Jazz, who sat perched on the edge of a recliner, laughed. “Excited much?”
“Oh, my God, I’m beyond excited,” Toni replied. Her light brown hair hung from high on her head in a lopsided ponytail. Yoga pants and what had to be one of her ol’ man’s Ripped T-shirts completed the comfy outfit. If Holly wasn’t mistaken, Ripped was the name of the gym Zach owned.
“Come casual,” she’d said. “Actually, less than casual. Wear what you’d wear for a solo Netflix date with your couch.”
“Seriously, Holly, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted to implement something like this. More and more, we get customers popping in on their way to work who don’t have time to sit and eat but want a coffee to go and something they can take to eat for the road. This will do wonders for business. Mine and yours.”
The pleasure Toni’s words evoked had Holly beaming. She felt seconds from bursting into a glittery explosion of happiness. Who wouldn’t love being praised for their life’s passion? “Okay, so next Monday will be our maiden voyage?”
“Does that work for you?” Jazz asked. She wore similar pants to Toni, only hers had an intricate neon purple pattern in a stripe down the sides. As usual, a crew neck long-sleeved T-shirt covered her top. Did any of the other girls in their group notice Jazz wore those long-sleeved tees like a uniform? September in Tennessee wasn’t exactly cold, yet she’d worn a similar shirt each time Holly had met up with her. Even when they partied at the clubhouse.
“That’s perfect for me. Gives me time to test a few new ideas out.”
“Okay,” Toni said as she reached for one of the peanut butter brownies Holly had brought along. “I worked out today, so don’t judge me for eating two of these. Enough shop talk. I want to hear what’s going on with you and LJ, Holly.”
“Oooh yes!” Jazz said as her eyes lit. “I’ve been dying to know what the deal is there. Spill, girlfriend.” She rubbed her hands together as though about to dive into a juicy steak.
“Oh, well, uh…” Did Holly really want to talk about the strange quasi-thing she had going on with LJ? She’d already jumped off the ledge where he was concerned, now she’d taken a job working at a diner deeply connected to the MC. Confiding in these women would only strengthen their budding friendships. Did she want that? Okay, yes, she did. But should she want that? No. Not at all. Her family would never understand. They’d think her disloyal to Joy’s memory, though Joy would probably be the first one hanging out at the clubhouse, were she alive today. But she wasn’t alive, and her death had been caused by an outlaw MC member.
It was so complicated, her head throbbed.
“Here.” Toni refilled Holly’s wineglass with a mischievous grin. “Suck this down, then tell us. Whatever you say won’t leave this room. Promise, girl.” She crossed her finger in an X over her heart. “Gashes before ’stashes.”
“Ugh,” Jazz wrinkled her nose. “Next time go with chicks before dicks.”
“Huh, that is a little less offensive, isn’t it?” Toni said as she crossed her legs and tilted her head as though she had all night to wait for Holly to spill her guts.
Holly heaved a sigh before swallowing a huge gulp of her drink. The flavor of the expensive vintage barely registered. She’d already committed the ultimate sin by pursuing her connection to LJ. So…in for a penny, in for a pound. A sentiment that would be oh, so comforting when her mother cried and her father blew a gasket over this. “Okay, fine, but you promise to keep it quiet?” She’d tell her parents when she was ready. Not when small-town gossip took the choice from her.
“You got it,” Toni said.
“Promise.” Jazz said.
“That’s not enough. Put a hand on the plate of brownies.”
With a giggle, Toni said, “What? Why?”
“Shh, just do it.”
Also chuckling, Jazz scooted to the edge of the recliner and leaned forward, placing her hand on the large platter of brownies which was resting on Toni’s coffee table.
Both women looked to Toni, who rolled her eyes but followed suit. Holly’s hand joined her new friends’.
“Wait,” Toni said. “Why are you doing it too, Holly?”
With a shrug, Holly said, “I didn’t want to be left out.”
That had both Jazz and Toni cracking up.
“Okay,” Holly said then cleared her throat. “Let’s get serious for a second. Repeat after me: I solemnly swear…”
“I solemnly swear…” Toni and Jazz parroted.
“To keep my trap shut…”
“To keep my trap shut…”
“No matter how much I want to gossip and share Holly’s business.”
They repeated the sentence.
“If I break this vow…”
“If I break this vow…”
“May I never have a brownie again.”
“What?” Toni practically shrieked. “That’s harsh!”
“May I never have brownies again,” Jazz said. “Say it, Toni.”