“It’s been great. Mostly just one long party that hasn’t quite ended. There’s still some cake left, I think, if you want to grab a slice. Jean made it.”
“Of course she did.” Hattie patted Bridget’s hand.
Hattie was her mother’s age, had worked at the flower store since she was in high school, and had never thought about doing something else. In some ways, Bridget envied her, and in others, she couldn’t even stomach that thought. Life had been easy for Hattie where it had been tough for Bridget—she supposed she would always envy that when it came up.
“Do you think you’re ready to be back?”
“Sorry?” Bridget furrowed her brow. It wasn’t the first time someone had asked her that, but it was the first time it had sounded so offensive. She couldn’t figure out if it was because of the comment about the name or the prying or the jealousy bubbling up, but Bridget ignored it.
“I mean, you’re still healing, right?”
“Yeah,” Bridget answered. “I’m on office duty for another two to three months easily. I won’t be out in the field just yet, but I can at least help here and do some of the extra stuff once I’m cleared to drive.”
“You’re not cleared to drive?”
Bridget froze. She’d forgotten that Hattie was one of the gossip-whores around town. It was the worst part about her running the only flower shop and getting so many special occasion flowers. “I’m not. I will be soon, don’t you worry. Hattie, I hate to cut this short, but I’ve got two months’ worth of work to catch up on.”
“Oh, right.” Hattie smiled and patted Bridget’s hand. “I copied the name of who those are from off the credit card, so you should be able to figure out right quick.”
“Thanks.” Bridget nodded, hoping that would be the end of the conversation.
As soon as she was cast into silence, Bridget snagged the card from the beautiful bouquet of flowers and read it. “Good luck on your first day back. Jerica.”
Bridget wrinkled her nose as a smile blossomed on her lips. She made sure those flowers had a prominent place on her desk amidst all the rest of the gifts she’d gotten that day. She wouldn’t even bring them home. She’d let them sit there until they died—though Rose would no doubt keep them alive as long as possible. She sent Jerica a quick text of thanks before digging into what was left of her day at work, bending over her desk.
The knock on her door surprised her. Bridget shot her head up, finding Eli leaning against the doorframe with a shit-eating grin on her lips. “I see you had quite the party.”
“I did. What are you doing here so early?”
“It’s after six, Bridge.”
Frowning, Bridget checked her watch. Eli was right, which meant it was also time to leave work for the day. The incident report had sat unread on the corner of her desk while she focused on the rest of the work that she absolutely needed to get done—and still needed to get done, because she hadn’t finished it. She was going to be neck deep in the last two months for at least the upcoming month while she tried to juggle what had happened in her absence and what was currently happening and what was going on in town in the upcoming months.
Bridget groaned as she stretched her back. “I finally started to get some work done in the last couple of hours. I suppose when everyone started going home.”
Eli snorted. “So you are more popular than me. Told you.”
“Shut up.” Bridget pulled face. “Thanks for the ride, though. You know I could have asked one of the deputies.”
“I know, but this way I get to see you on your first day back. Besides, I had to come to town to get flowers from Hattie. Something Mom ordered? I don’t know. She’s going a bit crazy with the wedding details right now.”
“Eli, you’re getting married in two days. I think this is the time the detail people are supposed to panic.”
“Yeah, but does she have to be so…so…panicky about it?”
Busting out a laugh, Bridget walked around her desk to grab her jacket. “You’re excited for it, don’t lie.”
“I’m excited for it to be over in some ways. We should have just eloped. Hosting a wedding is vastly different from planning one.”
“Sure it is.”
They fell into a comfortable silence as they took the elevator down to the main floor and headed out to Eli’s truck. As soon as they were inside, Bridget clenched her jaw. “Speaking of wedding—”
“Oh my God, are you getting married?” Eli’s eyes widened. “I called it! I so called it!”
“I’m not getting married,” Bridget muttered. “But I did want to ask you something.”
“Ask me what?” Eli pulled through the back streets the five blocks to Bridget’s house.