“It is,” she agrees. “I never thought I’d end up here, you know? Married. Pregnant. Safe, comfortable. Living this life where Justice is happy and gets to have a man in his life to teach him all the things and ways to do right by the people he loves.”
“Yeah,” I repeat quietly. “Me neither. I honestly thought we were all cursed.” Which is true. I lost my mom when I was eight, Josie and Jackie’s parents bailed on them. Josie lost Jonah while she was pregnant with Justice. No one seems to be able to stick around in our family.
There’s a pause. Not awkward. Just full of the peace she’s found and the happiness I have for her in getting this happily ever after.
“So,” she begins carefully, and I know that tone. “What else is going on with you?”
“Nothing,” I reply too quickly.
She snorts. “Danae.”
I close my eyes. I didn’t plan to tell her. I haven’t even fully admitted it to myself yet. But if I’m honest with anyone, it’s her.
“I did something kind of out of character,” I admit.
Her voice perks up instantly. “Oh?”
The butterflies in my belly flutter like crazy. Am I really about to tell someone? Josie isn’t just someone, though. She’s my person. My best friend. My family. “I had a one-night stand.”
Silence. Then, after a beat, she replied in shock. “You did not.”
“I did.”
“With a real human man?” she asks. “Maybe it was a dream?”
I laugh softly. “Yes. A real one. And parts of it were as good as a dream.”
“Oh my God,” she squeals, delighted. “Danae.”
“Don’t,” I warn. “Don’t make it a thing.”
“I’m absolutely making it a thing. You’ve never lost control and just cut loose.”
“I know,” I interrupt. “That’s why it’s weird.”
“When?” she asks. “Who?”
“A few weeks ago.” I admit on a sigh without answering the second part of her question.
“And you’re just telling me now?”
“I needed time,” I reply. “To process.”
She hums. “Okay. Tell me everything.”
I move to the window, resting my forehead against the cool glass. “It just happened,” I share. “I wasn’t looking for anything. One minute I was minding my own business, the next, well.”
“You were naked,” she interjects.
“Yes,” I respond, smiling despite myself. “That.”
“Was it good?”
I hesitate. Because good doesn’t even cover it. Saying it out loud makes it real and do I want this to be my reality?
“It was intense,” I reply instead.
She laughs. “That’s a yes.”
