“Into your B-Ball Baddies kit?” April said, barely hiding the laughter rising up inside her as she said it.
“Shut up.” Noah swatted her away, sounding annoyed, but she definitely saw the hint of a grin spreading over his face as he turned back to measure something on the wall.
They worked in companionable silence for about half an hour, Noah measuring and sawing planks of wood while April enjoyed the soothing rhythm of the painting. She made squares of each color in a small corner of the wall that would eventually be hidden by the counter, and stepped back to look at them as Noah came to stand next to her.
“I reckon it’s that one,” he said, pointing to a sage-green square.
“I was just thinking the same thing,” April murmured, walking over to read the color name. “‘Meadow Daze’. Kind of fitting for a flower shop, don’t you think?”
Noah hummed in agreement, nodding approvingly as he said, “Nice one. I can let Ethan know to order that shade when I see him at practice.” He turned to grab his stuff, clearly about to head home. “Have a good time with the girls,” he said, before adding with a mischievous wink, “Say hi to Emma for me.”
April let out a surprised bark of laughter before chasing Noah out of the store, shocked by his audacity. She was still smiling to herself as she popped into the back room to change her top to something a little more drinks-appropriate. She’d gone for a semi-dressy look, a cute pink halter-neck that worked well with her black jeans, and which she was sure wouldn’t be too out there for whatever the vibe of the cocktail bar was. It had been forever since she’d had a girls’ night out.
She pulled out her phone to check the time, but saw there was already a message from Izzy waiting in her notifications.
Izzy:
Ugh I’m sorry guys, I’m stuck working late. Raincheck?
April:
Boo, you whore
April:
But no worries lol
There was no immediate response from Em, which was rare, but maybe she was already on her way to the bar?
Killing time, she decided to look up trending color palettes and accessories she could put in the store, stumbling across an ad for a market just out of town that would be perfect for thrifting. It was there on the weekends, so she made a mental note to stop by when she had a spare second. Maybe it was a little soon to be thinking about accessories and finishing touches, but she couldn’t help herself. Seeing the paint swatches on the wall had only made her more excited as the vision of the shop she held in her mind was quickly coming to life.
Emma:
Crap, I totally spaced and agreed to a working dinner tonight in the new town