Freaking Daphne Merriweather-Brown.
The most amazing woman in the world.
She’s my future. My dreams. And my forever love.
38
AFTERGLOWS AND POPCORN
Daphne
We’reon the couch after a leisurely and orgasm-filled shower, Oliver stretched out with his head in my lap, a cooking show playing softly while I peruse houses on my phone—truly, apartment living won’t fit Oliver, not when he needs a backyard for both himself and the dog he’s definitely getting to play in—when the door clicks open softly.
Bea pokes her head in, Angelina Juliana Priestly in her hands, and she’s about to set the polar bear on my favorite giraffe end table when she spots me.
Her face telegraphs what she doesn’t say out loud—I thought you’d be naked in the bedroom—and I give her a brow wiggle ofbeen there, done that a few times already.
She tries to stifle a snort of laughter and fails.
“Can I borrow your computer?” I wave my phone at her. “Better for seeing pictures.”
“Of course.”
“I won’t go on your socials.”
“I didn’t think you would.”
“I would’ve gone on Hudson’s socials after the way he used all of the hot water all summer, so I wanted you to know I wouldn’t do it to you.”
“I mean, fair.” She heads into the kitchen, which is on the other side of the entry door, then returns with her computer while Simon slips in the door too. She nods to Oliver. “Asleep?”
“Happy,” he mumbles, tightening his grip on my leg.
Bea smiles at me.
My eyes go misty as I smile back at her. “Turns out he’s not so boring after all,” I say.
Zero reaction from Oliver, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s smiling.
“Well, enjoy him not being boring. I’m staying with Simon tonight.”
“Whenever we get there,” Simon grouses, which is unusual enough that I lift my brows at him.
“Is someone holding your time ransom?” I ask. He’s pretty free to go and do as he likes when he doesn’t have the boys, and I know Lana has them tonight.
“There’s no one else to run the drive-in tonight, so we’re up,” Bea tells me.
Oliver lifts his head. “Drive-in?” he says.
“Simon bought and reopened the old drive-in theater a few weeks ago,” I tell him. “I’ll show you tomorrow. Or the next day.”
He looks at Simon. “You’re short-staffed? At a movie theater?”
Oh my god.
I start to laugh, then try to squelch it while Oliver sits all the way up.
“Yes?” Simon replies.
