wanted a position, they would find one. No doubt about that. But every vital position seemed to be covered. The last thing she wanted was for them to humor her by inventing some glorified secretary role. Their mother did the bookkeeping, their father provided guidance even in retirement, Stephen managed the flips, Bethany staged. If they needed a clown to juggle on the curb to attract potential buyers, Georgie was their girl. For now, though, she was the odd woman out. The kid sister who’d always left the heavy lifting to the adults and big kids . . . and in their eyes always would.
“Rosie.” Georgie used her knee to nudge the only married woman among them. “You’re up, lady.”
“Already?” Rosie’s groan turned into a laugh. “I sound like a broken record. Nothing has changed. Nothing ever changes in my life. Nothing bad or good even stands out this week.”
“Try,” Bethany said, shuffling aside the empty shot glasses to lean across the island. “There had to be something.”
“Mmm.” Rosie closed her eyes and took a long breath. “Bad: I sprayed a customer in the eye with perfume during the early shift. They ducked at the wrong time and . . . wham. I’m lucky they recognized me from church or I could have been fired.”
Bethany and Georgie traded a wince.
“Good . . .” Rosie trailed off for a few seconds, her hands bunching in her skirt. “I bought a newspaper and circled ads for vacant restaurant spaces.”
“That’s amazing!” Georgie shook Rosie gently. “Are there any good ones in town?”
“Yes, but . . .” Rosie rolled her eyes. “The amount of work I’d have to put in to make it what I envision is just overwhelming. And expensive.”
“What about a lease?” Bethany asked.
“No.” Rosie showed a rare flash of determination. “When I finally do this, I want the place to be mine.” Her eyelids fluttered down, shielding her eyes. “We’ve got money saved, Dominic and I. He hasn’t touched the money he earned while serving. And Brick & Morty pays so well.” She smoothed her sleeve. “My parents left me some, too. Considering I hid the newspaper under the mattress so Dominic wouldn’t see it, I’m a long way off from asking to use what we have saved, though.”
Georgie frowned. “How would he react?”
Rosie started to answer, then closed her mouth. “I have no idea anymore. I think I’m afraid to tell him I want something. Anything. Or all the other things I want . . . that are missing . . . will come pouring out and I won’t be able to take them back.” As if alarmed she’d revealed too much, Rosie looked at Georgie with a silent plea. “Your turn.”
Her problems seemed to pale in comparison to Rosie’s. But as always, Georgie’s impulse was to lighten the mood any way she could. “Good: I got asked out on a date.”
Bethany smacked both hands down on the island. “What?”
“Thank you for acting like I just announced I’m joining the PGA Tour.”
“Shut up. It’s just that you haven’t been on a date since . . . Have you ever been on a date? You know what? I’m digging a hole. Never mind.” Her sister dragged the shot glasses back out to the forefront and started pouring. “Give us the details.”
When she tried to conjure up the man who’d asked her out, she could only see Travis’s face. Ignore him. Easier said than done, though. She’d been picturing him in conjunction with her every romantic impulse seemingly forever. “Um. His name is Pete. Midthirties, maybe? Single dad. He came to give me an estimate on fixing my fireplace.”
Bethany made a low whistle. “You’re one to talk about betraying the family business.”
“If I hired Brick & Morty to do the work, they would see it as a favor. I don’t want favors. And I don’t want what Stephen and Dom and Travis think is best, which is exactly what would happen.”
All three women fired back another shot.
“Anyway.” Georgie swiped at her mouth with the back of her wrist, remembering too late she was still wearing clown makeup. Bethany lobbed Georgie a napkin and she cleaned the white-and-red residue from her costume sleeve, while continuing the story. “I didn’t say yes or no to the date, but I promised to call with an answer. So I have to say no, right? I kind of thought the point of this club was to shun the menfolk.”
“Not shun. Just . . . compartmentalize.” Bethany pursed