Page 75 of Always a Bridesmaid
Maisy’s mouth formed a meticulous O, the red lipstick she’d put on today accenting her shock, and Violet feared she’d overshared.
Then Maisy threw a hand to her chest and said, “Praise the Lawd. I was worried you’d never have sex again, and, bless Benjamin’s heart, I could just somehow tell he was not good at it.”
Violet almost defended him, the way she’d mentally done whenever their time between the sheets fell on the lackluster side. He was busy. Stressed. It was her fault for not reminding him the position he preferred didn’t work for her. For her mind drifting to her to-do list and if she should paint the walls a different color and which photo shoot had she scheduled for the next day?
It hit her how many excuses she’d made on his behalf over the years. Not only for the someday wedding thing but in several aspects of their relationship. “In the beginning he made an effort, but this past year, he more went through the mediocre motions. Ford, on the other hand…” Violet fanned her face. “Oh my.”
Maisy gave a diminutive clap before she threw her arms around Violet’s neck. “I’m so happy for you. And I’m not tempted at all to point out that he has dark hair and fair skin.”
The eye roll Maisy couldn’t possibly see was no match for the wattage on Violet’s smile anyway. “I’m tryin’ not to get ahead of myself.”
Huh. If she wasn’t mistaken, there’d been a bit of southern twang in that statement. Being in Uncertainty was rubbing off on her.
A handful of years ago, that’d send her running, but now…? Violet squeezed her sister. It didn’t seem so bad.
When they broke apart, Violet noticed the massive number of cupcakes on the counter. “Whoa.”
“Yeah. Remember how the Craft Cats’ quilting bazaar is tonight? The one that funds the historical society, so that whenever a building requires renovating or repairs, they have the money.”
Violet searched her gray matter but came up blank. “I’m so sorry, but I don’t remember.” Either she hadn’t been paying attention or her brain had shoved it aside for new information.
“No big deal,” Maisy said. “You did warn me that while you were painting and decorating, your ADHD kicks in hard. I guess I figured you were exaggerating.”
“I wish,” Violet said. Irritation came along with her struggle to focus—not just for whoever she’d accidentally ignored but for herself. She constantly lost her keys, purse, sunglasses, et cetera. Her muscles tensed, steeling herself for Maisy’s exasperation.
“Seriously, Vi, don’t worry about it. I kind of wish I could forget about the bazaar—I can’t seem to catch up. I was behind yesterday but thought I’d have extra time during my usual lull. I forgot that it was bingo day and the seniors stayed until close, and then it was time to get Isla, and”—Maisy pressed her fingers to her temples and rubbed circles there—“between all the diaper changes and pumping and feeding sessions, I seem to have misplaced my brain, along with my ability to multitask.”
“Hey,” Violet said, adopting a pragmatic pose. “You’re still a new mom, and not getting enough sleep would wear on anyone. You’re brilliant and beautiful and kind and…”
Violet hesitated, not because she didn’t mean the words that’d snagged on the tip of her tongue but because emotion clotted her throat.
“I love you. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you these past several months. I’m so lucky to have you for a sister.”
Tears gathered in Maisy’s eyes. “I love you, too. This morning I panicked at how close you are to being done with the remodel. I don’t want you to leave.”
“Well, I still plan on painting your tables and chairs to match the accents on the walls. And I’m barely getting my photography feet underneath me, so I haven’t so much as contemplated my next step. But I’ll be staying put for at least another two or three weeks.”
“Or—hear me out—you could stay forever. Plenty of people around the county could use an award-winning photographer.”
Violet wasn’t quite sure what to say, since she hadn’t considered the possibility of staying in Uncertainly indefinitely.
“Isla adores you,” Maisy continued. “She could use a fun auntie as her grandma puts her through those stuffy lessons I had to endure—it’s the Hurst way, goin’ back generations. And Travis keeps talking about how happy I sound, and it’s because of you.”
Warmth flooded Violet, and she opened her mouth to respond, but Maisy wasn’t done.
“I’m willing to exchange baked goods and room and board for biannual pictures of my family, which, trust me, is an unbelievable deal. If you’re having out-of-body sex with Ford, that’s a bonus.”
“Oh, so now you’re offering me a bonus in the form of sex?” Violet added a dramatic gasp. “What would human resources say?”
Humor and exasperation battled it out in Maisy’s features, her lips remaining pursed through both.
“I’m not even sure what Ford would say about that,” Violet said.
“Sex on the regular with a beautiful woman with curves I can’t help but envy…? Iguaranteehe’d be beyond fine with it.”
Violet leaned her hip against the counter, careful not to disrupt the cooling cupcakes. The idea that Maisy envied anything of hers while she’d often wished for her sister’s metabolism and cute nose struck her as funny. Guess everyone wanted whatever they didn’t have. “From the sound of it, you’ve given this a lot of thought. You’re not going to unveil a presentation with bullet points, are you?”
The endearment Maisy packed into her words as she said, “I’ll create one if that’s what it takes” caused Violet to blink back tears of her own, so much warmth radiating through her, she fretted she might start another fire.
