Sterling narrowed his eyes at me.“First, Lily—”
“First nothing, you know that’s bull”—I cut myself off, glancing at Sasha’s sweet face—“hockery.”
“Nice save,” Bet laughed.
“Thank you.”
“All right but then explain this new neighbor.”
“Alicia?”
“Is she really your ex-wife?”
“Yeah, Alicia and I were married.”I answered as if it was no big deal.Itwasa matter of fact.Nothing scandalous.People got married and divorced for all sorts of reasons.The only reason it was notable was because we were in the same small town and sharing a duplex as luck would have it.The news might have been new to them, but I’d processed through it.The resurfacing of old feelings—ones that had never really settled—remained in process.Since my reaction to hearing one scream from her, and the conversation at the office earlier, followed by Brooks kinda sorta calling me out, the truth of the situation had grown into something more clear and obvious.
I’d expected ...something other than the awkward silence where no one would look at me, as if they already knew what I’d only just realized.It probably only lasted two or three seconds, but it felt longer.Racking my brain for a natural change of subject, I lifted my beer and swallowed the malty fizzing liquid.
Finally, Bet said, “The girls and I met her at the library.She asked me to sign her petition for the wetlands.”
I nodded.“Yeah, she’s doing good work.”
“She seems cool.”
“She is.”
Sterling scrunched his nose at his niece.“I ran into her at the café a few weeks ago.She’sreallypretty.”
It wasn’t that I didn’t like him noticing.Alicia was more than pretty.She was a knockout—a goddamn fox.She was the most exquisitely beautiful woman to ever grace this earth.Looking at her was like looking at a sunset, vibrant and full of color.She could stop my heart with just her eyes meeting mine, and make it race with the curve of her lips.And that said nothing about the perfect unworldly experience of seeing her naked.
I just didn’t likehimnoticing.I didn’t think he’d ever been rejected by anyone.Ever.
Meanwhile, I’d already rejected Alicia.
What a fool.
Mustering a nonchalance I did not feel, I said, “I’ve always thought so.”
Sasha placed her tiny hands on both sides of Sterling’s face and urged him to look at her.
He kissed her forehead.“Sorry, goofball, was I not paying enough attention to you?”
Her little eyebrow furrowed and she grunted.
“She’s getting grumpy,” Bet muttered.
With her voice lowered to speak only to me, Lola asked, “Are you okay?”
“Why wouldn’t I be okay?”
She tilted her head.“I just wanted to check.”
“I’m good, Lo.”I hoped she believed me.
“I think if my ex moved in next door, I might not be quite right about it.”
“It was weird, at first.I’m past it now.”
“Good.”
