Chapter 19 #2
Why was it so freaking hard to ask for a favor? Tyrone had told her that he would help. Was it wrong to call that help in for babysitting? She didn’t think so, and Kelsey knew him.
Glenna: Nothing. I just need a favor if you have time, please?
Unknown number: Name it.
“What are you doing?” Serena asked.
She chewed on the corner of her lip and winced internally, hoping the others wouldn’t think she was overstepping. “I’m asking Tyrone if he can look after Kelsey while we go try our boozy experiment.”
Glenna: Can you look after Kelsey while I do something with the girls?
“If he says no, then we’ll send her with Ember,” Serena said, “but he won’t say no.”
Don’t be too sure about that. I’m not.
Unknown Number: Is that the text message Nemo just got too?
Glenna: I think so.
Unknown Number: I’m coming to you with him. See you in 5.
“He says he’s coming with your husband, Chari.”
“I told you he’d do it.” Serena started gathering all the kids’ stuff, and Glenna got up to help.
Jorja hauled herself upright. “Let’s do it in the main kitchen. We should have everything we need in there.”
Glenna got to her feet to gather the wine glasses.
“Oh boy.” Chari paused and stared over her shoulder. “That’s a sight I’m never going to get tired of seeing.”
“We should sell tickets,” Rissa quipped.
“You’re only saying that because your man isn’t involved,” Serena shot back.
“If mio amore was involved, the tickets would be double the price.” Rissa took the plates from her hands. “More stacking, less drooling, Rena, Remi’s already yours.”
Glenna already knew what they were looking at and just about stopped herself from whirling around as fast as possible to see. Instead, she tried to make it seem as if she was headed to the kitchen with the dirty dishes.
Damn, they aren’t wrong.
Tyrone, Remi, and Levi walked toward them with that effortless, predatory grace of theirs—like even their simple walk was just an exercise in restrained energy waiting to explode.
I wouldn’t throw any single one of them out of bed for eating cookies, that’s for sure.
Well, maybe two of them… There’s one I definitely wouldn’t.
“Uncle Zorro!” Kelsey spotted Tyrone and raced across the garden, skidding to a halt just shy of colliding with his legs. He caught her mid-lunge, swinging her up onto his hip without breaking stride.
“Heard you ladies needed a babysitter.” His gaze locked onto Glenna, dark and knowing. “Or three.”
Nemo scooped Jules into his arms, tossing her skyward before catching her against his chest. “Pool time, squirt. You got your swimsuit?”
“Yep!” Ember piped up, already tugging at her sundress. “Auntie Chari mades us puts them on.”
“Try not to burn the house down.” Remi hauled Serena in close and kissed her forehead. “We got this, go have fun.”
Tyrone’s fingers brushed Glenna’s elbow as he passed—just a graze, but it sent a jolt up her arm. “We’ll keep them busy. Go enjoy your girl time.” The way he said it made it sound like something illicit.
She swallowed. “Thanks.”
He winked at her and heat pooled low in her stomach.
Damn him.
Siobhán bounced into the kitchen on her heels. “Let’s play that should’ve-gone-to-AA TikTok again, shall we?”
“Look at that.” Glenna hit play and propped her phone up on the counter, and all the women gathered around to see. “Apparently, it absorbs all the Starbursts.” This was a terrible idea. What had she been thinking? “I mean, it looks good.”
“It looks like it would be amazing.” Petra went to one of the cupboards and pulled out some glasses. She turned with seven of them threaded through her fingers. “I’ve got the cocktail glasses. Shall we try it?”
“Let’s do it,” Serena called over her shoulder as she disappeared into the pantry. “I’ll grab the tequila.”
“I’ll get the Starbursts.” Jorja opened a cupboard over the fridge, then scrambled onto the countertop so she could fish in the back. “I have to hide these from Jerk-God, or he’ll munch his way through a whole share pack before I even have one.”
“Honestly, same,” Rissa muttered. “If you leave that bag near me, there isn’t going to be one left for the magic brew Glenna is making us.” They started unwrapping the candies and tossing them into the coffee maker’s filter.
“Welcome to Willy Wonka and the Alcohol Factory. I’m your host, Glenna Harper.”
