Neve nods. “Well, for what it’s worth, I hope things work out the way you want them to. Even if that means he completes rehab and you two go your separate ways, but decide to co-parent.”
“Honestly?” I lean forward to mimic her posture, folding my hands together. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and I believe that’s the best outcome out of all of this. It may be hard on Claire for a while, but, on the other hand, it’s not like she’d be seeing Travis less than she already is.”
“So that is what you want.” She makes it sound like a statement, but the doubtful expression she’s sending my way makes it seem more like a question. “For things to endpermanently. You’re willing to throw nine years away? At one point, you couldn’t get yourself to leave a two-year relationship, Mar, and now your daughter is involved.”
I sigh, running a frustrated hand through my slightly knotted blonde hair. “My relationship has been dead for years now, Neve. I’ve just been too afraid to say that to him because that means it’s real. Truthfully, the thought terrifies me, starting over, but it’s what’s best. It’s what Claire and I need. Besides, I’ve practically been a single mom since he started using.”
“So, that ring box on the counter?” Neve gestures back toward the island where I left it. “That’s supposed to symbolize a dead relationship?”
“For me.” I abruptly stand from my seat and march over to the kitchen. I pick up the box and throw it into the junk drawer, turning back around to face my sister. “Now, will you please stop with the mind games? I know what you’re trying to do. This isn’t Phoebe lying about Rachel’s pregnancy test inFriends.”
Neve raises a brow as she stares at me from her seat. Before she can say anything, Blue comes strolling down the hallway in a pair of my leggings and an oversized grey sweater, except it fits her perfectly. Her hair is still wet but up in a messy bun, the leftover makeup gone from her face.
“It’s time to get our brunch on, ladies!” She glances between the two of us and her brows furrow. “What’d I miss?”
The restaurantwe pick has outdoor dining, cute little black tables with glass tabletops and blue umbrellas in the middle to provide some shade. Flower pots wrap around the railing which separates the area from the sidewalk, little black chalkboardswith cute quotes and popular menu items hanging near the windows that look into the inside.
But it is November. And snowing.
The three of us rush in out of the cold, the interior matching the feel of its exterior. Their booths and chairs are dark blue, black and white accent pieces scattered around. The tables are a black wood with gold decorations on the center of each. I smile softly, feeling at peace within these restaurants' walls, which, as strange as it is to say, is a feeling I haven’t had in some time.
We order mimosas the moment we sit down, all three of us finishing the first glass and ordering a refill before we glance at the menus. I settle on a waffle with strawberries on top and hash browns on the side.
“Dad’s been driving me nuts lately,” Neve says once the server left with our order. “I mean, you’d think he’d realize I’m not a little kid anymore.”
“Aren’t you twenty-four and still living at home?” Blue’s question causes Neve to bristle slightly.
I stifle my laugh, trying to disguise it as a cough, but my sister whips her head in my direction, her eyes narrowing on me before she turns back to my best friend. “Finding a job in the city that actually correlates with my degree is a lot harder than you’d think. And if I were to settle for a job that doesn’t use my degree, I want to find one I’d actually enjoy. Right now? It seems like that job doesn’t exist.”
“Your sister and I know a thing or two about trying to find a job that uses our degrees,” Blue responds with a shrug, taking a sip of her mimosa. “Last time I checked, owning a flower shop has little to do with a law degree.”
“And a biomedical degree has nothing to do with matchmaking,” I add.
Neve sighs loudly, leaning back in her chair with a huff and her arms folded over her chest. “But at least you bothlove your jobs. I mean, my sister works for the most successful matchmaker in the entire United States, and her best friend owns the best flower shop in New York City. I’d say you two are pretty well off.”
“Well, lucky for you, I may know of a certain someone who may just be on her own with a little girl that absolutely adores her auntie and has a spare bedroom that may be up for grabs.”
“No fucking way!” Neve reaches across the table and grips my arm. “Mar, you have to let me move in, please? I promise I’ll be the best roommate and babysitter ever.”
I laugh softly, shaking my head as I cover her hand with my free one. “I’ll make you a deal. You only have to pay a quarter of the rent until you get a stable job. But if I ever come home and you have a boy over, I will kick your ass. Deal?”
“What if I ask first?” Neve asks, and I raise my brow in silent answer. “Okay, okay. Deal.”
Neve holds her hand in my direction, the two of us shaking on it before she reaches for her beverage. I turn to Blue to see her watching us both with a small, admirable smile, her freckles dancing across her cheeks.
“Speaking of that, any progress on the job front?” I ponder, leaning back once more. “I mean, I know you’re struggling, but have there been any contenders? What about that interview you had a while back?”
“Yes and no.” She keeps her eyes on the table as she absentmindedly picks at her fingers. “I had another interview at the hospital near here a little over a week ago, but I haven’t heard back yet. I called, too, and still nothing.”
I give her a sympathetic smile, reaching over to give her hand a squeeze. “Keep your head up, Evie. We both know how difficult it can be to find a job right out of college, especially when you didn’t intern in the field you want to work in.”
“But if there’s one thing that we both know from experience, it’s that an opportunity will strike when you least expect it.”
Neve sends a grateful smile Blue’s way at her words, but I can tell by how tight her face is that she isn’t completely convinced. The server comes over with our meals, setting them down in front of us and heading off to get us one more round of drinks.
“So, what’s going on with you and RJ?” Neve asks Blue, breaking the comfortable silence that has fallen over us.
“We got into it again about me not wanting to move in together.” She casts a sidelong glance my way. “I love the guy, but I’m not ready for that kind of commitment. I mean, I enjoy being on my own, having my space, and I love how he fits in that space. But that doesn’t mean I want him in my space permanently.”
