Yelena finished the tea with eyes wide the entire time.
“I thought we discussed level one?” Kitty smacked the table. “Forward bend. Savasana. Easy.” Kitty stood and paced to the tea. “Now he’s going to have expectations.” She brought the mug to April and set it down next to her salted apple juice. “I can’t even figure out how that would work. How do you evendo that? The logistics don’t track.”
Oh, they tracked all right.
Inexplicably, Kitty lay down on the tile floor. “Climb on top and show me.”
Simone snorted.
“I’m not doing that, Kitty,” April said, staring down at her friend. “Sit up here with us and tell us all about your date.” April went for the big guns, using her mom voice so even Kitty would listen to her.
“Do I want to know why Kitty is on the floor?” Jack asked as he strode into the kitchen.
April yelped, jumping three inches even though her tush was on the seat.
“I thought you were going to Rachel’s,” she said. Well, really, she squeaked.
“Change of plans,” he said. And that look in his eye?
Oh. Yes. He wasnotthinking a bubble bath.
Though with that glint? His change of plans meant they’d probably have ended up naked all the same.
Except she was hosting an impromptu party.
“Hi, Jack.” Kitty waved at him, still on the floor. Still not getting up.
“Don’t ask her questions,” April said, shaking her head and silently pleading for him to do as she said. “You don’t want to know.”
“Understood.” He paused, pushed his hands onto his hips, and surveyed them all, his gaze landing gently on April. “You did great today.”
“Ohhh,” Kitty said. “Dish!”
“He meant with the fundraiser and the donations.” April shook her head. “Welcome to the after-party, Jack.”
“There’s tea.” Yelena pointed to the kettle.
“And salted apple juice.” Simone lifted April’s cup of spit-in juice.
An expression of confusion passed over his features, but he didn’t ask questions. “I’ll take the tea.”
“Good call,” April said, giving him a look that she hoped broadcast her thanks for his not questioning Kitty further or inquiring about salted apple juice.
He moved to the teakettle, fixing himself a cup.
The back door opened and April’s children all streamed through, followed by her ex-husband. Unfortunately, Kent looked great. Casual in a plain gray tee and jeans. How he was tanned in Colorado in the fall made no sense, but April wasn’t going to ask questions about it. He’d also let his dark brown hair grow longer than he’d kept it when they were together.
He took in the room and made the sameickface he had when he’d first seen how she’d made the place purple.
She loved the color. He hated it.
When he’d moved out, she made everything as purple as she could. It felt good.
“We finished dinner early,” Harmony sang. She’d been on a singing kick that day. She paused, her little eyebrows furrowing. “Why is Aunt Kitty on the floor?”
“Auntie Kitty was doing an experiment,” Kitty said, sitting up. “It failed.” She glared at April like the failure was April’s fault.
“Aunt Kitty is just being silly,” April said, then mouthedHelp meto Simone.
