Page 45 of One Night Stand After Another
All six women nodded.
“Too soon?” Betty asked.
“I’m starting to wonder,” Clara said, voicing her feelings out loud for the first time. It wasn’t as scary as she’d thought it would be. “Meanwhile, I’m making socks.”
“Take your time, dear. When you know—you know.” Mary Elise patted her hand, and two hours later, she smiled when Clara bought embroidery floss the exact same color as the yarn and stitched a midnight heart on the inside cuff of each sock.
She felt light-years away from the woman who had walked into Jack’s wedding reception only days ago, ready to eat dirt until he forgave her. Traveling to all of these amazing cities and seeing the thriving fiber cultures made her more certain than ever that she wanted the job with Fiber Kingdom. She was grateful for this second chance to bring creativity back into her life, and spending time with him inspired her.
She didn’t want to give that up, and maybe…she wouldn’t have to.
When the class ended, she wasn’t quite ready to leave, so she looked at the yarn, gravitating toward the darker end of the rainbow. She needed something to commemorate their stop in the Rockies, so she chose colors that reminded her of blue sky and green mountains, the freedom she’d experienced dancing with Jack and being forgiven, and the way it had felt like her heart was smiling when she’d looked into Zane’s eyes on the plane.
She plopped down, her lap full of yarn, and pulled out her phone to draft a post. She didn’t want to forget her plans for this sweater. It was going to be her best yet.
Embrace Your Biggest Mistake
Wear this when you need to wallow. It’s soft as a cloud, and it will hold you while you cry. (Don’t forget the tissues!) It’s pure comfort, Peruvian Highland-style. Big enough to cover all sins, and if not, it can be customized. I won’t tell you what ten-year-old mistake inspired it, but trust me, you are not alone. Put it on, lean in, go through it. Then forgive yourself. Chalk it up to experience and take it off. Or heck, leave it on. Wear your biggest mistake like a badge of honor. Of courage. Get back out there. You’ve got this.
She saved the draft, not quite ready to post it yet, and then edited her last few posts, adding links to connect her new designs and grouping them as the “Ten-Year Reunion Collection.” It was true. Zane had inspired them all.
She updated the page and got to her feet.
On the way out, she bought the yarn and joined the Slip Stitch mailing list. She already had several new contacts in her phone, Betty and Mary Elise among them, and she’d promised to stay in touch. In return, she’d shared her blog address and asked if she could take pictures of their projects for future blogs. Almost everyone had said yes.
The red CRV and the friendly driver arrived five minutes after she called for a car, and the trip to the hotel was swift. She texted Zane to find out what room they were in, and he replied with a selfie in the hotel bar. She looked around the sleek lobby and found the bar behind a glass-block wall.
Zane sat, his phone in his outstretched hand, as he showed the bartender something on the screen.
She checked her watch. “Did I miss happy hour?”
“Definitely not—I got happier when you walked in.”
Her heart clenched. The sight of him made her happier, too.
He set his phone screen-down on the bar and tugged her to his side. “How was the class?”
“Amazing. Thank you for the treat. I loved it.”
“My pleasure,” he said.
She held up her bag and grinned. “More yarn.”
He chuckled. “Of course.”
“What can I get you?” the bartender asked her.
She looked at Zane’s glass full of amber liquid and a fancy cherry.
“Manhattan,” he supplied.
“Not for me. Got anything fruity?”
“Do you like grapefruit?” the bartender asked.
“I do.”
“I have just the thing.” He grabbed a shaker and began mixing with authority. He stirred the blend and then strained it into a tall glass full of ice. “A quick trip through the garden.” He garnished the glass with something frondy and green, and then handed it to her.
