“We already ordered a round of margaritas.” Evangeline pointed at the glasses that were waiting for us.
Ruby called her Eve, but I stuck with her full name. She just didn’t feel like an Eve to me. Small, maybe five foot two, with a delicate build, straight auburn-chestnut hair, gentle features, freckled pale skin, and brown eyes—she looked years younger than her actual mid-thirties age. She was kind, quiet, but something in her ran deep. I’d just never had the opportunity to reach those depths.
Daphne could have passed as her older sister. Same coloring, sort of, but taller, livelier—though sometimes she seemed lost in her own thoughts. She didn’t look like a cop. At least not out of uniform. With her full lips, round eyes, and “normal” looks, she could pass for a flower shop girl herself. But there was something about her gaze—like it could see right through you. Or maybe I was just projecting, knowing what her job required. Of all of us, she’d seen the most.
“Mmm ... good.” Ruby took a quick sip from her glass. “So, how’s everyone doing?”
“This is not a staff meeting, Ruby.” Evangeline scoffed.
“I know, but you’re all so damn quiet. Someone has to open.” She turned to me. “Rio here was telling me something very interesting on the way over. Would you care to share?”
I shot her anI can’t believe you’re doing thisglare before smiling. “No, no. I don’t think everyone needs to know.”
“Oh, they already know who you’re living with.” She tapped my thigh again.
Daphne and Evangeline exchanged an uneasy look, like we all shared the same problem with Ruby. Because we did.
“I didn’t say anything major, relax,” Ruby said, flashing us aDon’t you start with thatsmile.
“She only said it’s Walter’s grandson, and we already know who that is, so ...” Evangeline explained.
“Oh, it’s okay. That’s not a state secret.” I sighed, giving up.
“They slept together,” Ruby blurted out like she couldn’t hold it back anymore.
“Ruby,” Evangeline scolded.
I put my face in my hands and laughed. Oh, Ruby ...
“You don’t have to tell us anything,” Daphne said.
“Yeah, you have the right to remain silent,” Ruby added, grinning.
“Ah, it’s okay. Now that it’s out, I could use a little venting and ... I don’t know if I’m looking for advice, but a different perspective maybe? Someone who isn’t in so deep like I am.”
A very brief update later—laughing off Ruby’s need for details—“Yes, Ruby, in both rooms. No, Ruby, not on the kitchen table. Walter lives there, remember?”—I finally got to my brother finding out.
“Just tell me if he’s—”
“Foam rolling guy level, Ruby. Okay?”
“Perfect! That’s all I need to know.” She looked both victorious and proud.
“That video you sent?” Evangeline asked.
Ruby nodded.
“Should be outlawed.” Daphne’s face was blank as she picked up her glass.
“Anyway,” I dragged the word to stop the direction this was taking. “I knew we’d get to the point where it’d be complicated, though I hoped it wouldn’t feel complicated. But it is. My brother isn’t happy about this, and I don’t want to be the wedge between them.”
“Why isn’t your brother happy about it?” Evangeline asked.
“The usual reasons—if it ends badly, even down the line, it could cloud their friendship, maybe even end it. And Owen doesn’t have a stellar track record when it comes torelationships.” I found myself lowering my voice at that last part, as if admitting this fact was throwing shade at the man I loved.
They all nodded. Hearing myself saying it out loud—listing these reasons—made me hope that, somehow, one of them would prove me wrong, say that it didn’t have to be this way.
But then again, that wasn’t even the whole story.
