“Yeah, the usual. Anyway, Logan mentioned you girls have a plan for the trip. Do tell,” I said, steering the conversation away.
“Nothing fancy. We thought some structure might help this time—surfing, sightseeing, zip-lining,” Norah replied. I shuddered at the last one.
“...maybe trick Ethan into eating weed gummy bears and watch him freak out when he sees the police. You know, some fun stuff,” Ava added, tossing cheese into her mouth.
“But we might hit some language barriers,” Norah continued, ignoring Ava.
“What do you mean?” They speak English in Portugal.”
“In bigger cities and touristy spots, sure. A third of the country speaks it, but smaller towns could be tricky.”
We talked for hours, jumping from topic to topic—past trips, work updates, a little politics, family dramas, and everything in between. This place had always been where all my troublesseemed to fade and the hours slipped by unnoticed, where every worry in the world felt less sharp and the air around me was quietly comforting.
I looked up to see the girls gathered around the wooden kitchen table, deep in conversation, wine glasses in hand, so I wandered over.
“Hello, ladies,” I said, leaning on the counter. “What’s tonight’s hot topic?”
“Marlene and her new boyfriend. They’re adorable,” Summer replied. My interest immediately dropped.
“Marlene? The one who chews like a wood chipper and has seen every cop show ever made?”
“Yep. She met the most perfect guy,” she said, with a flicker of pride.
“Oh? And what does this dream man do?” I asked, lowering my voice.
“He’s...” she paused, “in the police academy.”
“I rest my case.”
“That doesn’t mean she doesn’t love him,” she argued.
“No, it just means he’s checking a box on her fantasy list. She probably wouldn’t even notice him if he worked retail. And when he finally hears that buzzsaw chewing, it’s over.”
“That’s awful. You just hate love,” Norah said.
I widened my eyes, faking hurt.
“Ladies, I’m wounded. I don’t hate love. Look at us—I love all of you,” I said, pulling Ava and Norah in, as they rolled their eyes.
“Oh, by the way, Luke, there’s this girl at my gym who’d actually be perfect for you.” My brief moment of peace vanished. I gave them a look of humorous disappointment.
“She’s gorgeous, super funny, loves to travel,” Ava added.
“Oh, Amber?” Norah jumped in. “She’s amazing. You have to go out with her.”
Suddenly, all three were talking over each other, building my imaginary love life.
I felt my patience slipping. If anyone else tried setting me up, I would politely tell them to leave me the fuck alone; it wasn’t that simple with these three. They were like my family, but every time we got together, it was the same.
Luke, you should meet my friend/colleague/gym buddy/cousin.Every. Damn. Time.They meant well, but their good intentions didn’t align with mine. Maybe it was the conversation or the wine, but I snapped.
“I’ve kind of already met someone,” I said. A complete lie.
“What?”
“Yeah, I mean, we’re not official, but there’s something there,” I added, digging in. Idiot. But it was too late now.
“Well,” Summer said, eyes narrowing, “tell us about her.”
