Page 28 of Silver Sanctuary
She wasn’t used to being included in things so easily, but she wasn’t about to miss the chance at having a true friendship with people who Nash considered his family. “Absolutely! For what it’s worth, I hope you get the wedding. I’ll do all your flowers at cost!”
“Oh, Lacy. You are going to fit right into our group so perfectly.” Mae reached over and pulled her into a one-armed hug. “How did you even get started in a business like this?”
“I worked a lot as a server in an upscale restaurant when I was younger. Then Embrie came along, and I needed something with better hours. One of my best customers was a florist and she took me under her wing. I don’t have a fancy business degree or anything like that, but she taught me everything she knew.”
“I love that. Have you ever thought about doing a class for the community on floral arrangements?” Lily asked.
“No. Do you think that’s something that would be popular around here?”
“Absolutely! Mae, don’t you think Dolly could rustle up some of her friends and get the word out in a snap?” Lily asked.
“Yeah, you tell Dolly about it, and the class will be fully booked in an hour. That’s how our self-defense classes got so packed! I invited Dolly to the first one, shecame and drooled over all the guys in their workout gear, and the next time we had class, the gym was packed.”
“In their workout clothes…” Lacy’s eyes drifted to Nash who was laughing at something Gunner had said. She really did love those little laugh lines that popped out around his eyes when he was happy.
Mae and Lily’s giggles pulled her back to her arrangement. “Looks like you’ll have to come enjoy the eye candy one day too.”
“I think I’d like that. A lot.”
Nine
Embrie stomped out to the kitchen, hair wrapped in a towel. She plopped down hard in the chair and folded her arm across her chest.
“What’s got you in such a grumpy mood this morning, kiddo?” Lacy asked as she moved around the kitchen.
“I’m sick of taking cold showers. It’s not even a little bit warm anymore, Mom.”
Lacy’s heart dropped. “I know, ladybug, I’m sorry. I promise, I’ll call Burt again this morning and remind him we need someone to come over and look at it.”
“Can’t we ask Nash?”
“No, Embrie.”
“Why not? He’s got to know how to fix a hot water heater, or one of his friends will, I just know it.”
“We can’t bother them with this—they’re all very busy. I promise, if I don’t hear back from our landlord today, I’ll call a plumber myself.”
She’d started working her extra shifts over the past week. It was killing her, and she’d never been more exhausted in herlife, but the money to fix the hot water heater was almost all there, and she felt a little weight lift off her chest.
“I wish I could take a warm bath.” Embrie sighed. “You know, western settlers used to warm water over fire pits and then dump the water into their bathtubs. We could always try that tonight!”
“Where did you learn that?”
“In the book I’m reading. The girl’s family just got their homestead built and she got to take a bath.”
Lacy smiled. “I love the problem solving, but I have to work late tonight, remember? You should be in bed by the time I get home.”
“I don’t want Ms. Sandra to do bedtime with me. She gets so mean.”
“I know, but I promise this won’t be for much longer. It’s a good thing I got offered extra hours; I don’t think it’s cheap to fix a hot water heater.”
Lacy grabbed the hairbrush and colorful ties off the counter, ready for Embrie’s protests. “I don’t need a sitter. You could save that money and use it instead of working extra.”
“You do, baby. I need to know you’re safe. But I’ll tell you what? You can stay up in our room and read until I get home, if you want. I shouldn’t be any later than ten,” Lacy offered, knowing Embrie would be fast asleep by eight even if she tried to stay up later.
“Okay.”
Lacy tapped her pen against the counter top. Still no word back from her landlord. She tried to press down her frustration, knowing what little money she had in her account—that would normally cover her ass for Embrie’s food—would be going toward fixing something her landlordshould be doing himself. There was no sense in wallowing, but Lacy let her mind drift to the day when she no longer lived paycheck to paycheck. It might never come for her, but it was better to daydream about that then sit in the reality that everything was crashing down around her.
