Down to Business (Business Series) Read Free

and she had lost at least ten pounds. Her perfectly flat stomach peeked out from her tight white t-shirt that failed to meet the bottom of her low-rise jeans.
    “Oh my God! Lindy, you look so great!” I said as I pulled back to admire her.
    “Thanks! I have been going to the gym with Tyler. He is on the Adelphi wrestling team and into working out.”
    “Hello Lindy.” Mom said.
    “Hey Mrs. M.,” she said and headed over to give my mother a hug. “It’s good to see you. How’s my mom doing?”
    “You’re hair looks beautiful and your mother is doing well. She misses you.”
    “I know.” Lindy said, her voice soft. “Give her a hug from me?”
    “I will.” Mom sighed. “This is hard on us, not having you girls around. I don’t know how I’m going to make it without Autumn.” She reached out and pat my hair.
    “You’ll be fine Mom…” I rolled my eyes and picked up the laundry basket again.
    “Lindy, you make sure Autumn stays out of those sorority houses where the trouble happens,” Grandma warned, wagging her finger at Lindy. “I don’t want her coming home pregnant.”
    “Grandma!” I cried.
    Lindy laughed. “I will keep her out of trouble, Grams. Don’t worry.”
    Lindy took one of my bags and winked at me. Once we had all of my belongings, she led us across the parking lot and to the building on the right side.
    Her apartment was on the top floor. By the time we got to the door, all of us were breathing hard besides Lindy. I noticed grandma was still below us on the second landing.
    “Josh, go help her please,” Mom said and wiped her forehead.
    Josh rolled his eyes and dropped my suitcase.
    “Josh, dammit! I have picture frames in there!” I slugged his shoulder as he passed me and jogged back down the stairs.
    I could tell Lindy was holding back a laugh as she held open her apartment door for us. “Welcome home, Autumn.”
    Tiny butterflies invaded my stomach as I stepped into the apartment I had heard so much about. It was clean and smelled like cucumber-melon, Lindy’s favorite scent.  It was smaller than it looked in pictures, but I loved it anyway. The living room furniture was mismatched. I knew it was second hand but it all came together cute. Her plum colored sofa was accented with vibrant striped throw pillows. The pillows matched the floor rug situated under a retro wooden coffee table covered in a tall stack of celeb gossip magazines. A vintage looking dresser she had painted white held a TV, DVR, and DVD player. Sheer vanilla colored curtains hung from all the windows, and clusters of photos dotted the room. A small eat in kitchen with a dinette table sat to the left of the living room. I noticed a silver framed picture of us from high school on the counter in the kitchen next a clear vase of Gerber daisies.
    “What do you think?” she asked, throwing her arm around my shoulder.
    “I love it,” I said and squeezed her.
    “What a beautiful apartment, Lindy.”  Mom gushed. “It smells so nice in here.”
    “Thanks! Make yourselves at home, there’s drinks in the fridge,” Lindy said and took me by the hand. “Let’s go see your room!”
    She led me through the living room to the hall. I peeked into the only bathroom, which was located between the bedrooms, decorated in lavender and white floral prints that screamed Lindy’s style.  Afterwards she led me to my bedroom door, which was to the right of the bathroom.
    “Close your eyes.” she commanded.
    I did as I was told. I heard the doorknob turn and she pulled me inside.
    “Open them!”
    My eyes opened to a sunlit room with a single bed and simple white antique furnishings. The Victorian style white metal headboard matched perfectly with the blue and white floral print bedding, complete with fluffy throw pillows. A vase of artificial white daisies sat on the bedside table next to a picture of us. The words Best Friends was printed on the frame. The walls were white and bare besides a single picture that