Page 25 of Worth the Fall
News flash, buddy: it wasn’t.
We weren’t the kind of place that needed that level of extravagance. And the man would have known that if he’d done even a lick of research. No nonlocal was going to make it in Sugar Mountain if they didn’t understand how we lived.
Shrugging to myself, I walked over to Sugared and pulled open the door and stepped inside. The place always smelled amazing, and I took a deep inhale to take it all in as I searched for my best friend.
Lana did a double take as she washed someone’s hair all the way in the back of the first room. “Is that my single best friend standing in the doorway?” she shouted, and everyone turned to look in my direction.
“Why are you always so embarrassing?” I asked as I made my way toward her, narrowly avoiding colliding with the girl sweeping.
“It’s part of my charm.” She grinned as her fingers worked up a lather of suds as big as the hair she was washing. “You going to tell me what’s up, or do I have to guess?”
I looked around at the bustling day spa and salon. Everyone was busy, running around and not really paying us any attention. The only two people who were even sitting still were at the reception desk, but they were answering phones that never seemed to stop ringing.
“I quit my job,” I whispered, but it was pointless because Lana repeated my statement in a shout, and I covered my head with my hand.
“What? Why? Why would you quit? Oh my gosh, you’re moving out of Sugar Mountain and leaving me, aren’t you? I always knew this day would come. You’ve probably already packed your things, and you’re moving to your parents’ house in Florida. Florida’s really far, Brooky. Have you thought this through? It’s all the way on the other side of the country. I’ll never see you. Even though I guess it seems like an okay place. Really hot though. And lots of old people.”
She patted the woman’s head she was scrubbing. “No offense, Rose.”
“None taken,” Rose said in a cheery voice. “Florida does have a lot of old people. At least, that’s what the news always says. And they’re always giving each other cooter diseases. Did you hear that too?”
“I have heard that, Rose.” I started laughing. “And I’m not moving to Florida, weirdo. Just because my parents retired there doesn’t mean I want to,” I said to my best friend before she could continue her completely unwarranted rant.
Lana was nothing if not an absolute lunatic. “Then, why in the world would you quit your job? Are you having a breakdown? Do I need to call someone? Rose, who do you call when your best friend starts losing her mind?”
Before Rose could respond, I said, “I’m not having a breakdown.” I glanced around the room once more, not wanting to be overheard, even though I had no idea why. Everyone would know soon enough. “I got another job.”
Lana’s face scrunched up in confusion. “First, you ditch your husband. Then, you ditch your job. What’s next? Me? I’m irreplaceable, just so you know. Don’t you think, Rose?”
“Oh, absolutely, dear. There’s no one quite like you,” the elderly woman said with a smile.
“Did you hear that, Brooky? There’s no one like me,” Lana reiterated.
“Trust me, I know.” I shook my head and tried to fight the grin that spread across my face as I looked between the two of them, wondering how the conversation had turned to if my best friend was replaceable or not when I just wanted to tell her this unbelievable news.
“So, where is this new job that I didn’t even know you were looking for, but took anyway without even running it by me?”
“Sugar. Mountain. Resort.” I stomped my foot with each word to emphasize my excitement, and she dropped her hands out of Rose’s head at the same time her mouth popped open.
“What? The resort where dreams are made and hope lives? The place where the world’s hottest brothers work? You got a freaking job there? Holy shit, Brooky. How?”
“Oh, that’s a nice place. And that Grant O’Grady has always been such a looker,” Rose added as her eyes took on a sort of nostalgic gleam.
“Daddy O’Grady is definitely a hottie,” Lana agreed.
“Please don’t ever say that again.” I tried to sound weirded out, but it was weak. As much as I wanted to disagree with them both, the elder O’Grady was definitely a stunner.
“It’s not my fault he’s handsome and helped create three of the best-looking men I’ve ever seen. Too bad they’ve all got issues,” Lana added in her nonchalant way, and my hackles instantly rose.
For some reason, I didn’t like hearing her say that about them. Even if there was a nugget of truth to her statement, it hit me the wrong way.
“Don’t say that. You don’t even know them.”
She propped out her hip and pinned me with a glare. “And you do?”
“Well, no.”
“Not yet anyway.” She made a kissing face and pretended to be making out with someone. “Oh, Thomas, you’re such a good dad. Let’s give your daughter a baby brother.”