Chapter 12 #2
“Yeah, the list of Will’s teammates who are worth talking to. You know, Dex is pretty high up there, because, well”—Reagan gestures to Lucie—“but other than that, I want them to impress me. Cool cars, nice homes, and what not.”
Lucie scoffs. “Rea, that’s terrible. They’re all great. You shouldn’t rank them on material things.”
Gah, these two couldn’t be more different if they tried.
“Of course, I can. I’m a material girl, Madonna song and all. Plus, Beck’s getting bonuses for all the plants he has and they look good—like he actually knows how to take care of them. As a florist, he’s topping the list.”
“And he’s standing right here,” Beck says as he hands Reagan a plate then starts around the table. “I do know how to take care of my plants, but I do have to credit my housekeeper some as she helps take care of them during the season.”
Reagan looks impressed by his honesty, and if I didn’t know she was in a completely loyal and loving relationship with her girlfriend for over a decade…the look she gives him would put a very green complexion on me.
Great, apparently on top of a secret crush, I’m territorial too. I don’t remember feeling this way with my ex—surely I did. Those mine feelings must have been overshadowed by his controlling, judgmental ones.
I clear my throat. “So, what couldn’t wait that we need to talk about?”
Lucie gives a little squeal as she pushes her plate away. “There’re two pieces of info that we need to talk about, really. The most prevalent one is that I think Reagan and I have thought of a way to get you your own tattoo shop!”
I blink slowly as I process her words. “I think I’m going to need some more information.”
Having my own tattoo shop would be an absolute dream, but that’s also a dream I never thought of right out the gate.
Luce spins in her chair to face me. I can see the pure love of this idea written all over her face.
“Okay, Reagan found a place that’s perfect for her floral storefront, but the catch-22 is that it’s essentially broken up in rooms. There’s extra space that’s really not needed, but the rent price is a whole package deal kind of thing.
So, when we were having our family meeting about it, it came to me.
Why not have you take some of that space?
Essentially, you guys could have a floral-tattoo shop! ”
My eyes twitch immediately, wanting to look at Beck for some inkling of how this sounds to him too, but instead, I lean around Lucie to meet Reagan’s eyes. “More info from you, actually.”
Reagan laughs and sets her fork down. “I know it sounds out there, but the vision could be really cool. I’ve looked all over Boston, and this storefront is truly spectacular.
It’s got that signature brownstone and gorgeous bay windows.
It’ll need a few adjustments to make it work for the floral shop, but it’s more space than I need.
There’s a back section we could renovate into a break room, my freezer, and workshop for big events.
For the two street view rooms, it could be really cool to have a walk-in floral shop on one side then a tattoo parlor on the other. ”
Lucie grabs my arm. “I know it’s hard to picture without seeing the space, but this could be the perfect solution.”
“I volunteer if you need any wall murals,” Emma mumbles as she eats her cinnamon roll. “Beck, these are really good.”
“Thanks, I let the oven do the majority of the work.” He laughs, then looks at me. “Sounds like a good idea, Jen. Could be a pretty cool set up.”
I press my lips in a thin line. I could see it, well, the best I can see is the vision behind it. Having both the plant-floral storefront could pull a different crowd, along with tattoos… The niches seem so different, but in a way, could be a match made in heaven.
“Okay,” I say cautiously. “I’m following the trend of this idea a bit, but it’s a huge undertaking.”
Callie nods as she finishes her bite of her pastry.
“Will’s already offered to help Reagan with the rent cost. What you and Reagan pay for, that won’t kick in until business is up and running efficiently.
And I’ve volunteered to dust off my master’s in finance.
I can help lay out a full budget, cost, and expenses plan for when you do start paying. ”
The hesitation of taking money from Lucie’s brother must be written all over my face, because Luce squeezes my hand. “Don’t even argue about that. You know my brother, he wants to help, and if it makes you feel better he’d be paying it even if it was just Reagan’s business.”
I guess that part is true. Will does have a history of spoiling his sisters, not that it’s a bad thing, but I’m not one of his sisters, or Callie. I feel like I’ve been taking a lot of handouts lately, and I’m starting to feel a tad guilty about it.
Beck clears his throat. “I know I wasn’t invited to girls’ brunch, but you guys are getting my two cents anyway. I think it could be a really cool concept, but Jensen’s had some crazy days, let her sit on it for a bit.”
Lucie’s smile turns downright cheesy. This brunch is giving her way too much ammunition to push her whole Beck agenda.
