“This is lovely,” I said with surprise.
The curtain ripped open and Lexi gasped. “That’s it. We’re doing this again. You look like a totally different girl! You’re a girly girl! You’ve always had fashion sense, April, but I never get to see you all dolled up. Damn, the men are going to fall over when they see you in that dress.”
I blushed with a little anger. “I’m not going to be the only single woman there, am I?”
An expressive smile brightened her face. “No,” she said, folding her arms. “The party is growing. We have a few Shift—shift workers that Austin knows coming by, and they’re bringing dates or their friends. Ben and Wheeler are filling in potholes with gravel, while Denver is having a heart attack because there’s not enough beer. He had to call up a guy last minute to haul a few kegs up to the house. It’s going to be a good time, so please don’t back out on me. Hell, you know me—I’m not a party girl at all. But it’s not going to be one of those obnoxious get-togethers where hookers are dancing on the tables and—”
I snickered. “What kind of parties do you normally go to?”
Her brow arched. “My friend Naya is a stripper. ’Nuff said. Anyhow, my mom and Maizy are out of town and Austin is setting up the music and a few other things. My job is to pick up some stuff for the burgers at the store, another reason I invited you. Sorry, I need an extra set of hands.”
“What about Ivy?” I’d met her once. A pretty girl who was friends with Austin and Lexi, she had a long, beautiful braid and a warm smile.
“Ivy will definitely be there; she’s excited to meet some of the neighboring… ah, some of the neighbors. She’s busy decorating and locking up a few things so they don’t get broken. She bought some Chinese lanterns to string up in the front yard and I think Austin is going to help her put them up. Shit!” Lexi scowled at her watch. “We have to hurry. Do you mind helping me with the groceries?”
My stomach knotted. This would eat up time I needed to find money, but in the back of my mind, I knew what I had to do. Call Maddox.
“After we finish shopping, I can drive you home to take a shower and change clothes.”
“No,” I said sharply, and it caught her attention. “You can drop me off at the store. I have to run a few errands in town.”
She began folding up some of the clothes she had tossed in a pile on the bench. “Then how are you going to get home?”
“It’s the first day we’ve had sunshine, Lexi. Maybe I want to enjoy it a little bit.”
“It’s not a big deal. It’ll give you more time to get ready or even take a nap. You can always run errands tomorrow. Don’t eat though; we’ll have plenty of food.”
I sat down on the bench and spun the price tag on my dress around. “Holy smokes. I’ve changed my mind on the dress.”
“No, you haven’t. How come you don’t want me to drive you home?”
Silence fell like a curtain between us. I parted my hair away from my eyes. “What else are you having besides burgers?”
She watched me for a few beats and then changed out of her shirt. “Hot dogs and chicken. Austin wants me to pick up a few steaks, but they’re only for certain people.”
I laughed. “That might not go over well. All men like steak over hot dogs.”
“Well, I can’t explain it. Anyhow, dammit!”
I stood up and helped her out of the shirt before she ripped it apart. Lexi was definitely stressing out.
“Thanks. What was I saying? Oh, we’re also having corn on the cob and beans.”
A laugh pealed out of me. “That should go over well, Lexi. Beans? No one ever thinks about practical side items. While the women are picking corn out of their teeth, the men will be farting to the tune of an old Queen song.”
Her lip twisted. “Good point. Austin said no salad. There’s going to be more men than women, so I have to get something they’ll like, not rabbit food. Something… manly,” she said in a silly voice, flexing her biceps.
We laughed and I folded up a few of the clothes. “Macaroni. You can buy tubs of that stuff and it’s already precooked. Or grab some cold pasta salad and that way it will be one less thing to heat up, not to mention you can buy that premade too.”
“What would I do without you, April? You’re a genius. I’ve never hosted a party like this, so I ran out of the house before I gave myself a heart attack. Austin was driving me nuts with his choices for music. Some things we can agree on, but I won’t bend for Kings of Leon. Well…” Then she muffled a private laugh.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
God, was I. Trevor was right. I needed to step out of my comfort zone for a change and enjoy myself. Sometimes I got so wrapped up in the serious stuff that I forgot to have fun.
“Just stay away from Jericho.”