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Dip: There are thirty roses there. 1 for each year you’ve lived and a bonus rose for the 1 lifetime left ahead.
“Is that him?” Jenny asks.
I nod as I type out a quick reply.
Me: They’re beautiful. Thank you!
Dip: You’re welcome. Have a good night Kennedy
“You’re blushing,” Jenny gushes. “Why are you blushing? What is he saying? I wanna see.”
She grabs my hand and turns the phone so she can read the texts. For a nanosecond, I want to stop her, keep Dip’s words all to myself, but then I remember that she’s my friend, and this is what friends do. They share things.
When I look at her face, her expression is dreamy. “What are you thinking about?” I ask.
“Girl, you’ve got a hot biker who’s sending you roses and texting you sappy shit.” She pouts but doesn’t look truly sad. “I’m fucking jealous.”
Bumping my shoulder into hers, I giggle. “It kinda looked to me like you have a hot biker, too.”
Her frown morphs into a grin. “Yeah, well, my hot biker was putting flowers inyourapartment fromyourhot biker, not givingmeany of my own.”
“So, there is something going on between you and Little Man?!”
Her cheeks flame red, and she shrugs.
“Nope, you can’t do that,” I say. “You’re gonna want me to tell you all about my time at Dip’s place which means you have to talk too. What happened?” A thought occurs to me, so I tack on, “Wait a sec… do you care if I maybe invite someone else over for girl’s night?”
Jenny grins. “Aw, you’re learning,” she teases. “I think that’d be great. The more, the merrier.”
I send a quick text to Sami, inviting her to join us. She and I spent some time together when I was staying at Dip’s, but it was always cut short by Dip or Snow or one of the kids. The other ol’ ladies were always busy, so I haven’t met them yet, otherwise, I’d invite them as well.
Well, I met Grace at the hospital, but I barely remember her.
Sami responds that she’ll be here ‘with bells on’. I instruct her to come to the front entrance of Barlow’s, and Jenny and I head back downstairs to wait. Thirty minutes later, there’s a knock on the door.
“I hope you don’t mind,” Sami says when I open it for her. “But I brought the others.”
She brushes past me, and three more women introduce themselves.
“I’m Fallon,” the first one says. “Toga’s ol’ lady.”
“Grace,” the second one chirps. “Duck’s better half. Glad to see you’re feeling better.”
“Dip said you took care of me at the hospital.” I smile. “Thank you.”
“No thanks necessary. It’s my job. But even more than that,” she says. “It’s what we do for family.”
“Dip’s lucky to have you all.”
“She’s talking about you,” the third woman says as she nudges Grace out of the way and wraps her arms around me. The hug is awkward, but only for a moment. “I’m Laney. Snow’s my brother, and Magic’s my old man.”
“It’s nice to meet you.”
Once they’re all inside, I close and lock the door before turning and smiling at Jenny. “I hope you heard all of that,” I say with a chuckle. “Ladies, this is Jenny. She owns Barlow’s, so she’s my boss and friend.”
Introductions out of the way, we all traipse through the kitchen and up to my apartment. I don’t have much space up there, but something tells me, with this group, it won’t matter.
“Oh my God,” Laney remarks when she steps into my small efficiency. “Don’t tell me Dip sent those.” She points to the roses.
