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“Yeah.” Zoey shrugged. “Besides designer clothes, I have ready-to-wear pieces, too.”
“You should definitely call her,” I said. The smile in my sister’s eyes spoke volumes. “I’ll text you Tina’s number.” After a brief hesitation, I added, “She’ll want to take care of the clothing. I have learned in no uncertain terms that she is an independent woman and she will want to be in charge of buying her clothes, not me.”
“Isn’t insurance doing that?” Zoey asked, eyes wide.
Gianni rolled her eyes. “You have to itemize shit, price it. It’s a nightmare. It can take a while.” She dropped into the chair in front of the salad plate she’d been raiding.
Arching a brow at that, I joined my sisters.
Zoey puckered her lips and turned to me. “She wouldn’t have been pissed at you if she was the sort who’d mooch off strangers, now would she?”
“Okay, you got me there.” It was the first time I’d enjoyed such a relaxed lunch with my sisters.
Grabbing a roll from the basket, Gianni said, “I’mstarving.”
“You’re always starving,” I shot back. “Or chasing down some dead-beat dad. You should stop and eat once in a while.”
Cutting her roll in half, she slathered it with butter. “And here I was thinking how nice it is to see you looking all happy.”
“Itisnice.” Zoey propped her chin in her hand, giving me a sappy smile. “You’re like…totally spinning out on this girl.”
“Tina’s hardly a girl.”
Zoey waved a hand. “You know what I mean. I’ve never seen you like this, James. It’s awesome.”
I wanted to make my usual flippant remark, but it felt out of place.
“Actually, I’m feeling pretty happy these days,” I finally said.
My sisters smiled.
Zoey popped out of her chair and came around to hug me. I sighed, pretending to suffer through it, but she could tell I enjoyed it.
A sharp ring cut me off as I was about to tease my younger sister. We broke apart to see Gianni rising from the table, swearing under her breath.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
Gianni nodded, eyes on the phone. “I’m going to step out into the hall really quick, to take this. You two, go ahead and eat. You know how my job can be.”
Fifty-Three
Tina
The blinds were closedon the front windows and door of my business. My favorite song playlist streamed through Bluetooth speakers on my desk, keeping me motivated as I worked at the twenty-seven-inch computer monitor at my drafting table. My imagination was running a million miles a minute, various ideas popping up, some saved, others rejected.
This was how I worked best, like an ice sculptor, cutting away everything that wasn’t a masterpiece.
The drafting software was busying running the specs, but there were still important things I needed to do. Estimates, crews to hire—who was available. It was a jumble of happy chaos.
I’d printed a few pictures to show James, so he’d have a feel for the look I had in mind. I knew which one I preferred, but I enjoyed giving clients options.
Clients.
I pushed back from the drafting table as that word echoed through my mind.
It was strange, thinking of James as a client.
There was a great deal more between us now.