inn plan for us.”
“Well, that won’t do,” Siobhan said. “We single girls should all go out.”
Brenna sent Tenley a look that said, “When hell freezes over.”
“There’s a really hot bartender over at the Fife and Drum,” Siobhan said. “Let’s all go for drinks after class and see who can pick him up.”
Brenna had no doubt that the hot bartender to which Siobhan referred was Tenley’s boyfriend, Matt. She looked at Tenley to see if she was about to blow a fuse, but Tenley was smiling. It was a calculating smile, but it was still a smile.
“That’s a great idea, Siobhan,” Tenley said. “Let’s go after class. That means you, Brenna, and Paula, too.”
“Oh, no, I couldn’t,” Paula began to decline, but Siobhan wasn’t taking no for an answer.
“What about you, Julie?” Brenna asked. “Care to join us?”
To Brenna’s surprise, Julie blushed a bright red.
“I can’t. . .” Her voice trailed off, but her son added, “She has a hot date with Dom Cappicola.”
“Tommy!” Julie hissed.
“What? You do,” he said. He was smirking, and Brenna noticed he didn’t correct his mother’s use of his given name.
“I’m sorry; I know you and he . . .” Julie’s voice trailed off and she looked helplessly at Brenna.
Brenna knew she felt badly about seemingly cutting in on Brenna’s territory, which was ridiculous. She and Dom weren’t like that.
“Don’t be silly,” she said. “We’re just friends. I’m sure you’ll have a lovely time.”
If the words were stiff, that was too bad; it was the best Brenna could do.
“It’s settled, then,” Siobhan said. She abandoned any pretense of working on her tray and pulled a gossip magazine out of her bright green shoulder bag. She leaned back and put her feet up on an empty chair and began to flip through the glossy photos.
“Can I come?” Suede asked. He had been watching Tenley with a moony look on his face throughout the whole class, and Brenna knew exactly why he wanted to tag along.
“No,” his mother and the rest of the women answered at the same time.
He glared and lurched to his feet. He stomped off toward the bathroom in the back room, looking more like a petulant child than the man he wished to be seen as. Brenna felt for him; adolescence was just cruel.
The class put their projects on the designated shelf at the back of the shop to dry, and all but Paula headed back to the inn. Tenley and Brenna began to clean up the mess, and Paula pitched in to help, while Siobhan continued to read her magazine.
Brenna wanted to knock her feet off the chair on which they rested, but she resisted the urge. She was sure Tenley must have some reason for agreeing to this outing, although she was mystified as to what it could be.
“I’m going to freshen up,” Siobhan announced. She disappeared into the small facility at the back of the shop.
“Is it just me, or is she a tad rude?” Brenna asked.
“A tad?” Tenley asked. “I’ve met spitting camels with better manners.”
Paula chuckled.
“Oh, sorry,” Tenley said. “I suppose it’s impolite of us to talk about her just because she’s out of the room.”
“Ack, we’re turning into the Porter sisters,” Brenna joked.
“I get to be Marie,” Tenley called. She turned to Paula and explained, “They’re our resident gossiping spinster twins. Marie is the nice one.”
“Fine, I’ll be Ella,” Brenna said. She did an impression of Ella’s scowl and tried to imitate her thick Massachusetts accent, “John Henry thought you were me. He really loved me.”
Tenley put the back of her hand over her forehead and pretended to be Marie in distress, “He was the love of my life. It’s such a tragedy that we were forced apart just as the bud of our young sweet love began to blossom.”
Paula was doubled up with laughter. She took a breath and gasped, “I’ve met them! They were at Stan’s Diner. They were asking me all sorts of questions.”
“About the
“Well, that won’t do,” Siobhan said. “We single girls should all go out.”
Brenna sent Tenley a look that said, “When hell freezes over.”
“There’s a really hot bartender over at the Fife and Drum,” Siobhan said. “Let’s all go for drinks after class and see who can pick him up.”
Brenna had no doubt that the hot bartender to which Siobhan referred was Tenley’s boyfriend, Matt. She looked at Tenley to see if she was about to blow a fuse, but Tenley was smiling. It was a calculating smile, but it was still a smile.
“That’s a great idea, Siobhan,” Tenley said. “Let’s go after class. That means you, Brenna, and Paula, too.”
“Oh, no, I couldn’t,” Paula began to decline, but Siobhan wasn’t taking no for an answer.
“What about you, Julie?” Brenna asked. “Care to join us?”
To Brenna’s surprise, Julie blushed a bright red.
“I can’t. . .” Her voice trailed off, but her son added, “She has a hot date with Dom Cappicola.”
“Tommy!” Julie hissed.
“What? You do,” he said. He was smirking, and Brenna noticed he didn’t correct his mother’s use of his given name.
“I’m sorry; I know you and he . . .” Julie’s voice trailed off and she looked helplessly at Brenna.
Brenna knew she felt badly about seemingly cutting in on Brenna’s territory, which was ridiculous. She and Dom weren’t like that.
“Don’t be silly,” she said. “We’re just friends. I’m sure you’ll have a lovely time.”
If the words were stiff, that was too bad; it was the best Brenna could do.
“It’s settled, then,” Siobhan said. She abandoned any pretense of working on her tray and pulled a gossip magazine out of her bright green shoulder bag. She leaned back and put her feet up on an empty chair and began to flip through the glossy photos.
“Can I come?” Suede asked. He had been watching Tenley with a moony look on his face throughout the whole class, and Brenna knew exactly why he wanted to tag along.
“No,” his mother and the rest of the women answered at the same time.
He glared and lurched to his feet. He stomped off toward the bathroom in the back room, looking more like a petulant child than the man he wished to be seen as. Brenna felt for him; adolescence was just cruel.
The class put their projects on the designated shelf at the back of the shop to dry, and all but Paula headed back to the inn. Tenley and Brenna began to clean up the mess, and Paula pitched in to help, while Siobhan continued to read her magazine.
Brenna wanted to knock her feet off the chair on which they rested, but she resisted the urge. She was sure Tenley must have some reason for agreeing to this outing, although she was mystified as to what it could be.
“I’m going to freshen up,” Siobhan announced. She disappeared into the small facility at the back of the shop.
“Is it just me, or is she a tad rude?” Brenna asked.
“A tad?” Tenley asked. “I’ve met spitting camels with better manners.”
Paula chuckled.
“Oh, sorry,” Tenley said. “I suppose it’s impolite of us to talk about her just because she’s out of the room.”
“Ack, we’re turning into the Porter sisters,” Brenna joked.
“I get to be Marie,” Tenley called. She turned to Paula and explained, “They’re our resident gossiping spinster twins. Marie is the nice one.”
“Fine, I’ll be Ella,” Brenna said. She did an impression of Ella’s scowl and tried to imitate her thick Massachusetts accent, “John Henry thought you were me. He really loved me.”
Tenley put the back of her hand over her forehead and pretended to be Marie in distress, “He was the love of my life. It’s such a tragedy that we were forced apart just as the bud of our young sweet love began to blossom.”
Paula was doubled up with laughter. She took a breath and gasped, “I’ve met them! They were at Stan’s Diner. They were asking me all sorts of questions.”
“About the
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