“Yeah, you did! Get it—” The three began making obscene gestures with their hands, a chorus of “Bow-chicka-wow-wow,” sounding from them along with a few more vulgar noises and dances.
I took a large bite of my lox bagel, chewing it like it was the reason for all my frustrations. “I don’t know why you’re all obsessed with this,” I said with a full mouth.
“Because you need a fucking orgasm, that’s why,” Lana exclaimed.
Raegan choked on the drink she’d just taken a sip of and lunged to her left, spewing the ginger beer and vodka all over the floor from both her mouth and nose. Laughter echoed around the table again, and a few onlookers gave us dirty looks, to which Lana promptly waved at them.
“And I don’t mean from your vibrator,” Lana continued as Raegan recovered.
“I don’t need my vibrator to have an orgasm,” I lied. “I have a fiancé.”
“That doesn’t mean anything,” Ezzie said. “Plenty of people marry others who can’t give them that on their own. Not in our case, though,” she said, sharing a smiling glance with Raegan. She reached over and took her hand, squeezing her fingers. “By the way, we have some news,” Ezzie said. “We’re engaged!”
Raegan threw her other hand out, and Lana and I jumped to our feet with loud congratulations that we were sure annoyed the rest of the people eating outside, but we didn’t care. Our friends were getting married, and I didn’t have to hear their plans to know it would be a grand, over-the-top affair in wine country.
“We’re thinking a short engagement,” Ezzie said once we’d all settled down. “September, October at the latest.”
“Wow,” Lana said. “My job is not going to like me taking off so much.”
“You work for yourself,” I argued.
“I have patients who count on me,” she said, smirking behind her cup. “But seriously. What are we talking? Wine country? Black tie? Chloe needs to know so she can plan for me.”
I raised a brow in agreement. “True,” I said, knowing Lana would never have her shit together by herself. “Why a short engagement?” I asked.
“Not all of us take so long to make decisions,” Raegan said with a pointed brow.
“To quote one of our favorite movies,” Ezzie said, leaning forward. “When you find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”
“I don’t think that’s the exact quote,” Lana said.
“Close enough,” Ezzie shrugged.
“I want to watch that movie now,” Lana said. She turned to me. “You have that, don’t you? When Harry Met Sally?”
“Yeah,” I said, halfway in a daze. “Yeah, I have it.”
Something about the quote had caused my ears to ring. We’d all loved that quote, sat on video chat and cried over that quote multiple times. I’d always thought that was how I would feel when I eventually found someone I wanted to marry.
“Definitely wine country,” Raegan said. “We’re not sure yet how formal.”
“Ugh,” Lana said, signaling the waiter for another drink. “I am jealous of all of you. Where is my other half? You two are perfect for each other,” she said with a nod to Ezzie and Raegan. “You have two men,” she said, looking at me. “One of them is a god—do you think he has other gods he can hook me up with?”
“You know who I’ve always wondered about?” Raegan said as she leaned forward. “Ares.”
“Oh, fuck yes,” Lana said. “Ares. That’s a god I’d like to see.”
“I’ve always liked Poseidon,” Ezzie said.
“That’s because he’s hot in those YA books you and Clo read a long time ago,” Lana said. “I’ve seen the artwork circulating online.”
“What about you Clo?” Ezzie said. “Was Eros always your favorite god?”
I glared between the three of them. “I’m unfriending all of you,” I said, though I couldn’t stop smiling.
As they continued talking about their favorite gods, the only one I could think about was Gavin. My stomach was churning, and I wasn’t sure if it was nerves or the amount of alcohol I’d had the last few days. Either way, the thought of what awaited me the next day made me desperate to hang on to today as long as possible.
I was distracted, and nothing anyone did or said could take my mind off how my heart reacted to seeing him again.
