“I won’t say that, then.” Marlee looked like she was making an attempt to stop laughing. A failed attempt. But an attempt nonetheless.
She grabbed the kitchen towel from the counter to wipe off his cheek. He stood there like a total dip and let her do it. Because it felt nice. Marlee touching him felt nice.
He closed his eyes, breathing her in.
“So an engagement party, huh?” she asked.
What? Oh, Jase’s party. Right. He nodded.
“Tuesday is kind of an odd night for an engagement party. That seems more of a Friday or Saturday night kind of soiree.”
“The bar’s slow on Tuesday, so it works better for Brek. The rest of us work a lot of weddings and weekend events, so weekdays are usually best.”
“That sounds fun.” She cocked her head to the side like Lothario had done earlier.
He waited for her to say something.
She didn’t say anything.
She smiled.
He smiled.
Everyone was smiling. No one was talking.
“Aren’t you going to ask me what my plans are tonight?” she finally asked.
He raised his eyebrows in what he figured was a clear invitation for her to spill whatever was on her mind.
She didn’t spill.
“What are you up to?” he asked, mostly so he didn’t go back to that mental place of wanting her touching him. He busied himself by dumping the ruined water, rinsing the pot, and filling it again.
“I’m glad you asked.” She hopped up on the counter next to the stove. “I have no plans tonight.”
That was hard to believe. Marlee had a social calendar that rivaled any of the Hiltons or those housewives on cable.
He set the pot on the stovetop. “That’s not like you.”
“Nope.” Marlee nudged the box of spaghetti pasta back and forth with the tip of her finger. “But apparently, now that I can’t pay for everything, my local friends are allbusy.” She made air quotes with her fingers around the word.
“They’re shitty friends.” He dumped a few tablespoons of salt into the water.
“I know that now.” She thinned her lips. “I didn’t know that before. So until Sadie files that paperwork to get my money back and myfriendscome around, or I convince Sadie or Becca or Kellie to move back, it looks like I’m on my own.” She continued toying with the pasta box. “Tonight, I’ll just Skype with Sadie, Becca, and Kellie…or something.”
Eli could be dense. He knew this. He worked hard not to be. But… Did Marlee want to come to the engagement party?
He hadn’t asked because, well, why would he? They weren’t a couple. But they were friends. And they were currently still married.
She flipped through her phone like it held an invitation to whatever shindig her not-really-friends were hosting and it had her name engraved on it.
“You wanna come?” he asked gently. “You should come. Velma’s excellent in the kitchen, so the grub should be good.”
Better than the burnt nothing they were making at his place.
“Yes,” Marlee said way too quickly. She jumped off the counter. “I want to come. What’s the dress code?”
Uh.“Clothes?”
