I glanced at Pauline. The book was still in her lap, a small smile playing at her mouth.
“Is that so?”
“You know it’s so. You’ve been doing it since we got together.” Claudette’s tone was warming to her theory now. “Youalways sound like you want to reach through the phone and strangle him.”
“I don’t have a jaw thing. And I’m civil to Michael.”
“Don’t gaslight me. You know exactly what I’m talking about. Did you have a lobotomy I don’t know about?”
I watched Pauline, and something in my chest settled.
“Something good,” I admitted.
“How good? ‘Closed a deal’ good, or ‘my entire life just changed’ good?”
“Somewhere in that range.”
“Jack.” Her voice went softer, knowing. “You sound happy.”
“Maybe I am.”
“Is it a woman?”
“Maybe.”
“Oh my God. It is. It’s absolutely a woman.” Claudette sounded delighted. “Is it someone I know?”
I wanted to tell her. The words were right there. But Pauline hadn’t told Claudette yet. And this was her best friend, her person, the relationship that predated me by years. If she wanted Claudette to know, she’d tell her when she was ready.
“Eventually,” I said.
“I think I already know who it is. Pauline has been sounding suspicious lately too,” Her voice was convincingly smug.
“I’m not telling you anything,”
“The both of you are not mysterious, you know. But I get it.” She laughed. “I’ll wait for you both to establish stability. Just… don’t mess up this time, okay?”
“Wait… I never said it was her,” I said, too defensive.
“Uh-huh.” She made a disbelieving sound, “Love you too, big brother. Treat my friend right,”
She ended the call before I could respond, and I stood there shaking my head. Smiling.
Claudette was right. I wasn’t going to mess up this time.
I turned back toward the living room, still riding the warmth of that conversation, already thinking about how I’d tease Pauline about her best friend’s detective skills.
Then I saw her.
Standing in the middle of the room, phone clutched in her hand, her face drained of all color.
The warmth drained out of me in an instant.
“Pauline?”
She didn’t respond. Didn’t even seem to hear me. Her eyes were fixed on nothing, her breathing shallow and too fast.
“Pauline.” I crossed to her in three strides, my hands on her shoulders. “What happened?”
