Before I can respond, three more squares pop onto the screen. Skyler is sprawled across her bed, Rylee is sitting on her couch with a blanket over her lap, and Stacey is in her kitchen, warming up a baby bottle.
“Hello all,” Stacey says. “Don’t mind my greasy hair and eye bags. Sleeping and showering are luxuries these days.”
“You look great,” I assure her. And she does.
“You’re so sweet,” Stacey grins.
“So, I was thinking we should have a girl’s night soon,” Grace says. “We can come to you, Stacey, if you’re not ready to go out yet.”
Stacey’s smile widens. “Really? Wouldn’t that be boring?”
“Not at all!” Grace insists.
“We can bring over dinner,” Rylee says.
“Hell yeah, and dessert too!” Skyler chimes in. “There’s that badass bakery that opened down the block from my place. They have the best goddamn eclairs ever.”
“Yes please!” I exclaim. “Do you guys remember that bakery we’d always go to in college? Molly’s Patisserie?"
“Yessss!” Grace cries.
“Oh, my God, it was so good!” Rylee nods.
“Uhhhh, I dream of their bagels,” Skyler groans.
“I loved that place,” I nod. “Stace, it was this adorable little shop run by a married couple who named it after their daughter. They made these fantastic lemon mini-cakes that just melt in your mouth.”
“Sounds delicious,” Stacey moans.
“It sure does,” Jayce murmurs.
Rylee tenses and squints at the screen. “Hey, Sutt, are you alone?”
I freeze and Jayce intentionally bumps me with his elbow.
Skyler’s eyes widen dramatically.
“Oh my God,” she gasps. “Jayce is there! They’re snuggling on the couch together!”
Grace lunges toward her camera. “Put him on!”
“No,” I reply immediately.
Jayce snorts beside me.
“Jayce!” Rylee calls out. “What are you doing? Are you canoodling with my girl?”
“He can hear you,” I sigh. “You don’t need to shout.”
“Well then get him over here!” she insists.
Before I can say anything else, Jayce slides himself in front of the screen, resting his chin on my shoulder. I roll my eyes, but he just grins.
Skyler points at the screen. “We see that smug smile, Vaughn!”
“Evening,” he drawls, his deep voice so sexy it makes me shiver.
I pull the phone back toward me and press a hand to the side of his face to push him away.
