that he did have a warrant. But it’s out of Florida. And they want to extradite him. He’s looking at fifteen to twenty years there.”
“That’s good enough for me. Thanks, man.” I hang up the phone and walk back out into the club. First thing in the morning I’ll go and tell Natalie the good news.
APRIL
I walk into Roses, and people are already here working on the shop. This week has been intense, to say the least. I accepted Grave’s money to fix the shop, not like he was going to give me an option. And I hate to admit it, but it looks better than it did before.
Workers have been in and out every day doing the finishing touches so I can open Monday. I just set my purse on the counter when I see the front door open. “Hey.”
“What’s up, ho?” Jasmine asks, removing her sunglasses and eyeing the guy’s ass bent over cleaning up his mess off the floor. She winks and gives me a smile.
“What are you girls doing here?” I ask.
Haven places her Louis Vuitton on the counter next to my fifteen-dollar purse. I have a feeling these women grew up with money. “We wanted to stop by and see the shop.”
I haven’t told them about what happened. I’m too ashamed and afraid they will judge Ethan. He’s really a good kid who just made some bad choices. Haven’t we all done that at some point? “Thanks. It should be ready for business on Monday.” As far as they know, I’m remodeling, and they have no clue that Grave is footing the bill.
“I saw the boutique next door to you is for sale,” Jasmine adds. “Have you thought about buying it? Expanding?”
“No. But that would be a good idea.” If that was an option. I don’t get enough business to justify that kind of expansion, but a girl can dream.
The door opens, and Emilee walks in followed by Titan. I swallow nervously. He knows what happened here and that the Mason brothers are responsible for the destruction. I’m praying he doesn’t say anything.
“You look like you just rolled out of bed,” Jasmine says to Emilee.
Her dark hair is up in a messy bun, and she’s wearing one of Titan’s T-shirts that’s hanging off one shoulder with a pair of gray yoga pants and tennis shoes.
Emilee waves her off. “We just had a couples massage. Dear Lord, it was amazing!” She sighs, rubbing her neck.
Titan walks up to the counter and pulls an envelope out of his back pocket, sliding it toward me.
“What’s this?” I ask, picking it up.
“That is your deposit for our wedding,” he answers.
I open it up. “Deposit ….?” I trail off as I pull the check out. It’s written out to me for twenty-five thousand dollars. “What?” I breathe.
“I figured that would be enough to get started.” He knocks his knuckles on the counter, then turns, giving Emilee a kiss. “You ladies have fun today,” he calls out before he leaves.
“Emilee?” I cough out her name. “This is …”
“Not enough?” she asks, tilting her head. “I can write you another one for the difference.”
Is she joking? “…insane.”
She waves me off as though she just bought me a five dollar lunch.
“No. Seriously.” I put it down and walk over to her. “I don’t even have the ability to produce that much. It’s just me …”
“You have us.” Jasmine throws her arm over my shoulders, pulling me into her side. “We will help make it happen.”
“What?” I look up at her in a daze. The shop has been down for a week, so I’m already behind. I would love nothing more than to do this for Emilee and Titan, but it’s just not possible.
“We’re the kind of girls who have your back. No matter what,” Jasmine adds with a wink.
Haven nods. “We got it.”
Emilee smiles. “Just let me know when and where you need me.”
Jasmine pulls away from me and places her eyes back on the guy who is now on his knees, back to setting the tile. “I know where I wanna be.” She whistles.
_______________
I sit at the table eating lunch with the girls. They talked me into walking down the street to a sub shop. My mind is still reeling from the check Titan wrote out to me and trying to figure out how I can give Emilee what she wants. My biggest fear has always been failure. Having to close the shop that my mother loved so much. And if it