“Can you believe it?” She blushes, and I have the urge to hug her. “I just got Alec off to bed, but Amy wouldn’t settle, and Todd worked late again. He got home the second before I rushed out of the house. I look a mess, Olive.”
“You look great.” I reach into my purse and hand her a stain-stick remover. “Try this.”
“YOU look fine,” Daphne corrects me as she takes the stick out of my hand and tries to furtively dab at her collar. “Better than fine, in fact,” she says as she looks at my face more closely. She lowers her voice. “Did you have sex recently?”
I smile but don’t answer her.
“You did, didn’t you?” she says, the tension in her jaw disappearing as she keeps rubbing her collar with the stick and the red stain diminishes significantly.
I let her continue to think what she wants as I take the stick back from her and return it to my purse. No, I haven’t had actual intercourse yet, but whatever Jenson and I are doing together is so much better than any sex I’ve ever had. Being near him, around him, with him, makes me happy, and I know it shows. My skin is clearer, my eyes look brighter, and my mouth is…well, desperate for his lips. All the damn time.
“Oh, just wait till you get married, Olive,” Daphne says bitterly. “I tell Amy this all the time. All that happiness will fade away. And when you have kids? Gone for good.”
I put my hand on Daphne’s arm in concern. “Why?” I say. “Why will it all go away? Getting married and having kids is supposed to be one of those fantasies come true, isn’t it?”
Daphne shrugs. “I guess it is. But the fantasy ends at the honeymoon. There are bills to pay, and all that great sex leads to something once you’re married—babies who have mouths to feed.”
“So did you feel like you had to have kids as soon as you married?” I ask her.
“Todd wanted kids right away.” Daphne shrugs. “And I guess part of me did too. I was naïve, though. It’s so draining.”
I exhale, feeling exhausted.
“Hey, you two.”
I jerk my head up to the beautiful sight of Jenson Beau standing in front of me.
His green eyes are as bright and intense as ever, and he’s wearing a white collared shirt and black dress pants. His slightly-long blond hair is combed back neatly. And he’s smiling.
“What happened to my seat?” he says teasingly.
I gesture toward Daphne. “My oldest sibling snagged it.”
Daphne giggles and pats the empty chair to her right. “Sit next to me, Jenson. We can catch up.”
He shoots me an “I’d rather be catching up with you” look before taking the seat on the other side of my sister.
Daphne turns her back on me and starts laughing with Jenson right away. Darts of jealousy shoot through me. Which is absolutely crazy—to feel like I need to compete with my married sister for the attention of a man she thinks is off-limits and really has never been very close to, but I’m not feeling rational right now.
When Jenson’s mom kneels down next to him, and they start talking, Daphne turns back around and whispers to me, “Jenson’s really hot, don’t you think?”
I spin and look at her. “What?”
“Oh, I know he’s our cousin,” she says. “I’m just saying he’s incredibly good-looking. He always was, don’t you remember? He was so hot on the football field, quarterbacking the team in high school. He was a star in town. Pity he couldn’t pursue it in college.”
“You know why,” I say. “His knee.”
“I know. But even though he doesn’t play football anymore, he’s still got an amazing body. Look at his biceps.” Daphne shifts to look at Jenson like he’s half-naked and posing. “God, he must look great naked.”
“Daphne!” I elbow her. “Shh.”
She giggles. “I know it’s wrong of me to talk about him like that. But sweet Lord, is he fun to look at.”
“He’s not our cousin,” I say without thinking.
Daphne stops and stares at me. “Why would you say that? Jenson’s family. He’s been family his whole life. I thought you two were close.”
“We are.” I feel my cheeks flushing with heat. “I just meant—he’s not actually our blood cousin, so when you said he was cute, it’s okay to feel that way.”