“And I'm your co-host, Boozy Irish.” Siobhán reappeared as if conjured by mirth alone, cradling a bottle of Don Julio 1942. “May our panties be red when the sky is blue because I chose nineteen forty-two,” she quipped, cracking the bottle open with a flourish. The bottle top rolled across the counter. “I thought it was gonna pop. It didn’t pop.”
“It’s not champagne, sister.” Serena nudged her. “Give it to Glenna.”
“How much is too much?” Glenna asked, pouring a generous measure. The atmosphere swelled with the sense of impending merriment, and the liquid kept glugging into the coffee maker.
“Ooh, fill it up all the way,” Serena’s eyes sparkled with a promise of good-natured antics. “We’re all falling asleep early tonight.”
“Don’t forget to fill this with ice because it’s gonna come out hotter than all these operators we’re married to,” Rissa carried the carafe towards the fridge and pushed it under the icemaker.
“What next?” Petra bounced on the balls of her feet with childlike anticipation.
“Apparently, we hit brew.” Glenna pressed the button on the coffee maker with all the ceremony of launching a secret rocket. “Boom. Let it work its magic.”
“How long is this supposed to take?” Serena bumped her with her elbow as they all peered at the coffee maker like students studying their science experiment and praying it would work.
“How long does coffee take?” Chari stared closer than was necessary as the liquid bubbled and hissed into the carafe.
“Oh no, oh, this is—oh boy.” Glenna watched as liquid gold seeped through the filter, morphing the candies into a sleek syrup. The smell of sweet and boozy something that was going to be oh-so-dangerous infiltrated the room.
“Look, look, look,” Petra was almost vibrating with delight.
The laughter crescendoed in a chorus of delighted disbelief. “Oh, look at that—hot tequila, watch out, don’t burn yourselves.” Clouds of laughter billowed as the coffee pot churned out its unexpected bounty in the form of a magical elixir of swirling colors and mingled scents.
“It looks like pink lemonade.” Chari watched Glenna pour some into each glass and brought hers to her nose. “Smells fruity. Dangerously fruity.”
“Well,” Glenna held her glass up like a goblet, “here’s to My Room’s Gonna Be Spinning Tonight.
” They clinked their glasses together; a toast forged through sugar and spirit.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” she gasped, the concoction a delicious shock to her senses.
The Starburst-infused tequila was surprising, smooth in a way only a forbidden treat could be.
“Welcome to the Won’t Walk Straight Watering Hole. ”
Petra gave a ceremonial bow in Glenna’s direction. “I dub you, Queen of Candy Land Cocktails.” She plucked a glass from the counter and raised it high. “I can’t believe this actually worked.” she refilled everyone’s glasses. “This worked amazingly.”
“Okay, not gonna lie, I like the color.” Marissa swirled her glass under the sunlight streaming in the windows.
“TikTok Adlay, you’re a genius,” Glenna raised her glass once more in a toast to their TikTok inspiration lady.
“We should feed this to the boys.” Siobhán’s eyes glinted with mischief.
“Welcome to ‘We’re All Getting Laid Tonight,’” came Chari’s bold proclamation, lost amid the tangle of giggles. “Does this thing come with umbrellas? I feel like umbrellas in our glasses would be the cherry on top.”
The kitchen buzzed with energy, laughter echoing off the gleaming surfaces and walls. Glenna stood at the counter, her heart light for the first time in years as the weight of uncertainty was temporarily forgotten under the awesomeness that was Starburst-tinis.
“Refills.” Jorja drained her glass and split what remained of the carafe into their glasses. “Then, we are looking for another Adlay concoction.”
“One...two...” Siobhán counted down. “Down the hatch. Sláinte.”
Chari nudged her. “Definitely feeding this to the boys later. They’ll never see it coming.”
“Agreed.” Petra leaned back against the counter, a wicked grin splitting her face. “We could lace their drinks during poker night. Imagine the chaos.”
The laughter bounced around Glenna until it was big enough to make a home in her chest. She had forgotten what it felt like to be part of something more than just survival.
The sounds of friendship—sounds she had feared were lost to her forever—now surrounded her like armor, each laugh a thread tying her closer to this newfound family.
God, I’m going to miss this when I go home.