Chapter 1 #2
“Teamwork, right? Good to have you back home, squirt. Except for the whole accent. You sound weird.” Archer took the lectern from her and set it in the closet before closing the door.
“I don’t have an accent. You should have heard some of my professors. I had to have my roommate translate lectures the first semester I was there. After that, I picked up the dialect.” Darby glanced around the room. “Should we sweep and mop the floor before heading home?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Archer rubbed his shoulders. “I’m heading to Rarity’s to man the grill for tonight’s dinner. Are you coming?”
“I’m walking Marc back to his hotel.” Darby paused, blushing as she did. “Then I’ve got plans.”
Rarity put her arm around Darby. “This girl already has a date for tonight.”
Darby’s blush deepened. “It’s not really a date. Just someone I knew from before. I haven’t dated since, well, it’s been a while. I’m still getting used to the idea again.”
“You move fast. You’ve only been home a month.” Archer glanced around the almost empty bookstore. “I take it Katie’s heading back to Flagstaff. What about the rest of your misfits? How many steaks do I need to grill?”
“Thanks for all your help tonight.” Rarity squeezed Darby and let her go. “Six. You, me, Sam, Drew, Shirley, and Terrance.”
“So the old folks,” Archer clarified.
Darby watched Marc gather his things. She turned back to the group. “No, all the couples. The rest of us haven’t found our soulmate.”
Rarity glanced over to where Shirley was closing up the sales table.
She was still claiming that her relationship with Rarity’s neighbor, Terrance, was in the friend zone.
Her husband, George, was getting worse and Rarity expected a call any day.
But until that day, Shirley was committed to her marriage.
Even though George didn’t remember either her or their vows. “Let’s not define the group that way.”
“Old folks or couples?” Archer waved his hand up and down in a so-so gesture. Then he saw Rarity look at Shirley. “Darby, I think you should know, Shirley’s a little touchy about what we call her spending time with Terrance.”
Darby snuck a glance over to where Shirley was stacking the final books that Marc Billings had just finished signing. “Sorry. I should be more sensitive. Maybe you should have invited Marc too.”
“I did invite him, but he says he wants to go back to the hotel and do room service. He says he’s a bit overwhelmed with everything.
Thanks for walking him back to the hotel.
” Rarity waved Shirley over when she saw her watching the small group.
When she got there, she gave her a hug. “Best author event ever.”
“So far,” Shirley said, amending Rarity’s statement. “I really enjoyed putting this together. I didn’t realize doing this was an actual job. My professor said if I write up a paper on the process and the results, I can use it for my term paper in his class.”
“Let me know if you need numbers. I wasn’t kidding. This was the most successful event I’ve had here at the store. You’re still coming tonight for dinner, right?” Rarity wanted to make sure Shirley celebrated her success.
“I’ll be there. Terrance asked me to bring my Texas sheet cake, but I think with all the kids heading out to the street dance tonight, I might have to bring the leftovers to work tomorrow.
” Shirley waved as Darby, Katie, and Marc Billings left the shop.
“I’m driving over to Rarity’s if anyone wants to ride with me. ”
“We’ll walk.” Rarity met Archer’s gaze, and he nodded.
“I’ve got to run and get Sam at her house. She’s changing out of her book event dress and shoes into shorts. She’s bringing our suits for a swim.” Drew slapped Archer on the back and headed out the door.
“Okay, if you don’t need me for anything else, I’m going to stop by the nursing home and check on George, then I’ll be there.” Shirley gave Rarity a hug and tucked her purse on her shoulder. “It was a good night.”
As Rarity and Archer walked through the bookstore, turning off lights and checking doors, she paused, looking at the store before she locked the front door.
“I never expected how much I’d love my life right now.
I blew my life to bits when I quit my job and moved here to be closer to Sam.
Now, I have a business, a home, a pool, friends, and you. ”
He leaned down and kissed her. “You forgot something.”
She frowned as she tucked her keys into her tote. “Did I?”
“Killer. You have Killer. He’s going to be sad when I tell him his mommy forgot about him.” Archer pretended to be sad for the dog.
Rarity playfully poked Archer in the side. “Please don’t. He’s going to be mad enough at me that I made him stay home tonight.”
When they got home, Terrance was on his porch and let Killer loose when they came up the driveway. The little Yorkie bounced all the way and up into Rarity’s arms as she leaned down to get him when he reached her. “I missed you so much.”
“Whatever. Terrance, are you ready to help me get that grill started? The gang should be here in a few,” Archer called out to the older man standing on the porch, watching them.
“I’ll be over as soon as I get my contribution for dinner out of the fridge. I might not cook a lot, but I make a mean macaroni salad for nights like this.” He waved and disappeared into his house.
By the time they were all settling in the backyard, music was flowing and a large, galvanized water tub had been filled with ice and adult beverages.
And a few bottles of water as well. Rarity sat on the side of the pool dangling her legs in the water while Archer, Drew, and Sam played in the water.
Killer curled by her side, barking at the crazy humans.
Shirley and Terrance were at the table, talking.
Rarity smiled as she looked around her deck.
Her new tribe all liked each other. Her business was like working with family.
Darby was home from Scotland. And the spring run of festivals, before it got too hot, had started out strong.
She stood and walked over to where Shirley had a calendar and a notebook out making notes.
“Please tell me you’re not working. It’s a party. A welcome spring party.”
Shirley tapped her pen on the calendar. “I’m not working. Terrance and I are looking at going on a cruise this summer to Alaska. Separate cabins, of course. I’m just not sure about being on a boat that long.”
“It’s a ship, not a boat and it will be fine. You’ll love it. Besides, I’ve never seen Alaska. We need to get up there before it all melts.” Terrance took a sip of his beer. “You and Archer should come with us. It will be fun.”
“Maybe,” Rarity said as she turned to see Sam climb on a floating chair in the pool. “Maybe all six of us should go.”
“Sam and Drew seem to be doing better lately,” Shirley noted as she watched Drew get out and hand Sam her drink from the table where they’d left it earlier.
Rarity got herself another wine cooler and opened it, watching as her friend took her drink, then laughed when Drew splashed her with water. “Maybe we should all get away.”
“Let’s get those steaks going and we can chat about it over a meal.” Terrance stood and headed into the kitchen to get the steaks from the fridge.
Shirley watched him go inside, then met Rarity’s gaze. “I know. He’s a good man.”
“He is, and I’m glad you know that. Look, I know you’re in a hard place, but just know we’re all here for you.” Rarity followed Terrance into the kitchen.
They were just finishing dinner when Drew’s phone rang. They fell silent and Rarity turned down the music.
“It might just be the station checking in.” Drew stood and walked to the back of the yard, Killer following at his heels.
When he came back, he looked at Rarity. “Do you want to change before you go?”
Her heart sank as she heard his words. “Did the store get broken into?”
Drew shook his head. “Not the store. Someone broke into Darby’s house. Nothing’s gone or trashed, but I don’t think she should stay there alone. Can you put her up in your guest room?”
Rarity nodded. “I’ll go get changed.”
As she left the group, she heard Shirley directing the cleanup from dinner. She would take care of things here so Rarity could go save one of their own.
It was what family did in a crisis. And this group was family.