“Hey, speaking of drinks, I’m working on a new signature cocktail for the bar. What would you want to see on the menu? What do you look for in a drink?”
“I want something so smooth, I don’t even taste the liquor,” Adam said.
“And I like to feel the burn,” Kaia said. “Just enough flavor to get it down.”
“Wow, that’s helpful,” Josie said, rolling her eyes at them. “Fruity?”
“Fruity is always good,” Adam agreed. “But everyone’s doing that. What if you made something different, something minty, maybe? Like a mojito, but not.”
“Hm, interesting.” Josie pressed her fingers against her lips. “I like that.”
“Or a bitter drink like a Manhattan,” Kaia suggested.
“And if you do go fruity, make it something fancy like pomegranate or passionfruit,” Adam said.
“This is going to be fun,” Josie said. “I’ll have you guys over to taste test for me later this week.”
“Just say the word,” Adam said.
“All right, well, as much as I hate to end our night early, I’ve got foster kittens at home who’re ready to be fed.”
“You and your foster kittens,” Kaia told her with an affectionate look. “Is this the litter Eve found?”
She nodded. “I was finally able to take them, while the bar’s closed.”
“I would say bummer, but I know you actually live for this shit,” Adam said. “So, good for you.”
“I do,” Josie confirmed, standing from her chair, andwhoa, she was drunker than she’d realized. “I’m glad to have them.”
“They’re lucky to have you,” Kaia said as she stood. “And I’m happy to see you getting back to the things you enjoy.”
“Me too.” Josie led the way outside, letting the cool evening air serve as a slap to the face to restore her senses for the subway ride home. Briefly, she wondered if she needed to be slapped back to her senses when it came to the other monumental changes in her life, but she’d set this train in motion, and she was going to ride it to the end of the line, no matter where it took her.
* * *
Eve was in bed,reading on her Kindle, when her phone dinged with an incoming text message. She frowned. Who in the world was texting her at eleven o’clock on a Tuesday night? She picked it up, revealing Josie’s name on the screen, and then her frown deepened as she fought her body’s instinctive reaction, the warmth already flushing her skin and the tingle deep in her belly.
Josie had no business texting her at this hour. It was completely unprofessional, and Eve should just ignore it until she got to work in the morning. She put her phone on “Do Not Disturb” mode and set it on the table beside her bed, then stared at it for a moment in frustration before snatching it back up. Her finger swiped across the screen, bringing up the text.
Someone misses you.
Josie had attached a selfie holding Blanche beneath her chin. The kitten’s eyes were wide, her chin wet from a recent feeding. Josie was fake pouting into the camera, eyes twinkling mischievously, wearing a shimmery tank top that matched the turquoise streaks in her hair.
Eve pressed a hand against her heart, which was racing at the sight of her. And maybe there was a tiny pinch in her chest at the sight of Blanche’s little white face. The kitten had a habit of falling asleep on Eve’s belly after her feeding, and it was sweet. Comforting.
I doubt that, she texted back. Such a boring thing to say, but how else could she respond? There was no way she was going to flirt with Josie over text message. If anyone at the network ever got wind of it… She set her phone down, but it dinged with another message before she’d even had a chance to let go of it.
Josie had attached another selfie. This time, she was holding up Blanche’s little paw in a faux wave. And seriously, what was Eve supposed to say? Whatcouldshe say? The whole thing was ridiculous.
And her body was humming with electricity.
She huffed out a breath, annoyed with herself for allowing her infatuation with Josie to get to this point, annoyed with Josie for sending silly selfies, annoyed with everything that had led to this moment. She picked up the phone and dialed. “What are you doing?”
“Sending you cute pictures of your favorite kitten?” Josie answered.
“We’ve been over this, and you can’t—”
“They’re just kitten pictures, Eve,” Josie said, giggling. She sounded like she’d been drinking. That might explain the sparkly top too. Had she gone out tonight? With who?
