Hope looked stricken, which was exactly what I wanted to avoid. “I’m sorry, Mikki. Listen to me going on and on, and you’ve just ended your engagement in the worst possible way.”
I didn’t agree with that. “The worst way would have been finding out after the wedding.”
“Right. Crap. Of course.” Her cheeks flushed furiously, and I found myself reassuring her.
“Listen to me, Hope. It is entirely possible to be happy for you even if my own romantic life isn’t what I thought it would be today. Okay?” When she nodded, a relieved grin crossed my face. “I’m not mourning either of those relationships, anyway. Toxicity is bad for you, don’t you know.”
She let out a feminine laugh and rolled her eyes. “It’s sweet of you to say, but I still feel like I’m bragging.”
“Well, honey, you finally landed the man of your dreams—you’d be crazy not to brag about it.” The next time—if there was a next time—I let myself fall for a man, and a good man? I’d brag loud enough for the whole dang state to hear it.
“Maybe so, but it still feels wrong.”
“That’s just ‘cause you’re a good person, Hope. But think of it this way: your newly invigorated love life is helping me make plenty of money, thanks to all the sassy, sexy designs we’re selling together.” Hope wasn’t buying it and I was pretty much over this topic of conversation, so I went for another distraction. “Speaking of sassy, sexy designs, what do you have for me?”
Her smiled brightened and instantly, she was distracted with a topic more enjoyable for us both. Fashion. Hope hung up the garment bag she’d tried to sneak in earlier on a nearby rack and unzipped it, revealing at least half a dozen nightgowns. “It’s a little different. but I’ve been working like crazy on it and I think—I hope—you’ll like it.”
“Then let’s see, shall we?” I rounded the counter slowly, taking in all the colors shouting at me as I drew closer. There was silk and lace as far as the eye could see in a variety of sexy and vibrant colors. “These are amazing, Hope.” It was a rainbow of sexy and sassy for all types of women. “These will sell with everyone. Young and old, conservative and adventurous. Especially online.”
“Really? You don’t think it’s too much and too different, too soon?”
“Not at all. I’m more of a ‘strike while the iron is hot’ kind of girl myself, and right now, you are on a roll.” Hope had quickly learned the ropes and found her voice, slowly growing her business. Her big green eyes were wide. And wary. “What?”
“I don’t know, this is all just so unbelievable, I guess. This is going better than I ever imagined, even in my silly girlish dreams.” She shook her head, a pretty blush staining her cheeks. “I owe you so much.”
“Seems to me this isn’t the only dream of yours that’s going better than you imagined as a girl.” My eyebrows arched in a quirk and she laughed.
“Okay, so you have a point,” she conceded with a wide grin.
“And you don’t owe me anything. We make a good team.” At my words, she flung her little pixie body at me and I gladly wrapped her in my arms. It was nice to enjoy this type of female friendship, especially after realizing how one of the most important relationships in my life had meant less than nothing to the other person.
“We make a really good team, but without your encouragement, I’d still be slinging hash at Big Mama’s.” Her phone vibrating on the counter stole her attention and Hope groaned. “Speaking of, I promised Big Mama we’d go over the inventory to see how much it’d cost to update a few menu items. Gotta go!” With another hug, Hope took off, smoke kicking up off her feet.
It was nice, helping another woman achieve her goals, and a warm satisfaction suffused me as I got back to work, taking the box of skirts to the back so I could put them on hangers. Getting lost in work was my superpower, putting in hours and hours of inventory, bookkeeping, marketing, and online order fulfillment allowed me to think of nothing but my business. Nothing but making Pretty Feathers a success. It was the perfect distraction whenever my mind decided to wander to thoughts of Mama and Daddy, Mississippi, Charla and Mitchell. Nonna and Rocky.