I've slapped together some black-and-yellow mask, added weird frills around it with no clue where my brain wandered, it's too drunk, but I actually like it, which is rare. Usually, I don't like what I create.
The conversation is male glutes because I noticed the massive portrait by the sofa with a nude male turned the other way.
I keep squinting at it even though I probably shouldn't because it's Micah.
Micah is Lucy's long-term trainwreck. Every artist needs amuse and I guess he's got the best cheeks for it.
"Damn, was it his ass that sliced that canvas?" I nod at it. Lu's signature style is torn and burned canvases.
Lu gives it a brief side-glance and snorts. "Could be. It's the only reason I keep messing with him."
I take a sip from my third glass. "Ben's got a hell of an ass."
"Uh-huh." Lu raises an eyebrow, amused. "And how exactly do you know?"
"When we had that sleepover? He went to the bathroom in the morning and I snuck a peek." I smirk devilishly like I deserve a medal for being a pervert. "I swear it was lifted. Peak gluteal engineering. I wanted to—" I pucker my lips and mime grabbing something, "—squeeze it."
Lu sniffs a laugh. "Good. If there's no shelf, keep it to yourself."
I burst out laughing. Then nod, trying to keep a straight face. "I mean, if we're supposed to have big boobs, it's only fair?"
She nods, solemn too. "Only fair."
"Richard also has a nice butt actually. It's nicely round." I pout, imagining it. Makes me feel better that I gave proper credit to my husband's cheeks too.
Lu studies me a beat between trying to paint a butterfly, tongue out, and then says, "Do you think you went to Richard as a fuck-you to Ben?"
I freeze, brush hovering midair. Shoot her a glare. "What? No."
"I'm just saying." She shrugs innocently and leans on the wall, studying me. "You jumped him about a week after you andBen imploded so—"
"I did not jump Richard a week after!" I shout defensively, hands on my hips, feeling my cheeks go warmer. "We waited. Almost a month. For your information."
"Wow. So he proposed right after you guys slept together?" She gives me an approving look. "Didn't know you were so ferocious."
Normally, I'd laugh, maybe flex a little because, yes, that's kind of what happened.
Richard did everything right, any intimacy being on my terms, and after a month, I decided he deserved a reveal. It was my bathrobe, actually.
I got out of the shower on his yacht and sort of guided his hand.
He asked if I was sure, I nodded, and he opened me like I was a present. The sex was as good as a first sex can be, if you ask me. Okay. A bit clumsy. However, for him it must have been good because a few days later, he proposed.
But anyway, now I'm busy defending myself.
"You know I didn't go to Seattle for dating. I went for my book signing. And yeah, maybe I was a little heartbroken—"
"A little?" Lucy drawls, staring me down. "You wereobsessedwith Mr. MindFuck. I held your hair while you puke-cried for three days after you split. Don't rewrite history."
I tap her with the brush, splattering yellow across her robe. "Stop being an ass."
She checks the splash and gives me an unimpressed look. "I'm just saying—it all happened so fast."
"Richard wasn't my rebound if that's where you're going," I snap. "He's a good husband who takes care of me, consistently. I know what to expect from him and I know he loves me. Heck, he even remembers my mother's rambling when I don't. A girl is allowed to want stability at some point, no?"
"Mmm. Mmm." She pulls a skeptical face, and pops in another caramel from her pocket. "Are you still pissed at him?"
I frown. "You mean Ben?"