I try to reign her back in. “I definitely am interested, but some time to think about it would be appreciated. What about your other form of news that couldn’t wait? What else is going on?”
Callie and Emma perk up for this one. “We’re planning a wedding at the Blues stadium!” Emma beams.
“And I’m taking the pictures!” Callie claps her hands.
“Flowers!” Reagan mumbles, now eating her breakfast since we’ve moved on from shop talk.
Lucie shakes her head. “A small wedding! Between everyone and Miles, I’m afraid this is going to get way too big for what Dex and I want.”
Now this is a topic I want to talk about. “Oh, my gosh, Luce! This is so exciting! When is this happening?”
Lucie sighs. “Well, we really just wanted to go down to City Hall, but Miles would be heartbroken if we didn’t do something. So when Dex went down to talk to Olsson about playing again, he mentioned turning the team’s Thanksgiving dinner into our wedding.”
Beck pulls out his phone. “Hold on, when the hell did this all happen? I must have missed my Best Man text.”
Lucie holds out her hands. “Look, this all popped up really fast. Dex and I wanted to talk to you two about it, but you know…other things were more important. But I swear we didn’t mean to leave you completely out of this.”
I squeeze Lucie’s hand. “Oh, babe, please, don’t worry about us. This is so exciting!”
Beck holds his phone up to his ear. “I have qualms, but not with you, Baby Mama—Dex, what the fuck is this about a wedding?”
Everyone else laughs as Beck walks away from the kitchen yelling at Dex over not immediately sharing this information.
I, however, hang my head as ,yet again, I ask myself, Really, a crush on this guy?
Lucie nudges my shoulder. “How are you two doing?”
Callie leans on the butcher block. “Please spare no details. He seemed all guard dog yesterday when we were moving you out. I swear, it was the first time I was semi-attracted to him.”
“I’m sorry, did you hear him being bossy earlier?” Reagan asks, holding her hands up. “I sat right down, and I rarely do anything a man tells me to do.”
“No, please, not this again. I’m pleading the fifth and guilty tripping you all with reminders of my stressful couple of days.
I can’t talk about this.” I can’t talk about how caring he is.
I can’t talk about his patience or protectiveness, and definitely zero discussions on his random bossy moments.
Yeah, that’s where the crush is coming from.
“Party pooper,” Lucie whispers.
“Come on, Princess Peach, cuss at me if you’re going to insult me.”
Lucie lifts her chin. “Nope, won’t give you the satisfaction.”
“I, for one, am still pissed that I haven’t heard her cuss.” Reagan pushes back her now empty plate. “Her own sister!”
“I might be new here, but I didn’t hear it.” Emma shrugs.
“Me either, but I heard it was awesome,” I say, nudging Luce.
Callie practically beams like she’s the chosen one. “I heard it, and all trauma aside, I was so proud.”
“And now Dex is the only one who hears it,” Lucie says, to everyone’s surprise.
“Oh, damn, Daddy Dex gets Naughty Lucie.” I nudge her shoulder with props to her.
Lucie’s face turns bright red but still laughs. “Enough of that nickname!”
Callie pushes her plate back next. “Oh, I’m so using that when submitting photos of him playing again.”
“Don’t you dare!” Lucie squeals.
“I feel like that’s a nickname Beck would use, honestly,” Emma says. “Maybe you two have more in common than it appears.”
I don’t even know what argument to start with that one. Beck feels like my absolute polar opposite, but then again I don’t think it really matters how similar or different we are. There will never be a “we” for it to truly matter.
“Okay, now that that’s sorted out,” Beck says, coming back into the kitchen.
“Best man spot secured?” Callie lifts an eyebrow with her question.
He scoffs. “Obviously, I will also fully expect a maid of honor offer coming from you when your and Will’s day comes.”
Callie laughs. “Ha, you’re a bridesmaid at best.”
For the next twenty minutes, Callie and Beck argue over his role in her wedding, even though she and Will aren’t even engaged.
Eventually, everyone hands their plates over to Beck, and while he puts them in the dishwasher, I walk the girls to the door where I’m bombarded with hugs and “love yous.”
Before Reagan leaves, she sends me a text with an address. “For the storefront, at least come look at it before you make your final decision.”
Sighing, I give her a nod. “Yeah, I can work that out some time this week.”
Lucie doubles back even though she was the first one to hug me at the door. Her arms cross around the side of my neck. “It would be such a fun venture, Jen. Maybe I’ll even come back for another tattoo, you know, after I pop out this baby.”
“If the tattoo isn’t Daddy Dex, then I’m not doing it.”