Page 54 of Bad Boy for Hire
“There’s only one option for me. Be a mom.” The word exited on a breath that warmed her lips. Her friends knew what it had cost when she’d lost her own mother.
“You’ll be an amazing mom,” Lisa said.
“And we will be the best aunties,” Elliott added.
May burst into tears again. After she pulled herself together, they rounded the table and, on her insistence, recommitted to girls’ night.
“You’re sure you don’t want to workshop telling Xavier the news?” Lisa asked. “It might help to practice.” She sat up straight. “I’ll be Xavier.”
“I’ve got it.” Oddly enough, May felt more relaxed than she had earlier, even if the unthinkable had been affirmed. She’d had sex with a hot man she’d sworn not to date and had gotten pregnant. It was a tale as old as time. “I want to hear more about your lives. Elliott, you’ve been oddly quiet.”
“Have I?” She took an exaggerated sip from her glass. May would have wondered if Elli was going to share her own pregnancy announcement if she hadn’t been drinking chardonnay. “I love work. I know that sounds pedestrian to you ladies, since you’re professionals. I mean, Lou has a book contract?—”
“Almost,” Lou said.
“And May, you’re like, running Zest alongside Power CEO Jewell. And Lisa, would Evergreen Cove even exist without you working with the mayor?”
“No,” Lisa answered plainly before sipping her drink.
“I love Cup of Jo’s and making T-shirts to sell there. But…” Elliott toyed with the stem of her wine glass. “Jo is retiring next year. And I thought maybe I should step into a role that fits me.”
May felt her eyebrows lift with interest. “Are you going to be the new Jo?”
“Well, I won’t be renaming Cup of Jo’s to Elli Bean’s”—they smiled at Brady’s cute nickname for her—“but I would love to buy her out.”
“I love this for you!” Lisa exclaimed.
“Me too!” Lou agreed.
“How can you say that what you do is pedestrian?” Lisa scolded. “You’re a creative maven. I receive a thousand compliments any time I wear one of your T-shirt designs.”
“Same,” May agreed.
“And,” Lou said, “people would die to have a job they loved, a man who was solely dedicated to them, and friends as amazing as us.”
May made a show of fluffing her hair. “Seriously.”
Elli blushed. “Thanks, you guys. I never dreamed I’d have friends again, and then I end up with the best friends a girl could pray for.”
“It’s the Cove.” Lou smiled.
“Something’s in the water.” Lisa nodded.
“What about you, Lisa?” May directed the table’s attention to her bestie. “What’s going on with you? We need an update.”
“Especially if it involves a man.” Lou waggled her eyebrows.
“Or a woman.” Elliott shrugged. “We are open to either.”
“I appreciate that,” Lisa said with a laugh. “My news is of the good news-bad news variety as well. The good news being that Wanda has tasked me with taking on an art initiative in the Cove.”
“I thought the Starving Artists Festival was Evergreen Cove’s art initiative,” Lou said. “Food trucks, arts and crafts, an Asher Knight appearance. It’s practically perfect.”
Lisa took a bite of olive tapenade. “According to Wanda, Evergreen Cove has outgrown that festival. She wants something more posh. Although Asher Knight’s acoustic ballad stays. She was very clear about that.”
“No one will ever stop wanting to see Asher Knight perform.” Elliott trilled her tongue in a purr. A Cove staple, gorgeous, settled-down, world-famous rock star Asher Knight always drew a crowd.
“With the artists we have at our disposal,” Lisa continued, “it won’t be hard to find talent. “Evan Downey’s paintings, Charlie Downey’s photography. Donovan Pate’s fireplaces. Ant’s chainsaw art. Your T-shirts.”
