“We made it ourselves,” Chloe points out, picking up plates to set the table.Halfway across her kitchen, she pauses, eyes widening.“Except…”
“What?!”My heart leaps into my throat.
Her eyes brighten.“Kidding.Everything’s perfect.Besides, Mar’s been mainlining dairy since she had Emily.Bodies are weird.”
The front door opens, and there are Clay and Jay, carrying alcohol.“Got the wine.”
“I love you,” I exhale.
“Both of us?”Jay asks, cocking his head.
“If that bag is full of vintage alcohol, then yes.”
Clay sets his bag on the counter and comes up behind me.
“Can we help?”Jay offers.
Chloe finishes washing her hands and dries them before she lifts a bottle from the bag, groaning.“Open.Pour.”She hands it to Jay, who salutes.
“It smells really good in here,” Jay says as he gets to work.
“You’re not just saying that?”
“Nah.I always wanted…”
The guys look at each other.
“Vegan pumpkin risotto,” I supply.
“Yeah, that.”
When Harlan and Mari come over, they’re already in the middle of a conversation, Emily’s carrier in Harlan’s arms.
“She hates this outfit,” Mari frets.
“She’ll be fine,” Harlan insists.“You’re a great mom, Mar, and Emily knows it.”He turns a smile on us.“Nova, Clay, thank you for having us.”
Clay serves drinks as Chloe and I finish preparing the meal.Harlan sets Emily’s carrier next to the couch.
Chloe and I bring the food to the dining room.
“This looks amazing,” Mari says once we’re all seated.
“Surprised?”I ask.
“No.”
Harlan covers his laugh with a cough.
The meal is delicious.The six of us eat risotto and talk about life, and work, and movies and TV as though we’re all friends.I suppose we are.
“You guys are cute,” I say after a glass and a half of wine, waving my fork between Chloe and Jay.“I never heard why things ended.”
They exchange a look.
“It was Jay’s fault,” Chloe says.
“That’s some bullshit,” he says before she finishes.
