Page 26 of Picking Daisies on Sundays

“Thoseglasses!” Vera uttered.

“He came all the way here just to bring you your purse,” Lexi cooed.

Sandra began, “That was one hot piece of—” before I cut her off. I didn’t need a reminder; I was fully aware.

Daya wiggled her brow like a mischievous matchmaker. “Friday’s meeting will bereallyinteresting now.”

12

and when the soil grows old, I’ll comfort it in

the chaos of the storm

“Iknewhe’d bring the bag!” Gabe shouted, standing from his seat, his arms in the air like he scored a goal.

Jia shook her head. “That doesn’t mean anything, Gabe.”

Gabe sat back down, slightly more composed. “That man has feelings for you, Dani. He offered to stalk your friend’s date with youon a Friday night.Do youknowwhat men that look like that like to do on Friday nights?”

Jia and I looked at each other, sharing a look ofdo you know what he’s talking about?

Gabe rolled his eyes. “Strip clubs.” He shrugged his shoulders and places his hands on the table in front of us, as if he dropped the mic at a groundbreaking TedTalk.

Jia and I looking at each other was all it took to burst into laughter. “Levi’s not a forty-year-old man, Gabe!” I uttered in between of tears of laughter.

“It’s true though!” Gabe said, trying to defend himself.

Jia began waving her hand in front of her. “Just stop talking, my stomach hurts too much!” She was hunched over in tears of laughter.

Pulling myself together and wiping the single tear that made its way down my nose, I told Gabe, “I appreciate your support, but Levi and I always hung out together on Friday nights. I doubt the past four years has him paying to see half-naked women and drinking overpriced beers.”

Gabe shook his head, evidently horrified by my ignorance. “He’s a man now, Dani. I doubt he’s at home every weekend watching his sisters still. He’shot. Hot men don’t just go through life not taking advantage of it.”

I didn’t know how to explain to Gabe that that wasn’t who Levi was. He was the person to be at home every weekend and take care of his family because that’s what he wanted. He wanted to see with his own eyes that they were okay and happy.

But I knew how idiotic it would make me sound, especially when Levi had grown up these past four years. Itwaspossible that he went out clubbing on the weekend, and drank, and kissed women he didn’t know the day before. He had pretty much admitted to something like that, hadn’t he? Wasn’t that the point of this set up between us—to make him look committed?

It didn’t matter anyways. His love was the type to be shared, not to be owned.

I knew Jia and Gabe were peering at me as I processed all of my thoughts. Instead of saying anything though, I went back to writing. We were currently in our usual restaurant at our usual table—our spot for date watching—filling out grad applications, sans Jia who was updating her resume. I’d be back here tomorrow night for her date.

“How’s your essay going?” Jia asked.

I was thankful for the change in conversation. With there only

being two weeks until grad applications due, it was crunch time. “I still feel like everything I write isn’t good enough.”

“Read me the question again.”

“Write about a pivotal time in your life that sparked growth.”

“What have you written about so far?”

“Moving into the city…entering university…learning to sew.”

I already knew what she was thinking by the hard look she was giving the table in deep thought. I could hear her unspoken idea hanging in the air: to write about losing my dad. It was the first idea Ethan had come up with too. I wasn’t doing that.

“What’d your advisor say?” she asked.