Page 36 of Sew Matcha in Love
“Sweet girl.” Penny bounced her in her arms and kissed her head. “You’re a lifesaver, Uncle Monty.”
“Yeah, I know.” He grinned. “I’m going to head out if you don’t need me anymore. I dropped Nana Booboo off at the Coffee Loft on my way here, and I think she’s had enough time to terrorize the Riveras and their customers for one day. And we’re taking Tasha out for a birthday lunch.”
Penny laughed. “Go get her. And thank you again for your help. Uncle of the Year, for sure.”
“Did you expect anything less?” He raised an eyebrow and grinned.
I rolled my eyes. Classic Monty.
Once they were gone, I folded the now-dry upstairs sheets, put the towels into the dryer, and topped off the dogs’ water and food so they’d be distracted while I stamped the pattern of harps onto the dress at my worktable.
It took only a short time to stamp the fabric. Pleased with the arrangement, I gathered all the materials I’d need for this part of the process, including the gown, and took them to my room.I didn’t want to take any chances that the dogs might suddenly learn to climb their new gate or displace it.
As I sat in my great-grandmother’s comfy armchair, I thought about the picture Zaki had sent me. Most of my friends that were my age had paired up, and several were starting families or already had them. It hadn’t bothered me in the least that I wasn’t in a relationship or in that stage of my life. I was happy for them, and I trusted in God’s plan and His timing. I’d always believed that if that was meant for me, I’d be ready if and when the right man came along.
I hadn’t really ever put myself out there, though. Should I start dating? I didn’t know the first thing about that. Sure, I’d been asked out plenty of times. Dances in high school, a few dates here and there when I was taking business classes at the local university. But no one I ever wanted a second date with. So I’d retreated into myself and my home and worked on building my business.
But seeing Penny with Melody, Tasha’s pregnancy beginning to show, and people all around me becoming parents, I was feeling … left out? Maybe it was time to take Shanna up on her offer to set me up with her husband’s best friend. I’d met him at their wedding, years ago, and he hadn’t made much of an impression, nor did he seem interested in me. But he was a doctor now and too busy to go out looking for a soulmate.
Who knew? Maybe the seven-years-older versions of us were different. I’d certainly changed a lot since then. Not so much in appearance, but I had more confidence now and was mostly happy with who I was as a person. I had my faults and struggles—like going out in public—but didn’t everyone have a thing they were working on?
I thought about all the pros and cons as I hand-stitched the harps and lost track of time. I didn’t look up until Zaki and thegirls pulled in. They came in the house and ran up the stairs so fast, I didn’t even have time to tie off my stitch and greet them.
I was arranging the gown on June, whom I’d moved into my bedroom, and scrutinizing my progress when Zaki’s shave-and-a-haircut knock on my door made me jump.
“Come in,” I called, crouching down to fix a loose pin at the hem.
“Am I disturbing you?” Zaki leaned against the doorframe in a fitted Dri-Fit team T-shirt that strained the fabric over his biceps. Histattooedbiceps. And tattooed left forearm…
“In more ways than one,” I muttered.Oh my.He usually wore a hoodie in the house; I’d never seen his … arms.
They were nice arms. Strong arms. Inked with an artsy vine and his girls’ names and the shapes of the places he’d lived weaved in with woodsy landscapes and team logos and a hockey stick and …
Stop staring.
Well, I couldn’t know for sure if they were strong arms, and since I didn’t have any plans of testing that theory, I would just happily keep assuming so in my head.
“Sorry, what?” he asked.
I stood up and tapped my own bicep. “Your shirt is ill-fitting. Perhaps a size up would fit better? I don’t think I could alter that one.”Or perhaps I could turn down the heat and you can cover up so you don’t distract me,I wanted to add.
He barked a laugh as my cheeks burned, but I think I covered up the fact that I was staring—and impressed—at his, er,strength.Yes, strength. That was it. I drew in a long breath through my nose and let it out slowly between my lips.
“So … how was your morning?” I asked. “Do the girls need anything?”
He shook his head. “Just the sheets for their bed. We can handle making the beds, but I might need some assistancekeeping them out of harm’s way when I flip the furniture back to its original positions.”
Now it was my turn to ask. “I’m sorry,what?”
“The nightstands and chair in my room are upside down, the box spring is on top of the mattress, and the shirts in the closet are hanging inside out. My cable remote and toilet paper are AWOL, and all my toiletries have been swapped with the girls’. Either you’re stronger than you look or you were invaded by a prankster.”
I slapped my palm to my forehead. “Monty!”
“I figured. And since I promised you a prank-free workplace, I take full responsibility and assure you the dormant prankster in Zaki Marsch has been awoken and unlocked and is ready to seek revenge for all the atrocities that have been committed since I filled his truck with birdseed last May.”
Birdseed? I didn’t know how to respond to that. “Um, okay?”
His mouth spread into a full-faced boyish grin that made the corners of his eyes crinkle.
