Divine Phoenix(Divine Creek Ranch 10)(105)
“I will,” she promised in a whisper.
“Lily?”
“Yes, Del?”
Clay smiled that she could tell them apart so easily on the phone because he’d been told that their voices were similar.
“Try to go to bed early so we have time.”
Lily chortled. “I’ll call you when the time is right.”
Clay closed his eyes after ending the call and lay back on his pillow, enjoying the satisfaction that coursed through his veins like fine wine.
Del sighed and, with a laugh, finally said, “I guess she had her way with us.”
Clay snorted. “I think it’s pretty clear that whatever Lily wants, Lily gets.”
* * * *
“Sheesh! What’s up with Tabitha today?” Sarah Wilkins said when she walked in the break room for a drink of water from the cooler Saturday late Saturday afternoon. Lily was washing out the coffeepot, preparing for the end of the day.
Sarah’s mother, Tracy Wilkins, walked in right behind her and muttered, “What’s always wrong with Tabitha, Sarah? The woman needs a dick or a dildo to be used on her within an inch of her life.”
Sarah snorted her water and yelped. “Ow, that stings! Holy shit, Mom! You know she has excellent hearing.”
“I know,” Tracy said as she reached for a Styrofoam cup. “I don’t know who pissed in her Post Toasties but she sure is making our final days for the season a joy.”
Tracy’s mother and Sarah’s grandmother came in the break room door just then. She turned and lifted her hand and shot her bony middle finger at the swinging louver doors as Tabitha’s voice could be heard out in the workroom ranting about something. “Sit on it and rotate, Tabitha.”
Lily’s eyes rounded because she was fairly certain Kendalia Wilkins had said that loud enough for Tabitha to hear. She turned back to her work and peeked at Sarah, who was glancing between her mother and grandmother in surprise before bursting into giggles. Lily bit her lip, trying to hide her amusement. Out on the sales floor, the ladies were the picture of decorum, but in the break room they tended to let loose some doozies.
Tracy bumped her in the hip at the kitchen sink. “I think I know what burr is up Tabitha’s butt. It’s Miss Lily, here.”
“Huh?” Lily asked, mortified when she felt a red blush creep up her neck.
Tracy cackled. “Don’t you ‘huh’ me, you naughty little temptress. Clay obviously adores you, and rightfully so.” Tracy scrunched her nose up. “It’s driving Tabitha crazy!”
Lily kept her voice to a whisper. “And I hate being in the middle. Tabitha has been employed here since the day he opened the doors. I don’t want her to quit on him so would…you…kindly…shhh!” Lily laughed as the heat radiated from her cheeks.
Kendalia took down a dish towel from its hook and dried the coffeepot Lily had just washed and said, “Tabitha is acting even stranger than normal, especially the last several days. She’s a sneaky one so you’d better be careful, Lily.”
“I will,” Lily said as Kendalia put the pot back on the burner. “I’m used to dealing with her.”
“Something is not right with her,” the spunky septuagenarian muttered. “But you make up for it, honey. I like working with you just fine. You don’t have a stick up your butt.”
“Mom!” Tracy said with a groan. “We’d better get out of here before she thinks we’re plotting against her.”
Lily checked the front door and did a quick inspection to make sure everything was locked up then shut the lights out, and they met Tabitha in the workroom at the back door. Lily pulled Clay’s key ring out of her purse, pushed the door open for the ladies, and Sarah, Tracy, and Kendalia all filed through, wishing them a good night. A gust of cold air blasted through the door as she waited for Tabitha to exit. Tabitha gestured for her to go through.
She smiled at Tabitha and stuck the key on Clay’s key ring in the deadbolt lock and waited.
Tabitha squinted at the key ring. “Why are you driving Clay’s truck?”
Tired of her nosiness and games, Lily replied, “Why do you want to know?”
Tabitha finally stepped through the doorway first. “No reason, you just seem awfully cozy with him these days.”
Lily turned the key in the deadbolt, securing the shop, and shrugged. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yes. Whatever. Mind your own business, Tabitha.”
Tabitha flounced off and Lily heard her mutter, “Two-timing floozy.”
Thinking she meant Del, she shrugged and climbed into Clay’s truck for the drive out to the Divine Creek Ranch, where the girls were gathering for the second night of the weekend get-together.