Silence stretched for three seconds.
Robyn rested her hip against the counter, mug cradled in both hands, eyes bright and amused.
“So,” she said. “That’s Joe.”
Krista blew out a breath and pressed her palms to her cheeks. “That is Joe.”
Kit snickered. “You should’ve seen her face when he first walked into the Hideaway. She spilled her drink right in her lap.”
“Not true,” Krista said.
“Very true,” Kit shot back.
Robyn tilted her head. “He seems good for you.”
Krista’s chest pinched. “Yeah,” she admitted. “He is.”
“And you’re not even pretending to be embarrassed about that,” Robyn added, nodding toward the living room.
Krista frowned. “What do you mean?”
Robyn raised a brow. “When I walked in, there was a lens cap on the coffee table and what I am ninety percent sure was your underwear half-hidden under the couch cushion.”
Krista groaned and dropped her forehead to the counter with a thunk. “In my defense, my brain is still mush from the phenomenal sex.”
Kit whooped. “That’s my girl.”
Robyn laughed, soft and warm. “You’re happy,” she said matter-of-factly. “I haven’t seen you like this in…ever, maybe? I’m going to pretend not to be jealous.”
Krista lifted her head. “Robyn…”
“I’m kidding,” Robyn said quickly, though her smile didn’t quite stick. “Mostly.”
Krista’s eyes narrowed. “To be fair, your bar is pretty low. Don’t even get me started on Professor Beige Cardigan.”
Robyn barked a real laugh. “He wasn’t beige. He was…aggressively navy.”
“He was aggressively privileged,” Krista said. “And our parents were practically building a bridal registry the second they heard his last name.”
Krista’s stomach tightened remembering his smarmy smile, the way he talked over Robyn like she was an eager grad studentinstead of a brilliant professor. “You were always too good for him,” she said flatly. “And his family acted like you should be grateful he noticed you, which is…insane.”
“Yeah, I spent too much time with that man-child.” Robyn’s gaze flicked toward the living room again, toward the lens cap like it was proof of a different universe. “Maybe I should find my own travel journalist?”
Krista straightened, Robyn’s words landing somewhere tender. “It might not last,” she said automatically. “He leaves in two days. We’re going to try the long-distance thing, but who knows…”
“Mhm,” Robyn said, unconvinced. “And until then, your underwear will keep lighting up whenever you hear his voice.”
“I hate you,” Krista said without heat.
“No, you don’t,” Robyn replied. “You’re not even embarrassed, and you shouldn’t be. It’s okay to want something that isn’t on your to-do list.”
That shut her up.
Because Robyn was right. She wasn’t embarrassed. Not about the lens cap, or the beard burn on her neck, or the way her heart had leapt when Joe kissed her in front of her sister like it was the most natural thing in the world.
But she was terrified.
And for once, it wasn’t because she was failing someone.
