Page 22 of Filthy and Dirty with the Bikers

“You’re not an asshole, but what are you laughing at?”

“I shouldn’t have laughed.” She twists her hair to the side and drags her glasses back down onto her face.

“Right, but what are you laughing at?”

She sits down next to me and rolls her eyes to the side before pulling another birdhouse from the box, unwrapping it gently as though she’s trying not to break a nail. Since I’ve known her, she’s kept really well-manicured hands. Long French tips, and chunky turquoise jewelry. It’s a style I sort of want to rip off. “You’ve been throwing up every morning for a while now.”

“Yeah, I’m stressed. I told you, Google says that’s normal.”

She chuckles. “You havegotto stop Googling everything, and I don’t think you’re as stressed as you arepregnant.”

“What?” I gasp. “I’m not pregnant. I’m on the pill.”

“Right, peopleneverget pregnant on the pill.” She shifts in the chair then stands, hanging the first birdhouse in with the greenery, snagging her long floral kimono on a plant stand as she turns back. I’ve always appreciated her sense of style. It’s a skill set I don’t have. Most days, my hair is in a messy bun and my outfit looks like something Adam Sandler would wear. I can’t imagine what the shop would look like if I were left to design it. That said, she’s trendy, not a doctor. I’m most definitely not pregnant.

Still, my stomach hardens and my cheeks flush with heat and concern.Why did I not think of this possibility?Because it’s irrational, that’s why. “I’m not pregnant. I mean, Google says that—”

“Or… maybe you take a pregnancy test and see what reality says? Again, Google doesn’t know everything.”

I roll my eyes. “Okay… you’re miserable this morning. What’s up with that?” Rosie has always been higher strung than me, but today seems worse than others.

She sighs and glances away before swallowing hard. Something bad is coming. “I,” she bites her bottom lip and glances around the room as though the answer is tucked away in a wind chime, “I have to sell my share of the shop.”

Something that feels like shards of glass prickles at my chest. I glance down to make sure I’m not bleeding out.

“I know this is a terrible time, and if you’re pregnant, it’s even worse, which is why I was laughing. I’m a nervous laugher. Remember I had to leave my uncle’s funeral because I couldn’t stop giggling.” This is a true story. I remember how humiliated she was over the whole thing. It’s been two years, and her mother still hasn’t let it go.

“I’m not pregnant.”

She sucks in a deep breath. “But… we aren’t bringing in enough money, Molly. We barely paid the rent here last month. If I don’t find something else, I’m going to have to start sleeping on the floor in the backroom, and I’m not sure there’s even enough room for me there.”

I understand where she’s coming from. Since the pandemic a few years back, our little mountain town has struggled, and the flower shop has been one of the last to bounce back. Sure, we have our regulars, but we’re not bringing in new business on a regular basis.

“I mean, look at all this stuff. Why are we still ordering stuff? We can’t even sell the stuff we have!” Her tone is rough and ragged as though she’s exhausted and scared. “Nursing school makes sense for me. There are plenty of jobs and I can make real money. I have to make some money… like yesterday.”

Deep down, I knew this was coming, and I can’t blame her. That said, I don’t know what I’d do if the shop closed. Her buyout means we’d most definitely go under. “Give it another couple of months. We can buy that ad on the highway cominginto town. We can get things paid up and I can look for another partner. I’m sure that’ll—”

“I have no money, Molly. Nothing. I’m completely wiped out. If I don’t do something soon, I’m going to end up on thatFantasy Driverwebsite everyone keeps talking about.”

“Fantasy Driver?”

She sighs loudly and rolls her head to the side. “Please don’t tell me you’re so sheltered you haven’t heard ofFantasy Driver.”

“Yeah, nothing.”

“It’s an auction site for hookups. Women search out fantasies that men are looking to have, and if the price is right, you agree to fulfill. It’s paying out big bucks right now for weird kinks.”

“Weird kinks?”

“Yeah, like for instance… if you’re pregnant, you could find a man who was into breast milk or something. He’d agree to pay you big bucks, and you’d go let him feed off you for a while.” She grins as she talks, as though we both know the whole thing is a joke.

“You’re ridiculous, and I’m not pregnant.”

“But if you were…” She continues unpacking the box and says, “I can call my mom for help with this month’s rent, but after that, I really need to see improvement or I’m going to sell myself to an internet weirdo.”

“Dear God,” now my eyes are rolling, “and what fantasy are you selling?”

She laughs. “My virginity. Do you know how much these dudes will pay for a virgin?” Rosie and I are the same age, but she’s always held her sexuality much closer to her chest than I did. Rightfully so, probably.

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