Page 62 of Just Let Go

“Fun things happen on Thursdays too, Quinn,” Ashley said. Quinn couldn’t be sure, but it sounded like she was implying something.

“Some of us work early on Friday mornings,” Quinn said.

“Some of us don’t need a lot of sleep,” Grady said.

“Maybe we should get started.” Mona, the voice of reason, set her purse on the counter. “As much as I’d like to have a fun Thursday night, the only thing waiting for me is a house of small children who are all going to be hungry and need baths. I know you’re all jealous.”

Quinnwasa little jealous, but she didn’t say so. She glanced up and found Grady watching her. Was he trying to bug her?

“You said you had the designs?” Mona prompted Quinn, who definitely did not want to show her designs to the rest of them when Grady was there.

But as she glanced around the small circle, she knew she had no choice. They were already behind, and that was her fault. She couldn’t put them off any longer. The five of them huddled around the counter, where Quinn spread out the designs she’d been working on that morning before Grady’s accident with the ladder. She’dadded color and stapled images of the flowers she was planning to use along the sides of the pages.

“Wow,” Mona said. “These are beautiful.”

“It reminds me of a fairy tale,” Ashley said.

Grady waited until he had her eyes, then smiled. “Looks kind of wild. Sort of... untamed.”

She ignored him. At least she pretended to ignore him, but she knew he absolutely did not have to search for that word. Oh, it irritated her that she’d been found out. “I’ve ordered all the flowers, but we will need to build a few structures.” She filled them in on her plan to find large, ornate mirrors, chandeliers, and white lights, and turn the pavilion into a beautiful secret garden.

“I think you’ve really outdone yourself this time, Quinn,” Mona said after volunteering to pick up white lights—they’d need tons—and shop for antiques.

“I hope you’re right,” Quinn said. “There’s a lot riding on this one.”

Of course none of the others knew just how much.

They figured out their timetable and divvied up their tasks, and while Grady was very quiet for the entire meeting, Quinn was keenly aware of his presence, more so than she would’ve liked.

“Okay, if that’s it, I’ve got to run,” Mona said. “Duty calls.” She scurried out the door, leaving the rest of them standing there awkwardly.

“We should all go out,” Ashley said in her much-too-chipper voice.

Did Quinn need to remind them again that it was Thursday?

“I’m up for it,” Grady said, then turned to Danny. “How about you, Donny?”

Danny flinched. “It’s Danny.”

“Oh, sorry. Danny.”

“Sure, I’ll go.”

Both men looked at Quinn.

She frowned. She was still wearing paint clothes, hands and fingernails covered with dried creamy white. She hadn’t eatenanything all day, and while she couldn’t be sure, she had a strong suspicion she didn’t smell very good.

“I can’t, guys, but thanks,” she said. “You all go ahead.”

“You’ve been working all day,” Grady said. “You deserve a break.”

She did, didn’t she? But that didn’t mean she could take one. She had so much left to do, and thanks to him, she was even farther behind. Should she remind him of that?

Ashley leaned in toward Grady. “Quinn’s always been kind of a downer. We can head over to the Lucky Lady? Grab a drink or two?”

Danny’s cheeks reddened as he began to put together the kind of evening Ashley had in mind. “I’m just going to head home,” he said.

Quinn lifted her hand in a lame wave as Danny scooted out the door. Grady stood still, like a brick wall in the middle of her shop. He exuded strength, and even though he wasn’t a wide man, he was sturdy. And so far, he hadn’t moved.

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