As the credits rolled after the end of the second episode, Merritt went downstairs to make her sister some more tea and toast. When she returned, she couldn’t help herself.
“Liv?”
“Hmmm?” Olivia asked, scrolling through her phone without looking up.
“Do you think Niko’s…” Merritt hesitated, already nervous that her nonchalant tone wasn’t fooling anyone.
“What?”
“…attractive?”
Olivia looked up from her phone and fixed her with a stern gaze. “Are you serious?”
“Yes?” Merritt responded tentatively.
“Of course I think he’s attractive. I haveeyes.He looks like a Disney prince or something. But, like, one of the nineties ones, after they actually figured out how to draw men.” Her tone was no-nonsense, as if she were annoyed that she had to explain something so obvious.
Merritt was so surprised—and relieved—that she couldn’t stop herself from throwing her head back and cackling, her laughter transforming into a frustrated groan as she buried her face into the pillow in her lap, muffling her words. “Uuuggghhh.Iknow.I feel like I’m gonna spontaneously combust every time I’m around him.” She turned her head sideways, coming up for air. “What should I do?”
In a flash, all of the mirth drained from Olivia’s face, her tone turning flat and serious. “What do you mean? You shouldn’t doanything. You should just work with him and be normal and not do anything.”
Merritt sat up straight, startled by how quickly the temperature in the room had dropped. “Uh, whoa. Okay.”
“What about that TV writer guy? Aren’t you still talking to him?”
“Sort of. Not really. It’s definitely not exclusive, whatever it is.”
Olivia raised her eyebrows. “Comeon.You’re into Niko? Really?”
“Why is that so surprising? You just said he was cartoon-prince handsome.”
“Yeah, but your type has traditionally been closer to cartoon rat.”
“Ouch,” Merritt said, laughing.
“I just…don’t see him as someone you’d want to settle down with,” Olivia said with a shrug.
“What’s wrong with him?”
“Nothing’s wrong with him.” Olivia put the emphasis onnothing,but the implication rang loud and clear: nothing’s wrong withhim.
“Well, who said anything about settling down?” Merritt said innocently, before she could stop herself. She lowered her head and picked at the raised balls of decorative thread on Olivia’s quilt.
“Don’t.” Olivia’s eyes narrowed. Merritt’s hand stilled, but she knew that wasn’t what Olivia was referring to.
“Don’t what?”
“What, you’re gonna make him, like, yourboy toy,or whatever? You’d get bored of him in a month. He doesn’t deserve that.”
Merritt sputtered, indignant. “ ‘Boy toy’? I’m only five years older than him!”
“You know it’s not about your age. Except that you’re getting too old to be doing this. You’ll chew him up and spit him out, and then Dev and I will have to pick up the pieces. I’m literally about to have two babies; I don’t have time for that shit anymore.” Olivia’s tone was flat and matter-of-fact, like she was relaying something she’d learned on her NPR podcast that morning. Merritt’s heart pounded, but she fought to keep her voice just as calm.
“Why are you so sure it would automatically be a huge disaster?”
“Because I know you. And I know him. And he’s sonice.”
Merritt’s mouth twisted. “And I’m not.” It wasn’t a question.
