Rusty Nailed by Alice Clayton

containers. The girls followed suit, making me keep the leftovers so I’d have something for lunch tomorrow. “You guys didn’t have to do this, but I’m glad you did.”
    “I know how hard you’ve been working; just thought you might need a break,” Mimi said as we walked toward the front door.
    “Don’t make it seem like this was your idea. I’m the one who suggested we bring her dinner,” Sophia said. “ You wanted to go get street tacos when she canceled.”
    “No way! I’m the one who said that we should—” Mimi started, but I beat her to the punch.
    I knew where this was going and I shoved them out the door, laughing. “Ladies, I love you both. Now get the hell out of here.”
    They tossed back good-byes as they went on their way. I headed back up to my office, rolling my shoulders a bit and fighting the egg roll sleeps that were now threatening to take over. Then I flipped on every light in the place and turned on Pearl Jam. Loud.
    Simon and I weren’t moving in together. Pffft.
    •  •  •
    Twenty minutes later I got a text from Mimi:
Did Simon tell you Neil’s bringing someone?
He did. What did Ryan say?
He won’t say anything, just that he’s bringing a date.
That’s all that Simon will say too. She better not be pretty.
Of course she’ll be pretty.
I know. This could be bad, you know . . .
Count on it. Besides, it’s already bad—the guy’s name is Barry Derry, for God’s sake.
Scary . . .
Quiet.
    •  •  •
    S imon should have been back Thursday night, but his flight into New York was delayed, making him miss his connection to San Francisco. He was rebooked on a flight Friday morning, but he’d be cutting the wedding rehearsal close indeed. He’d texted me to let me know he was on his way to the airport, and then he’d texted me for the address of the church. Then another text needing the address of the restaurant the rehearsal dinner was being held in.
    Jillian was stopping by the office this morning to finish up a few things. I’d tried to talk her out of working the day before her wedding, but she’d insisted she only needed a few minutes to tie up a few loose ends. Then she’d leave for the bridal luncheon, which I was missing to head a last-minute meeting with Mr. Camden.
    I was in my office frantically printing out the reports I needed for my meeting when Jillian breezed by. “I’m out of here, Caroline. See you tonight?”
    “I’ll be there.”
    “Think Simon will make it back in time? Benjamin can have someone else stand in tonight, if we need to.”
    “He’ll be here. Last I heard from him, he was sitting on the plane waiting to take off.”
    At that, my phone beeped again. Simon, wanting to know if he was supposed to make some kind of speech tonight. Boys. I typed back no, said good-bye to Jillian, and grabbed the last of thereports off the printer, just as the receptionist called over the intercom to let me know that the Camden team was here and being shown into the conference room.
    As Monica came to help me take everything in, my phone beeped again.
    I handed it to her. “Can you take this while I’m in the meeting? And if Simon needs his shoes tied or his shirt buttoned or anything else, please tell him to— Never mind. Just tell him I’m busy, and I’ll see him when he gets in tonight.” I tried to smile, smoothing my shirt so I didn’t appear frazzled. Sometimes it really was perception equals reality.
    I am calm.
    I am calm.
    I am calm.
    “No problem, I’ll take care of it. Everything else you need is already in the conference room; just let me know if you need anything else.”
    As we walked toward the meeting, my phone beeped again. Stifling a growl, I looked over at her. She looked at the text and frowned.
    “Shoes tied? Shirt buttoned?” I asked, nodding a greeting to Camden’s team through the window in the conference room door.
    “Um, not exactly. He wants to know if you can pick up his tux at lunch today?”
    I am