Page 27

Mindy

When Louisella walks away and I’m all alone with the bees and bugs, I let the tears that have been threatening to spill out all day take over my body.

Mom would remind me that crying gives me wrinkles and I look terrible when I cry, but I just don’t care. Right now, the tears feel cathartic.

Freeing even.

Maybe I should find a park and cry every week.

“You, okay?” Canyon, the sneak, is leaning against a tree by the edge of the garden.

I was until I realized that you watched me ugly cry. “Fine. Thank you very much for asking. How may I help you?”

“Maddox sent me to drive you home.”

A thoughtful jerk. “Thank you for the kind offer, but I’m not ready to go home at the moment and won’t be able to accept the offer you’re so generously making.”

“Has anyone told you that you’re odd when you cry?”

My mother, on a regular basis.

“Since you don’t want to leave, why don’t we go get a coffee and a pastry?”

I don’t want to spend time with irritating men. My stomach rumbles loudly. It seems I’ve been thwarted by my own body. “Thank you for the invitation. I will join you for the light repast.”

“Are you sure you haven’t gone nuts?” He winks at me.

No. I’m not sure at all. That question doesn’t even deserve an answer. With all the grace I can muster, I stand up and walk over to him.

Canyon, surprisingly, keeps quiet as we walk together to the bakery.

Something feels off.

The bakery is eerily empty. Every other time that I’ve walked past, there’s been a line and almost every table has been filled, especially on a Sunday.

What’s going on?

It’s probably just my imagination. Every business has slow times.

Rather than engaging Canyon in conversation, I glance out the window.

Where are all the kids? “Something’s going on.”

Canyon stands up. “I’ll grab us something to eat. What do you want to drink?”

“A bottle of water would be lovely, thank you.” He didn’t answer me.

Something is definitely going on. There are always kids on the street, even late at night.

It’s deserted. Everything is quiet.

And Canyon is serving us food.

“What’s going on?” I demand as soon as he sits down, depositing a big plate of various pastries and two bottles of water on the table.

“Nothing that you need to worry about.”

So, there’s definitely something going on. “Is that why Maddox shoved me out of his office?”

“What do you think?” He reaches for a piece of biscotti.

Does it matter what I think? Canyon certainly isn’t going to tell me anything. “That it’s easier to converse with the snakes.”

He laughs.

***

Watching television isn’t all it’s cracked up to be when you haven’t done it in…almost five years. The only time I even have access to one is when I go on vacation with the girls.

I flip through channels like Mom goes through men. What is even on? The whole world loves television. All this work must have broken that part of my mind.

People eat while they do this. Maybe I should pop some popcorn. My totally full belly rejects that notion. Canyon managed to convince me that three pastries equal a balanced lunch. He isn’t wrong.

The front door opens and Adonis steps in. At least this time he isn’t half-naked. He actually looks really nice for a Sunday afternoon. “Mindy.” He gives me a big smile. Then it turns into a frown. “What’s wrong?”

Am I that obvious? Mom would be so disappointed. “Nothing. I’m fine. Just can’t find anything on the television to watch.” That was a pathetic excuse, but we’ll go with it.

He walks over and sits down next to me. “You know you can treat this place like it’s your own. You can invite people over. Have dinners and parties whenever you like.”

I can? This is the first place in my adult life that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to invite someone to.

“Matter of fact, why don’t you do that tonight? You look like you can use some company. Invite Dahlia or one of your other friends. I’m going to head out for dinner so you guys will have the place to yourselves.”

I can.

Maybe I could host the next spinsters meeting. All the treats will have to come from Fiona’s place. But that would totally get them to stop worrying about me. Inviting Dahlia over for a movie or wedding talk would be a great trial run. “Thank you. I think I’ll do just that.”

“Good.” He pats my leg and stands up. “I need to get changed for my dinner plans. Why don’t you call her and see if she can come over?”

As soon as he walks out of the room, I dial Dahlia.

She answers on the second ring, “Hey.”

“Hi. So, this might sound odd, but would you like to come over and talk wedding stuff while watching a cheesy romcom.”

“I’d love that!!!! It sounds like so much fun. Tell me when and I’ll be there.”

And now I’m smiling. What a great idea. “How would an hour sound? We can order a pizza and I’ll grab some junk food for us to munch on.”

“No, you’re not invited,” she whispers in the background, probably to Maverick. “It’s a girls’ night. Hence, no boys allowed."

That man is so smitten.

“I’ll be there in an hour.”

The night is looking up.

***

There are like fifteen bridal magazines mixed among the junk food on the coffee table.

“How do people pick colors like this for a wedding?” Dahlia moves the magazine over that she’s looking at. “That color looks like vomit.” She shudders.

“Beyond me. But it seems to go with that dress.” At least I think it’s supposed to be a dress. It’s this Avant-Garde thing that’s just shapes and textures. You can barely tell there’s a woman under there.

She tips her head to the side. “It kind of does.”

We burst out laughing as the door opens.

Oh, no. Adonis is back.

What time is it?

After ten! We’ve been hanging out for hours.

“You two look like you’re having fun.” He stops at the door and smiles at us.

We actually are. It would be rude not to invite him to join us. “I was just going to refill the popcorn. Would you like a drink?”

“Sure.” He takes off his coat and hangs it in the closet by the door.

Wonder if I could put mine there too? That looks so convenient. “Be right back.”

I shove another bag in the microwave while I grab one of his beers from the fridge. They’re absolutely gross, watered-down beers, but to each his own.

The smell of popcorn is addictive.

We’re going to have to do this way more often. Maybe I’ll ask Leonie to come over one night. She lives in Urbium. But she’s always working like me. It’s going to make syncing our schedules impossible.

The microwave beeps and I pull out the bag, carefully avoiding being burnt by the steam.

“I’m bac—”

What is going on?

Adonis and Dahlia are kissing on the couch!