Page 6 of The Roommate Problem
“Of course we trust Agatha.” Pru smiled. “And we trust you.”
“Who we don’t trust,” Lilly interjected with a firm frown, “is this August guy.”
Mo couldn’t hold back the snort of laughter this time. “It’s adorable when you two try to protect me, but must I remind you I’m a grown woman who can take care of herself?”
Lilly pointed a finger. “And must we remind you of the time you hooked up with that guy at the karaoke bar who said he was a talent agent and wanted to sign you?”
“But he really turned out to be a failed DJ who lived in his mom’s basement,” Pru finished.
“Hey, that was five years ago.” She crossed her arms, not liking when her friends ganged up on her less-than-stellar assessments of people in her past. “Zane turned out to be a pretty cool guy, and it wasn’t like I slept with him. The jig was kinda up when he took me back to his mom’s place.”
And all they’d done was talked and listen to music before she called a cab and headed home. Not that she ever believed the guy in the first place. Karaoke was her jam, but she knew her talents, and a platinum album singing career was not among them. Zane had been nice, but he hadn’t been the one for her. Not her soul mate.
People might call her silly for believing in something as fairy tale-ish as soul mates, but Mo didn’t care. She’d seen it enough times to know it was true. Her own parents had been together for over forty years. Forty years of happiness, love, companionship. Forty years with your best friend.
That’s what Mo wanted. And she wouldn’t stop searching until she found it. No matter how many frogs she had to kiss or how many people made fun of her or called her naive.
Yes, she was the most hopeless of hopeless romantics. Which was good, considering she helped run a wedding planning company. She was literally in the business of happily ever afters, and she intended to find her own one day. But that didn’t make her naive. She knew just because she could trust Agatha didn’t mean she could implicitly trust August.
“I know that you’re both worried about me, and I think it’s very sweet.” She reached out a hand. Pru grabbed on immediately. After Mo cleared her throat rather loudly, Lilly sighed and offered her own hand. Grasping her best friends’ hands in her own, she gave them a loving squeeze. “I promise I know what I’m doing. Everything will be fine.”
Besides, she really needed help on the rent…something she didn’t need to tell her former roommates about. She didn’t want them feeling bad for finding their happily ever afters and leaving her with the ridiculousness that was Denver’s rent.
Pru scooted forward in her chair, clasping both hands around Mo’s, her expression dialed to uber-mommy mode. “You’ll let us know right away if things aren’t fine. And call us if he tries anything inappropriate.”
She held in a laugh. From what she knew of August, the only inappropriate thing the guy might be guilty of was having terrible taste in food. Seriously, who carried around protein shakes in their bag? Those things tasted like chalk and dirty feet.
“If August tries anything, I promise I’ll call you right after Nut Basher and I finish beating the snot out of him.”
“That’s my girl,” Lilly said, pulling her hand away. “Tell us more about this August person.”
Honestly, apart from being Agatha’s grandson and having a mean case of the crankies, she didn’t know much.
“He’s here to help out Agatha at the flower shop.”
Her friends nodded. They’d all been hoping Mrs. Porter would bring in some assistance at the store. The woman was getting older, and her health wasn’t what it used to be. Sadly, they’d had to pass her up for a few recent weddings because Agatha didn’t have the capability to keep up with the demands of the store and catering to special events. Hopefully, things would turn around now that August was here. Though Mo doubted a man as grumpy as August Porter could create flower arrangements as beautiful as Agatha. Guess she’d just have to wait and see.
“I only met him last night,” Mo continued. “He seems nice enough. Perhaps a little tired by the drive.”
“Where’s he from?” Pru asked.
Again, she had a vague idea, but no specifics. “The southwest part of the state, I think. Agatha mentioned somewhere around Telluride when she was telling me about him.”
Lilly nodded. “A drive like that would make anyone irritated.”
Colorado was a big state. Not as long as California or Florida, but it could take an entire day to cross it.
“Anyway.” She shrugged. “We didn’t get to talk a lot. He pretty much crashed after dinner.” Dinner of a protein shake that was in no way a real dinner, in her opinion.
Pru opened her mouth to ask another question, but the office phone rang. Lilly picked up the cordless handset that resided on her desk—since Mo and Pru hated talking on the phone, like good millennials.
“Mile High Happiness, this is Lilly speaking. How can we make your dreams come true?”
Some people might have thought that phrase was silly, but Mo loved it. Ever since she was a little girl, her parents had encouraged her and her brothers to reach for the stars, to follow their heart’s path. Their encouragement had instilled a healthy sense of determination in Mo. Some might say too determined. Okay, yes, she could be a little pushy when she saw two people who were meant for each other, but she just loved love. Seeing people happy made her happy. And if some of those stars she reached for fell into her eyes, then so be it. Life looked a little brighter through starlight anyway.
Mo headed back to her desk as Lilly helped whoever was on the phone. Pru followed close behind, heading to her desk, which stood right next to Mo’s against the far wall.
“So, when do we get to meet August?” Pru asked in a hushed voice as she slid into her desk chair.
