Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 121755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
“Martha, this is—” Raye started to introduce.
“Are we talking weddings?” Martha cut Raye off to ask, then she sat down and dragged Alexis’s scrapbook to her. “No,” she stated instantly. “Too pale.” She saw mine and her brows formed a V. “I thought you just started things up with your man?”
“I didn’t do it,” I said and looked up at Tod. “But we’re totally running with this periwinkle thing.”
“Agreed,” Tod replied on a nod.
“Zach, do you mind going to get the posterboards?” Alexis asked.
“Not at all,” Zach replied, and immediately started jogging to his and Bill’s place.
“Who broke the cardinal rule of not bringing out the entire bottle?” Martha demanded, glowering at Alexis’s and my wines.
“I did, Martha. I’ll go get it in a second,” Alexis said, leaning toward Martha and flipping through her book.
“Before we dive too deep into this,” Raye said to me, “we got the thing. So we have an appointment at the man cave tomorrow night.”
Since she was talking in semi-code (“the thing” was Arthur’s report on Amy and Dexter), I just nodded, though deep down I was beside myself we were going to see Titus (and his man cave).
“And we’re on for Jinx tonight,” Raye continued. “We’re picking her up at eight. You in?”
“I’m in,” I said, grabbing my phone to text Gabe about this addition to the evening’s festivities.
“Jinx?” Tod asked, settling into his own chair.
Stevie was dragging another one over.
I looked for Luke and saw his back right before the security gate closed him from sight.
Guess we were done talking, and Luke wasn’t down with an impromptu wedding planning party.
Not surprised.
“Jinx is our friend. She’s a sex worker who had a client fall in love with her.” Raye powered through Alexis’s shocked gasp and Martha’s shocked growl. “She threw his offer to take her out of the life and build a home together in his face. She’s devasted seeing as, since, she’s realized her mistake. We’re forcing her into damage control.”
“Do you know this client?” Tod asked delicately.
“We’ve not met, no,” Raye said. “But we’ve seen him. He’s rich AF, looks like Clark Kent from the Christopher Reeves movies, and he brings her flowers and gifts on their dates.”
“Pretty Woman come to life,” Stevie noted.
“Exactly,” I said.
“What kind of flowers?” Tod asked.
“Roses,” Raye answered.
“Acceptable,” Tod pronounced. “We’ll go with you.”
Oh boy.
“Um…I don’t know—” Raye began.
“This one.” Martha was waving a yellow fabric swatch she’d ripped out of Alexis’s book. “Not this one.” She waved another much paler yellow one.
“I agree. Tuscany, not buttermilk,” Tod said.
“I agree too,” Alexis said.
“Martha, this is Tod and Stevie from Denver,” Raye introduced.
“Howzit,” Martha mumbled not looking up from the scrapbook, then she flipped a page.
“What are we agreeing?” Zach, who had both posterboards under an arm and was dragging both easels with the other, huffed up to us.
“Easels!” Tod cried, popping up to rush around to help Zach. “We are so totally finding a way to work together.”
“We agreed Tuscany, Zach.” Alexis now had the swatch, and she was showing it to Zach.
“Yes, my lovely. Perfection!” Zach yelped like the swatch bit him on the ass.
“Stevie!” Tod exclaimed. “Why did I never do big diagrams and easels?” He fanned an arm across one of the diagrams. “Look at this! It’s stunning.”
“Thanks.” Zach grinned.
Tod lifted both hands like he was reaching to God in front of his congregation while doing a three-sixty. “This space. You’ve captured it. It’s going to be remarkable.”
“What are you two doing, hanging with sex workers?” Martha surfaced from her perusal of Alexis’s wedding book to ask Raye and me.
“We have a wide range of friends,” I said.
“Like no-filter, nosy neighbors,” Raye added.
“Take your point,” Martha mumbled and went back to Alexis’s book.
We heard the security gate open, and we all turned to see Cap start to walk in.
“Cap!” Tod yelled.
We then saw Cap take note of the scrapbooks, the diagrams, the easels, turn on his boot and walk out.
Raye laughed.
“Men!” Tod groused.
“Are we partying?” Luna called from her open doorway.
“And party planning,” Raye called back. “Get your ass out here.”
“Bring booze!” Martha yelled.
“And snacks!” Zach added.
“Gotcha!” Luna returned.
“We need something so we can attach the swatches to the diagrams without ruining these beautiful illustrations,” Tod said, his index finger and thumb forming an L on his cheek and jaw as he stared at the posters. “Maybe Stevie will run out and get some Blu Tack for us.”
“Tod, I’ve flown in and out of Sky Harbor countless times, but I’ve only been to Phoenix to visit once, so I’d have no clue where to ‘run out’ to get Blu Tack,” Stevie remarked. Then to Alexis, Martha and me. “We’re both flight attendants.”
“Ah,” I said.
“No worries. Bill and I have some. BRB,” Zach said and jogged again to his apartment.
I texted Gabe about the change in plans that evening, then grabbed my glass to take a sip.