you want to run anything by me.”

“I don’t know,” she said. “I’m not used to unloading personal things at work.”

It was something she’d always separated in her life. But the only two other people she could talk to about this were her father or aunt and they didn’t know what was going on.

She knew for a fact they’d both tell her she was wrong.

She didn’t need someone to tell her that. She knew.

“I understand. I’m a very private person too, but my sisters tend to get it out of me.”

“That’s a nice thing to have,” she said. “I never had it.”

“I’m here if you need me,” Lily said.

Lily turned to leave and she stopped her. “Do you know Cooke Landscaping?”

“I do,” Lily said. “Abe runs it now. His father, Kurt, used to, but he passed away a few years ago. I heard Abe’s mother had an accident. She moved to Florida a few years ago.”

This was what she got for keeping to herself. She could have gotten some of that information had she just said she went on a date. Or was interested in someone.

“What about Abe’s cousin, Easton? Do you know him?”

“Yes,” Lily said. “He was in school with me and Zane. I believe he’s an attorney somewhere now. Good for him. Youknow my upbringing, and Easton had it hard too. He had his aunt and uncle though.”

She let out a sigh. “He’s in Stamford as a partner,” she said.

Lily grinned. “And how do you know this?”

She’d come this far. “Because I’m renting the house next to Abe’s and I thought Easton was the one who owned the business and we’ve gone on two dates.”

“And he told you who he was. You’re upset over that? Or just embarrassed you didn’t know? I don’t remember him being the type of person that would purposely deceive anyone.”

“Embarrassed,” she said. “I said a few things about my opinion of lawyers not knowing he was one. I didn’t have the best experience with my ex and his family and they own a law firm.”

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