She blushed, fiddling with the edge of a napkin. “Just tired and relieved it’s over.”
Bear wandered over to Natalie to greet her.
“Well, hello there.” She said in a cooing voice.
We all sat down to eat, the comforting aroma of Pad Thai and drunken noodles filling the room. Meredith and Evan didn’t even bother with small talk as they dove into their plates. After eating, the hangover twins disappeared outside to smoke, leaving Natalie and me alone in the kitchen.
“I talked to Kelly today,” I said, leaning against the counter.
Natalie’s face softened with concern. “Oh? How did it go?”
“Not great,” I admitted. “She spun it around, saying I left Madison and the boys alone for you.”
Her expression darkened. “I’m so sorry. That’s not the response you were hoping for.”
“And she’s engaged,” I added, shaking my head.
Natalie blinked in surprise. “Wow. You’d think that us dating wouldn’t matter then.”
“Yeah, you’d think,” I said bitterly. “Whatever. I’m not going to let her dictate who I date. She’s trying to control me.”
Natalie didn’t say much after that. Her posture shifted slightly, and I could tell the conversation made her uncomfortable.
“Want to watch a movie?” she asked, her tone lighter.
“Yes, we do,” Meredith called out as she and Evan wandered back inside and plopped onto the couch.
We settled on “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” Within twenty minutes, Evan was snoring, his head tilted back against the cushion. Meredith wasn’t far behind him, her head propped awkwardly on his shoulder.
By the time the movie ended, Evan startled awake. “I should probably head out,” he mumbled, running a hand through his hair. Bear lying on the ground beside him.
“You’re welcome to stay,” Meredith said, still half-asleep.
Evan glanced at Natalie. “You sure?”
“It’s fine with me,” Natalie said. “I’m heading to bed anyway. I’m wiped.”
“Me too,” I added, following Natalie upstairs.
She pointed toward the bathroom as we entered the room. “I left your toothbrush out for you,” she said, her voice soft.
I stood beside her, brushing my teeth in comfortable silence. At one point, I slid over closer to her sink.
“I like your side better,” I said, grinning at her through a mouthful of toothpaste.
She smiled back, her dimples peeking through, even as she finished brushing.
When we finally lay down in bed, Natalie turned toward me, her hazel eyes searching mine. “Are you okay? I know today was kind of a blow.”
I let out a slow breath. “It’s fine. It’s typical Kelly. I just thought she’d be over it by now, maybe even a little supportive. But I do think we need to stay united on the no-boys rule for Madison. If we aren’t strong together, she’ll find a way to beat us down.”
Her gaze softened, full of sincerity. “You’re right,” she said quietly.
“Thank you for not getting scared of this hurdle,” I told her, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
“I don’t think this will be our last one,” she replied.
I pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She melted into my chest, fitting perfectly into my nook. We lay like that for a few moments, the weight of the day fading into the stillness of the night.
