Riley yelps and covers her mouth.
Iris guffaws and raises her glass. “Cheers to that.”
I nearly spit out my food, and as I rock forward in my chair, some of the crust drops to the porch. Pascal is on it.
I look between the three of them. “There has been no eating anyone out!”
Ari cackles, and Riley shakes her head.
“He’s hanging around because he feels guilty for his stalker behavior. I’m letting him stay because he’s a hard-headed weirdo, same as always. And yeah, he learned to cook.”
Riley examines her fingernails and shyly adds, “That doesn’t explain the glowing.”
“We’re not having sex. I’m on day two of anti-viral medicine. It’s not like I’m up for it. And let’s face it, we have a long, long road to travel before we’re back to being together.”
“Hooking up and being back together are two different things,” Ari says to Riley, who grins and lifts an eyebrow.
Iris nods thoughtfully and downs her wine.
“We’re not hooking up, and we’re not back together,” I say, forking more food into my mouth, secretly thinking about Ewan’s mouth and noticing the flutter downstairs. God, that’s so not happening. I’m simply a sex-deprived, horny woman.
Ari says, “You know, you don’t have to rehash all your issues before you connect physically. Just saying. I wouldn’t judge you if you just wanted to hit that.”
“I’m not hitting that!”
“Okay,” Riley says, biting her nail to hide her shit-eating grin.
“But if you wanted to, and if he wanted to.”
“That would be none of your business,” I say through a mouthful of food.
Riley’s jaw drops. “I know what’s different! You’re not being super polite and measured and all that crap. You’re like…relaxed.”
Ari makes an approving noise.
“Y’all, we haven’t…”
“I know,” Ari says. “I believe you. But I think what Riley means is that you seem generally more relaxed and happy with Ewan here. Like you don’t have such a corn cob up your butt like you usually do.”
Wow.
“Leave it to my friends to talk shit while I’m basically an invalid,” I reply.
Riley laughs and gives Pascal a piece of chicken. “Which is it? You’re well enough to try to do our regular Thursday brunch, or you’re taking to your sickbed?”
“I think they gotcha,” Iris adds.
I try to scowl at everyone, but I can’t force the smile away. “Fine. It’s nice being taken care of once in a while.”
“Yeah,” Ari says.
“Look. I admit that after the incident on Valentine’s Day, I might have returned to work too soon and driven myself toohard. But the medicine agrees with my system so well, I feel better. That’s the glow you’re seeing. But I’m going to take it easy because you all give good advice, and I need to be careful. Just like Dr. Taylor said. I’m going to listen this time.”
“It’s nice to have Ewan take care of you,” Riley corrects. “And it looks good on you.”
I feel the heat surge into my cheeks, chest, and ears. Why? Why does my body give away what I’m really thinking?
“Well, it’s just temporary. He won’t even tell me where he’s staying.”
