I mattered.
And I deserved arelationship with someone that believed that too.
But I couldn’t tellEzra any of that. So I said, “You barely know me.”
Turning down aquiet, tree-lined street, he pulled into Killian’s driveway and idled for aminute before he said, “Killian’s been my friend since we were kids. I’ve knownhim longer than I’ve known my sister. Ask him if he’s ever ridden in my car.”He paused and then added, “I might not know you yet, but I want to. I want toknow all of you.”
Then he got out ofthe car, walked around to my side and opened the door for me.
Skeptical meet chivalrous.
There wasn’t awhole lot left for me to do except follow him. And internally analyze what thatmeant for the rest ofmy entire lifethe night.
Chapter Fourteen
Vera met us at thedoor, swinging it open before we could knock. “You guys made it! And at thesame time. I’m impressed, Molly. You’re on time for once in your life!” Shelaughed at her own joke. “But where did you park?”
Ezra squeezed byher and threw out a casual, “We rode together.”
Vera’s eyes bugged.“You did what?”
“It’s true,” I toldher in a softer voice. “He picked me up so we could work on his website on theway.”
“Wh-what?”
I pulled her ontothe porch, as far away from Ezra as I could without making a scene. “He wantedto work on stuff tonight at your house, but I told him I wouldn’t do that. Sohe said he’d pick me up and we could work on the way here.”
Her nose wrinkled. “Isthat what you did?”
My cheeks flamed. “Er, no. We didn’t actually get around to it.”
“What does thatmean?” she whisper-shouted.
Having no idea whatkind of perverted thoughts were running rampant in her head, I quickly assuredher. “We just talked. That’s all. It was kind of… nice.”
“You just talked?” sheasked and I nodded. “I would have been less surprised if you told me you gavehim a blow job on the way over.”
I slapped her arm.“Oh my god!”
She made a “duh”face. “Molly, you rode in a car with Ezra Baptiste and talked to him the entiretime! I mean, are you serious?”
“It’s not that bigof a deal. Stop making it weird.”
“I’m not making itweird. Itisweird. It just is. Imean, what did you talk about if you didn’t talk about graphic design stuff? Ididn’t even know Ezra was capable of having a conversation that revolved aroundanything besides work.”
“Let’s go inside, nosey.I think I smell something burning.”
Vera perked up,jumping into action. “My Brussels sprouts!”
I followed herinside and shut the door behind me. Vera raced toward the kitchen while I movedat a much slower pace. Killian had owned the bungalow he shared with Verabefore they met, but since she had lived with her dad until recently, it hadmade sense that she move in with him.
The house was stillmostly all Killian, but Vera was slowly making her mark. Framed pictures of thetwo of them were scattered on bookcases and end tables. Vera had ordereddecorative pillows for Killian’s leather couch and chairs. Wedding odds andends were strewn about, boxes of invitations that hadn’t been sent out yet andswatches of colors piled sporadically. This wasn’t my first time hanging outhere, but every time I came over it felt more and more familiar, more and morelike Vera.
Everybody hadgathered in the kitchen. While Killian and Vera moved around, testing saucesand braising things or doing whatever it was that they did, Ezra had joinedVann by a cheese platter. The two men stood with beers in their hand picking atlavosh crackers and salami.
After Vera verballyassaulted me outside, I felt awkward and out of place. These were my people,well, except for Ezra. I should feel totally at home here. Vann was basicallymy brother. And over the past few months, I’d gotten to know Killian and fallenin platonic love with him. And of course Vera, who was my soul sister, mykindred spirit, my ride or die best bitch.
But now theatmosphere was tense, strained with uncertainty. It would be perfectly normalfor me to become friends with Ezra. It would be weird if we weren’t friends.But I didn’t know how to do that.
