They didn’t talk about her, though. Never.
Sharing wasn’t something that was new to them, just something they’d done a few times to break up the monotony. And it was fun. And hot. But they were always short flings and never meant anything more than just a few orgasms and a good time. Sharing didn’t extend to women they dated. Grant had had girlfriends, as had he. And that was a line they’d never crossed.
But Hope… She’d changed everything. One fucking weekend with her and he was willing to try anything, if it had meant that he could keep her. He’d never put much stock in the whole ‘soulmates’ crock, but damn did he, now. He would’ve shared her, always, if that’s what she’d wanted. If that’s what Grant had wanted.
It was what he’d wanted, too.
Waking up that morning in Chicago and finding her gone had wrecked him. There wasbefore. And there wasafter.
Neither of them was the same, after Hope.
Chapter Seven
The cork of the champagne bottle popped loudly, and Hope laughed as she set her purse down on the counter. Jade was already pouring the champagne into the same two mismatched wine glasses from the night she’d moved in. When Hope had gotten the call while out for coffee that she’d gotten the teaching job, she had immediately called Jade to share the good news.
“To my sister, the shaper of young minds!” Jade whooped, holding her champagne up for Hope to clink their glasses together.
Hope laughed, shaking her head. “I’m so glad I got this. I was worried moving after the school year started would make it tough to find a teaching position.”
“We aresogoing out tonight!” her sister said, walking around the peninsula counter of the kitchen. Bruno was in his orthopedic dog bed on the floor, but he watched them as they walked around the room. “You have something to wear tonight?”
“To that one restaurant? How fancy are we talking?” Hope asked, drawing her eyebrows together in trepidation. Most of her clothes were still packed and buried in boxes in the corner.
“Dressy casual is fine,” Jade said and waved her hand dismissively.
“Black jeans, black blouse, black cropped leather jacket?” Hope asked, eyeing the weather outside. Early and mid-October in northern Michigan usually meant chilly evenings, and she didn’t like the idea of wearing a skirt or dress once the temperature dropped. “I think I know where a pair of black strappy heels are packed…”
“No, that’s perfect,” her sister said, sipping her champagne. She flitted around the room, wearing a matched set of light gray sweatpants and a cropped zippered hoodie. The zipper was only pulled halfway up, leaving a large swatch of exposed chest and cleavage. Sans bra, her large breasts swayed freely beneath the material of the hoodie. She had that exaggerated hourglass figure that most women would die for. Several inches of her belly were exposed as she moved, and a pair of fuzzy sandal slippers were on her feet. Her toenails were painted white, as were her fingernails. Her strawberry blonde hair was piled on top of her head in a messy topknot and her freckles seemed to stand out more than usual in the early afternoon sunlight streaming through the window. She was chaotically flawless in an annoyingly effortless way. “A few of the gals from work will be there, I hope that’s okay.”
“I really don’t have to go, I feel like I’m crashing your girl time,” Hope said, scrunching her face.
“Absolutely not,” Jade laughed. “They’re all looking forward to meeting you. They’re cool. You’ll like them, they’ll like you, I promise. So stop being weird.”
“What time are we supposed to be meeting your friends?” she asked, changing the subject.
Jade glanced at the clock. “In about an hour and a half. Is that enough time?”
Hope grimaced. “If I can locate my clothes and those black heels, sure.”
“Well then get moving.”
“I’m not the one still in my pajamas—”
“Umm, okay, sassy pants. I had a short day at work today, and no, I’m not going to wear a skintight sports bra once I’m home. That thing is a torture device and it had to go,” Jade laughed and propped her hands on her hips. “So damn straight I’m back in comfy clothes. And I’ll still be ready before you are.”
“No way. You take two hours to get ready.”
“I’ll take that bet,” Jade sing-songed, sashaying away into the bedroom on the other side of the living room. “And I’ll even be ready in less than an hour and a half. If I win, you have to at least attempt to google search for your mystery men.”
Hope rolled her eyes again. “You’re on.”
One hour and twenty-seven minutes later, Jade was tapping the toes of one of her black, thigh high boots as she stood by the door… waiting for Hope. A rust brown, corduroy mini skirt covered very little of her upper thighs above the thigh high boots. She had pulled on a simple charcoal gray top and had topped it with a buttery soft duster sweater in the same charcoal gray color. The hem of the duster sweater swished around her calves; her strawberry blonde hair styled loose around her shoulders. Her sister was gorgeous.
Hope huffed in annoyance and pulled on her cropped black leather jacket, pulling her long blonde hair out of the back. “Okay. You win. Stop tapping your foot at me.”
“You’re so google searching them later,” Jade chuckled. “I’ll have the girls help, if you want them to—”
“No!” Hope exclaimed, then blushed furiously. “No, Jade. I don’t need anyone else knowing I had a three way with two strangers while on vacation after being dumped. Please.”
