Time seemed to be flying by. I was so busy getting everything ready, not only for my business plan, but in the shop as well.

Chloe and I had been working double time trying to clean up the back rooms and make the office comfortable for the two of us. I’d used the last of my savings on secondhand furniture that we spent the last few days refurbishing.

This was all in between her moving into her new house.

Luckily, her fiancé, Reardon, was the best thing since sliced bread and had enough friends and family to pack and move both their houses without the very pregnant Chloe having to lift a finger. She’d taken Thursday and Friday “off” to instruct her minions on where she wanted everything placed in the new house.

I say “off” because I wasn’t actually paying her yet … but I would, once the business loan came through.

Now it was the weekend, my business plan was done, and I was on my way to Chloe and Reardon’s new house for their housewarming party. My last meeting with Dillon was coming up, and I was really hopeful that he’d be pleased with the completed plan.

I knew it shouldn’t matter so much what he thought, but old habits were hard to break, and I really, really wanted to impress him.

“Welcome to our humble abode,” Reardon said with a gigantic smile when he opened the door and found me standing on his gorgeous wraparound porch with a bottle of wine and plate of cookies.

“Thank you,” I said, smiling back. Reardon was one of my favorite people and I really got a kick out of seeing him so happy. It was a bonus for me that he’d found that happiness with Chloe, who was not only great to work with, but quickly becoming a true friend. “These are for you,” I added, holding out the wine and cookies.

“Can I hide them in my office?” he asked, taking the items from my hand.

I laughed and replied, “Sure, I won’t tell.”

“Oh, Laurel, you’re just the person I was waiting for,” Zoey said, walking toward me with baby Evie looking out at me from her arms.

“You were?” I asked, going in to give her a quick hug while being careful not to disturb the baby.

“Yup, Chloe wants to do joint baby and bridal showers, says she doesn’t need two parties, which I totally understand,” Zoey began. Zoey was a writer and tended to shy away from attention when at all possible. Of course, that was hard for her, being as popular as she was, but it was something she shared with her sister. Neither of them were flashy.

“I don’t understand it at all,” Jazzy said as she joined us. And, she wouldn’t understand. Jasmine loved flashy, and would want to have big parties for each momentous occasion in her life. “Who doesn’t want two parties, with gifts, food, and all attention on them?”

“Chloe,” Reardon replied, taking Evie from Zoey’s arms and snuggling her against his broad chest.

“Anywho, I was thinking it would be prefect to do a Star Wars theme,” Zoey said.

“Really?” I asked, thinking a Star Wars party would be up Zoey’s alley, rather than her much more traditional sister.

“Yes, and here’s why… Reardon and Chloe’s first sort-of date was after they each went to see the new Star Wars movie alone, ended up sitting together, and went out for pie after. Then, at Comic Con is where they officially got together and decided to give their relationship a go. So, I think Comic Con, and Star Wars specifically, would be a great theme for the party. Kind of full circle.”

“This can be a co-ed party, right?” Reardon asked, all perked up at the idea of a Star Wars party. Because Reardon, like Zoey, was huge into fandoms and loved all things Comic Con.

We all laughed and Jazzy said, “You’re such a dork, Ass. It’s one of the things I love most about you.”

“Aww, Jaz, you say the nicest things,” Reardon quipped, then looked at me and said, seriously, “But, we can do that, right? The co-ed deal?”

“Sure,” I replied, since it looked like I was the one who’d be putting on this baby/bridal shower. I made a mental note, and wondered if it would be bad form to ask for the money upfront. Why hadn’t I thought to include that in my business plan? Looked like I wasn’t quite finished after all.

“Yes!” Reardon exclaimed, doing a little dance with Evie. “I’ll look at our calendars and let you know the best date, oh, and just let me know how much it’ll be and I can either write a check, PayPal you, or give you cash. I know you probably don’t have credit card capability yet … Whatever works.”

“Oh, no,” I stated, utterly grateful that Reardon had answered my unasked question. “I do have credit card capability.”

“Perfect,” Reardon said, then walked off with Evie.

“Jumping Jehosaphat, I was going to pay for it,” Zoey muttered with a frown. “They paid for our co-ed bachelor/bachelorette party.”

“Reardon’s quick like that,” Jasmine said with a grin for her cousin. “Come on, there’s work to be done in the kitchen.”

I followed behind Jasmine and Zoey, my head swiveling back and forth as I took in Chloe and Reardon’s new digs. It was beautiful, and looked like they’d been living there forever. As I looked around, I wondered why in the heck Chloe wanted to work for me. I knew she said that she missed working, but it didn’t look like she needed the money.

That’s rude, I thought, chastising myself, then immediately felt guilty for being envious of my friend. Just because I wasn’t where I thought I’d be at this point in my life, didn’t mean I shouldn’t be happy for their success.

I looked out the kitchen window and noticed Reardon join Gabe, Chris, and Dillon outside, where Gabe was manning the grill, and I couldn’t help but wonder how different my life would be if I were with Dillon.

He lived in the house he’d grown up in, the beautiful, welcoming home of my best childhood memories. He was smart, successful, and loyal to a fault. And, he was just Dillon, the boy of my dreams.

“Have you talked to him?”

I startled, then shook my head when I realized it was Chloe talking next to me, her voice low.

“Well, he’s been helping you with the business plan, right? Maybe you could broach the subject…” she began. Chloe was the only person who knew my feelings for Dillon, and that’s because she’d guessed, not because I’d told her.

“He acts like I’m still in pigtails,” I answered with a sigh. “He’ll never see me as anything other than a little sister.”

“Maybe you need to show him that you aren’t a little girl anymore. Slap him in the face with it,” she suggested.

“How do you mean?” I asked, glancing quickly over my shoulder to make sure everyone, specifically Jasmine, were out of earshot.

“You always look great, classy,” Chloe said, her gaze sweeping over my shorts and tank set. “But to get his attention, you’re going to have to shake it up. Shake him up … Make sure the next time he sees you, he has no choice but to see the woman you’ve become.”

“I don’t know,” I murmured, my eyes darting back out the window where Dillon’s auburn hair was blowing in the breeze and his face was lit up as he talked to Chris, Gabe’s son.

“Just think about it,” she suggested with a grin. “And call me if you decide to do it, I’d love to help sex you up.”

I let out a startled laugh at the thought, and replied, “Okay, Chlo, I will.”