The diabetic club had their activity,” Lysa states as she places a large cookie in front of me.
I stare at the huge mound. “A bake sale?”
“They see it as their outreach.”
I take a bite and chew slowly. “Applesauce…carob…and something tangy.”
“Lemon zest.”
“Ah, I’ve always wondered what my chocolate chip cookies were missing.”
Lysa sits at her desk, which is just outside of Beau’s office. “How was your weekend?”
“Oh, same-o. I helped Caitlin with her business start-up research. She has to turn in her proposal to the Small Business Association loan review board next week. And Beau had to work. Turns out his mentor was in town again. Who knew I would become the jealous type? I have my life, my interests, my friends—but lately he is either working or working with her. Which means, it really isn’t working for me. I’m morphing into one of those women who is needy. Needy is my current second-least-favorite word.”
“What’s the first?”
“Paige. Which brings me back to needy.”
I realize I am more upset than I expected. I try to reexplain my circumstances to make us both feel better. “You know, it is good timing, though. I have Sadie’s wedding to deal with. I gladly help Caitlin. And I have had more time to enjoy the solitude I used to love before I got so caught up in Beau. It’s good. What did you do?”
Lysa pauses and half shrugs. “I worked too. Just a little.” She seems uncomfortable. “Before I forget, Rose Waverly was asking to see you. She has a new idea for the afternoon craft group’s project.”
“But she’s in the morning craft group.”
Lysa points her index finger at me like a cheesy game show host. “Exactly.”
“Now be nice,” I get up from my seat and gladly step away from the shredder and my exciting activity for the day. “Rose is actually so much sweeter now than back when I knew her at church. She was my least-favorite pew neighbor. She scared me.”
“And now?”
I laugh. “Okay, her control still scares me. But the first day she walked through these doors, she was fragile and broken. I’d rather see her happy and in charge any day. And I can confidently say she is one of my favorite residents.”
“Well, good—because she wants to turn your desk into a float for the end of summer parade.”
I walk over to Lysa’s larger desk. “Why use my little pooper-scooper float when she could have the star of the show?” As I pretend to take the measurements of the old roll-top-turned-convertible workspace, I notice a miniature yellow rose plant.
Lysa notices me noticing and casually pushes some books in front of it.
“Good try. Who’s the guy?”
“That rhymed.”
“You know everything about my relationship with Beau. I just spilled my guts, for Pete’s sake. You finally have one admirer who sends flowers, and you say nothing.” I goad her a bit, but I’m really quite happy that she has a new friend.
“I will let the word ‘finally’ slip because…” she looks down and feigns a hangnail. One of my personal moves of avoidance.
“I worked here all weekend because I ran reports for Beau and for…”
“Least-favorite word?”
“Yeah. I already knew you felt a bit left out of this project, so I didn’t want to rub it in that I got to work all weekend.” She stops and laughs.
I laugh to ease her discomfort. “Oh, don’t worry—I’m nuts. I’m surprised I have a boyfriend.”
“And since I think working all weekend is cause for jealousy between us—I’m not surprised I don’t have a boyfriend.”
My eyes scan the hallway, and I quickly glance into Beau’s office to be sure we are alone. “So, why were Beau and Paige at the library on Saturday if they were supposed to be here working?”
Lysa looks relieved. “I sent them there. I had to run five reports, and they were standing over me. So I insisted they leave for half an hour to give me peace. How did you know?”
“I saw them. Sort of. I saw Beau and half of her head. And then I hid.”
“Why? You are his wonderful girlfriend. The girlfriend he talks about all the time. You should have gone right over to them and laughed and shaken hands and acted like it is no big deal.”
“Yeah.”
“Because it is no big deal.”
“I should have, you’re right. But I also think he should have made a point of introducing her to me before now. Don’t you think? He’s quite a polite person by nature. So the fact that I have not met her makes me nervous. She’s pretty, isn’t she?”
“I might have a third-least-favorite word for you.”
“Uh-oh. Bring it on.”
“Stunning.”
I act as though a dagger has gone through my heart. “Where is the protective nature you exhibited moments ago? Now you are throwing images at me that my little head does not need right now.”
“I’m not finished. She’s stunning and a bit severe. I think Beau spends half of his time with her trying to regain control of his own project. Despite the yellow flowers of friendship on my future float, she is not a warm person.”
“At least I feel better about why they were at the library. But if he doesn’t introduce us next time…”
Lysa looks past my shoulder and pinches my leg. “Beau!”
“Hello, Lysa. Mari.” Beau nods at us both. It is the first time I have seen him since I tripped off the escalator.
Lysa stands up and starts down the hallway rather quickly. “I will go tell Rose that the desks are off limits.”
“Nobody can call that woman subtle,” Beau says and motions for me to go into his office. As I walk in front of him, he places his hands on my shoulders and gives me an affectionate rub.
I turn and face him and wait for whatever he wants to say. Usually I make it easy for him to be a man of few words, but I want to hear something that will turn my thoughts around.
He starts off haltingly. “I’m sorry I missed church.”
Okay.
“I should have called you,” he continues.
I remain silent. Anything I say will come out wrong, harsh, or just plain crazy.
“Good news, though. The project is coming along nicely.”
“So you will finish sooner?” I break my vow with hope.
“Sort of. We’ll meet our goal early enough that we can complete our second pitch for funding. It’s beyond what our expectation was for this project.”
I remember when “our” was a happy word in the dating vocabulary. It has just bumped “needy” for second place on my least-favorite list.
Since I broke my silence, I decide to plunge forward into the abyss of relationship mystery. “Beau, I don’t know if I am supposed to say this. It might be stupid or unnecessary at best—but I think I should meet Paige. In fact, I’m surprised it didn’t happen that first weekend.”
His face softens into worry. His hands go back to my shoulders. “That isn’t stupid. You shouldn’t have had to ask. I’m so caught up in my new work that I’m missing out on the reason I moved back to Tucson in the first place.”
“The fancy office and sizable bonus?”
He hugs me and kisses my hair. “You, silly. I adore you. Next time, I will introduce you to her.”
Is it terrible that I wanted him to introduce her to me?
“And we will go out on a date soon,” he promises.
“The three of us?”
“Mari, you are my top priority.” He leans in and kisses me on the lips. “And you are my favorite person in the world.”
I don’t even worry whether coworkers will see us kissing. That’s all I needed to hear. I set aside my reservations and kiss him back.