I check the time and realize it’s almost eleven. “You can head out for lunch if you’d like. I’m meeting Gemma and Katie in an hour.”
She gives me a nod. “Sounds good. I won’t be long.”
Dana walks to the back, and I hear her punch buttons on the microwave.
While I’ve got some alone time, I pull out my phone and text Archer.
Everleigh: Miss you! Love you.
A minute passes, and my phone buzzes.
Archer: Miss and love you more.
Everleigh: Loved you first.
Archer: Bullshit.
I chuckle and finish cleaning the store before the midday crowd arrives. After I’ve resituated the front displays, a few people walk in.
“Everleigh,” Mrs. Letto says. “Do you have any of those leggings with the pockets? My granddaughter was telling me about them.”
I grin. “Yep, right over here.”
She runs her hand across the material. “Oh wow. These feel like a baby’s bottom. Super soft.”
“You’ll never wanna take them off,” I express. She goes through the rack and chooses one of each color. When Dana returns from her break, I check the time and realize I need to get going so I’m not late. I ring up those who are ready, then grab my purse.
“If you need any help, please text me,” I tell Dana, and she gives me a small wave.
“I will,” she says, but it’s clipped like she’s annoyed.
The sky looks dark in the distance, like the bottom’s going to fall out at any moment, so I decide to drive instead of walk.
It only takes a few minutes to get there, and I parallel park across the street from the deli. I make sure to position my self-defense keychain where the pepper spray is comfortable in my hand before getting out. Honestly, I feel kinda stupid being so paranoid, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.
As I make my way toward the front door, I see Katie and Gemma sitting in the booth by the window. They wave at me, and Katie glances down at her watch, shocked.
When I walk in, they give me shit for being on time.
“I can’t win here! So I guess that means you two are buying me lunch today?”
“Meh.” Gemma shrugs. “We didn’t bet this time.”
“What? I should’ve dragged my ass gettin’ here.”
Our server comes over and takes our order, then brings us our drinks.
“Sooooo…” Katie says, waggling her brows at me. “I want the scoop. Ring or positive pregnancy test yet?”
“Yeah, am I gonna be a bridesmaid or auntie first?” Gemma asks.
I roll my eyes with a groan and laugh. “Y’all are lucky you didn’t scare him away with all that talk. I thought for sure he’d wanna run, but everything’s perfect. I guess he’s one of those rare kinds who doesn’t throw up by talkin’ about the future. And I do mean, future.” I glare at them both to start tight-lipping it.
“Oh c’mon. You two looked happy on Saturday. It’s obvious how much Archer cares about you,” Katie says. “I’m lovin’ it for you.”
I bite my lower lip, remembering the very dirty things he did to me that night. “I am too.”
I meet Gemma’s eyes. “How did Tyler really react to the news?”
“Truthfully?” She raises a brow.
I nod, though I’m nervous about what she’s going to say.
“He said he had already figured it out. I think the birthday party sealed the deal.”
“What? How? We hadn’t even done the deed yet!”
She shrugs. “He said it was painfully obvious. The chemistry between you two is undeniable, Ev. You don’t have to have sex for everyone to see it.”
I laugh. “I guess you’re right. Did he say anything else?”
“Well, he did mention that if Archer breaks your heart, he’s going to fire him, then kick his ass.”
“Figures,” I say.
At the same time, Katie mutters, “Geez. What if Everleigh’s the one who breaks Archer’s heart?”
I snort. “Are you kidding me? The man makes me come in record time and cooks for me. Don’t be surprised if I’m the one who proposes to him someday.”
Gemma snickers. “So it’s going good-good.”
I release a breathy sigh. “Amazing. Mind-blowing. Honestly, he treats me like a queen, which is something I’ve never experienced before. I always come first, figuratively and literally—usually a few times too. It’s nice to be with a man who worships me in and out of the bedroom, ya know? It’s a new concept to me, and there’s nothing I’d do to fuck that up, at least not on purpose.”
“I’m sure you won’t, but it’s about damn time you settled down. I was worried you’d be fluttering around like a butterfly until you’re fifty. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I knew deep down you wanted a relationship with substance.”
“I didn’t realize how much I needed stability in a man until now. Can’t believe it took me this long actually,” I admit.
“You were just waitin’ for the right man,” Katie says, sipping her sweet tea.