Page 63 of Castaway Whirlwind
Layla gives me an apologetic wince while I discreetly readjust my dick, and she rolls up on her tiptoes, scanning the hall until she finds Cora and Max standing by themselves in a dark corner just past the bar on the left. She jumps and waves Cora over, and I pop my knuckles when Max stops Cora withhis hand on her elbow. I’m too far away to hear what they’re saying, but I can take a wild guess when Cora wrenches her arm out of Max’s hold, then hurries toward the girls.
Maybe Cora wasn’t ready to hear what we had to say about Max yesterday. After tonight, with any luck, she will be.
Chapter 20
Layla
“Girls, I’d like you to meet Cora,” I announce, grabbing Cora’s hand while we dance off to the side and find an empty table large enough for the six of us, flagging down a waitress with long hair dyed a deep magenta and whose name tag reads MCKINLEY. “As my honorary sister, I put it to a vote that she becomes an honorary Granny’s Girl as well. All in favor, say—”
“Aye,” the girls yell above the music, some raising their hands in the air and dancing in their seats. It’s been a while since we’ve all been able to let loose together at Goldie and Davis’s wedding, and their good mood is infectious.
With wide eyes and a blush creeping up her cheeks, Cora leans in to be heard. “Are y’all in some kind of club or something?”
Faye nods. “We’ve all worked at Granny’s diner with Layla, except for Goldie,” she says, tipping her head at our first honorary member, who waves.
“And all our men have worked at BT except Faye’s,” Dolly adds while Violet orders a round of drinks for the table. “Yourhusband works at BT, too, right?”
Cora’s nose wrinkles. “Boyfriend, and yes.”
“I know you’re new in town, so just to let you know, if you’re looking for work,” Faye says, “we’re always hiring.”
“Just don’t accidentally accuse the boss of being a pervert if you catch him getting handsy in his office with his favorite employee, and you’ll get the job.” Goldie pushes her long golden-red hair back behind her shoulder, laughing when Faye’s face turns scarlet red.
Mckinley lowers her large service tray when she returns to our table and passes our frozen margaritas around, three of which are non-alcoholic, given Violet and Goldie’s pregnancies and Cora’s age. “You’re looking for a job? We’re so understaffed, the boss will pay you double whatever you’d make at the diner.” Maybe an inch or two shy of six feet tall and with curves for days that are highlighted by her waitressing uniform of tiny black jean shorts, knee-high black cowboy boots, and a skin-tight, cropped T-shirt, Mckinley looks Cora up and down appreciatively. “You’ve certainly got the goods and could make a good living here.”
Cora perks up. “Really?”
“Yes, ma’am. Here.” Mckinley pulls one of the bar’s business cards from a pouch clipped to the belt loop on her flared hip and passes it to Cora, who clutches it to her chest like a life preserver. “Apply online, and put my name in the referral box.”
Cora squeals when Mckinley leaves. “This is gonna be such a huge weight off of Max’s shoulders.”
Sniffing her margarita to make sure it’s one of the non-alcoholic drinks before taking a sip, Goldie asks, “How so?”
“The financial burden of taking care of us,” Cora replies,sliding the business card in her back pocket. “I’ll finally be able to pull my weight.”
My best friend in the whole wide world, the one who has listened steadily to every rant I’ve ever had about my family, snorts, rubbing her large baby bump. Violet says with rising resentment on Cora’s behalf, “Y’all have virtually no bills living at Layla’s, and from what I hear, he’s the one not pulling his weight. Hardly lifts a finger when it comes to taking care of Gauge, let alone you, and he’s not even the one recovering from giving birth. There’s no excuse.”
Cora’s mouth drops open briefly, and she cuts her eyes to me. “You told her that?”
Though I should apologize, I shrug, rubbing my temples at the intense brain freeze after drinking half my margarita in one long swallow. “It’s the truth.” One she needs to open her eyes to like mine were.
Cora slumps instead of defending Max or reading me the riot act for sharing her business. “Yeah, it is.”
“How old is your baby?” Goldie asks. “Maybe we can set up some play dates. I could show you around town if you want to get out of the house, or we can hang out at one of our houses. Dolly, too, when she’s not in class. Have coffee while the babies nap.” Goldie chuckles. “Or we can take turns watching the babies so we can have our own naps. Lord knows we need them.”
“Yeah, that would be great.” Cora and Goldie exchange phone numbers, and then Cora pulls up her calendar app.
Doing the same, Goldie says, “I’m pretty much free any time before five, so whatever works best for you works for me.”
“Oh, do you work nights?”
Goldie shakes her head, tapping her free hand on the tableto the beat of the music. “Nights are my time with Davis after he gets off work.”
“So you…work from home or something?”
Goldie smiles. “My home is my work.”
Finishing the rest of my drink that’s already gone to my head, I joke, “That and Davis.”
