Page 38 of Out on a Limb
I reached out to catch Collette as she started to tip to one side. “I think you might want to come to the garden.”
“Hell.” Grant didn’t sound surprised at all. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“You might want to bring a tarp.”
“Christ.” He shuffled around on the other end. “I’ll bring two.”
I disconnected and shoved the phone in my pocket before turning toward the line of garage bays where the open gardening carts were parked, going to the largest one we had.
Of all the things I expected to run into tonight, a mixed bag of coworkers and retirees doing things of a questionable nature wasn’t anywhere on the list.
I started the cart and backed it out, pulling up alongside the group of inebriated women. I wasn’t sure what they were up to, but I was positive anything they might tell me would probably be a lie.
So the first step was getting them home safe.
Then I’d go from there.
“Shotgun.” Sylvia made a beeline for the front seat. Sharon and Barb lined down the backseat, and Julia and Collette sat in the open back, feet dangling down as they sat facing away from everyone else.
“Hold on tight.” I started slow, just so I didn’t risk losing anyone, then picked up as much speed as I dared, chauffeuring them to the front of the park. By the time we got there, Grant was pulling up in his sleek sedan.
Definitely not something you want a bunch of wasted women with stomach issues riding around in.
I parked next to Collette’s smaller cart. “Come on, ladies.” I unlocked the gate leading to the parking lot. “We’re going home like hillbillies.” I dug the keys to my old pickup out of my pocket. I’d parked in the family lot since I knew no one else would be there.
Wrong on that one.
Grant’s lips were in a thin line as he walked to where his grandmother and girlfriend were staggering into the lot. “What in the hell is going on?”
“Worry about yourself, Granty.” Sylvia followed me. “We’re having a girls’ night.”
“At the garden?” He turned to Julia. “I thought you were just going to go to Collette’s?”
“We did go to Collette’s.” She yawned. “But then we realized we had to do something.”
Grant’s brows came together and his tone lowered. “What did you do?”
“We didn’t do shit.” Sylvia waved her friends my way. “Come on, girls. Andrew’s taking us home.”
I dropped the tailgate and Sylvia smiled up at me. “I’ll need some help getting in.”
I scooped her up and slid her into the back.
Sharon was right behind her, grin wide as she waited her turn, followed by Barb. Once they were all situated I closed the gate and turned to Grant. “Can you follow me? Make sure no one falls out?”
“No one’s going to fall out.” Sylvia was leaned against the side, arms stretched across the ledge.
“We might flash someone though.” Sharon grinned. “Why should Collette get to have all the fun?”
Collette’s cheeks flamed, the pink creeping down her neck to disappear under the banded neckline of my t-shirt.
I’d been working hard to forget that particular moment of the evening and I was just as uninterested in revisiting it as it appeared Collette was, so I went to the passenger’s door and pulled it open, tipping my head toward the cab. “In.” I took a deep breath, forcing myself to slow down so I didn’t sound like a complete jerk. “Please.”
I didn’t mean to be an asshole. Sometimes it just seemed like I did.
Collette didn’t look my way as she slid into the seat.
I closed the door, blowing out a breath.
