is cold. We’re gathered around folding tables, working on our sewing projects. None of us have room in our apartments for a gathering like this. I can’t even bust out my sewing machine without doing so much rearranging that it’s hardly worth it. Most of my upcycling stuff is done by hand.
Xena’s leashed to my chair and scanning the group hopefully for snacks.
I’ve missed this fiercely over the last couple of weeks. The sense of community, the shared purpose, the dirty jokes. Edna’s indignant objections to the dirty jokes. The terrible, terrible wine. God, this stuff is bad. Cheap, though.
I haven’t had the energy to pick up a needle and thread since the day I signed Blake’s contract. My first paycheck was generous, and my parents are bragging about me all over town, but it does come at a cost. Namely, my social life, sleep and sanity.
“Why are we here again?” Edna asks, glancing up from the shirt she’s hemming. She looks at me. “Did I mention the cow thing to you, dear?”
“Several times,” I assure her. I’m lying – she hasn’t brought it up in the past few days – but she’s made her point enough times in the past that I don’t need to hear it repeated.
“This is an official meeting to discuss Winona’s dating-but-not-dating situation.” Isabella takes a swig of wine and winks at me.
“Woo-hoo!” Jemma holds up her wine glass. “Here’s to getting all the details!”
“It is not!” I say heatedly.
“Are we doing Robert’s Rules of Order?” Isabella smirks. “I make a motion that Winona has to tell us all the details. Do I have a second?”
“Second!” Jemma calls out. “I will throw in free lattes for a week if you tell me what his dick looks like.” Something about an English accent makes her sound elegant even when she’s saying things like that.
She holds out her hands approximately a foot apart, and looks at me questioningly. Then she moves her hands closer together. “Am I getting warmer?”
Edna shakes her head reprovingly. “In my day, we waited until our wedding night,” she mutters.
I skewer Jemma with a narrow-eyed glare. “My lips are sealed.”
“This is an official meeting to get Ariel to break up with her lame-ass boyfriend?” Isabella suggests.
“It is?” Ariel asks nervously. She’s expertly hemming a navy-blue skirt that’s part of a two-piece set I snagged for six bucks. “I thought we were going to gossip about butt-cucumbers? I came for the butt-cucumbers!”
“You have a lame-ass boyfriend? What does he do? Do we need to give him a good kicking?” Jemma looks hopeful. She does mixed martial arts as a hobby.
“Butt-cucumbers and kickings come later,” Clarita decrees.
Jemma looks disappointed and takes a swig of wine.
“Point of order!” Edna interjects. “In my day, ladies never talked about butt-cucumbers.”
“Duly noted.” Clarita opens her notebook. “We’re not using Robert’s Rules of Order. This is an informal meeting in which we are completing our alterations and going over our current list of volunteers. In addition to me, we have two other retired teachers on our emergency babysitter list. We have three handymen who can do emergency fix-it stuff in buildings where our crappy landlords won’t do the repairs.”
A voice booms out from the shadows, making us jump. “How many lawyers do you have on your volunteer roster, to deal with the fact that your crappy landlords won’t do repairs?”
Blake strides forward, followed, of course, by Henry.
Ariel looks at me in dismay. “He’s everywhere,” she mouths. She downs the rest of her wine in one gulp.
I nod sympathetically. “I know.”
“How did he just appear like that?” Edna asks. “Was he here the whole time? Do I need to get my glasses fixed?” She takes off her glasses and examines them critically.
“Your glasses are fine. Someone must have looked in a mirror and said his name three times.” I scowl at him. I’m doing my best to ignore him, and my aching heart and my yearning libido, but he’s making it hard by being around all the time. And looking sexy as hell, with a hint of five o’clock shadow dusting that gorgeous face. “More importantly, why are you even here, Blake?”
“Can’t a business owner get actively involved in his community? Also, I have a surprise for you all.” He glances at his watch. “Which will be arriving any minute.”
“That sounds mildly frightening. By the way, Henry, what would you do if Blake ever gave you the night off?” I ask him.
Henry frowns in thought. “Well, that is of course a