Page 57 of When Love Takes Root

The waiter looked at me. “And for you?”

“Sweet tea.”

His smile widened. “Got it.”

“Thank you.”

When he left, all three of them looked at me.

“What?”

Calista fanned herself with the menu. “Cessy, that man was flirting like he was trying to get added to your emergency contact list.”

“He probably says that to everybody.”

Leilani pointed one finger at me. “There go that widow firewall. Everything nice must be customer service, ministry, or deception.”

Cassia smiled gently. “He was flirting.”

“He was twenty-five.”

Calista lifted her empty margarita hand. “And ambitious.”

I shook my head. “Can we please order wings without turning this into a case study?”

Leilani didn’t blink. “No.”

We ordered lemon pepper, honey hot, and garlic parmesan wings, loaded fries, fried pickles, and a side salad nobody truly wanted but everybody pretended made the table responsible. Conversation shifted to Skye’s birthday party because balloon arches and cupcake flavors felt safer than discussing men with dimples or electricians with steady hands. Calista wanted a spa party for the girls and a game truck for the older kids. Cassia suggested a painting station. Leilani suggested we hire somebody so I wouldn’t be up until two in the morning trying to twist streamers around grief.

I gave her a look.

She gave it back.

Calista sipped her drink when it arrived. “We’re serious, Celly. You do too much.”

“I’m her mother.”

“You’re also human,” Cassia said.

Leilani added, “And you’re running like if you stop, everything will catch you.”

The table went still.

I traced the rim of my glass with one finger. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

Calista’s face softened. “Barely. But yes.”

Calista’s phone buzzed against the table. She looked down and groaned. “Mama.”

Leilani waved her off. “Go answer before Cordelia calls all ten of y’all and starts a prayer chain with accusations.”

Calista pointed at me. “Don’t let her have a breakthrough without me.”

“I’m not having a breakthrough.”

“Yet,” Leilani replied.

Cassia laughed as she gathered her purse.