“Is that code for a sex thing I won’t do?”
“No,” I said and smiled at her. “Boone thought it would be fun for us to try something new.”
“Did you like it?”
“We got a few different kinds, and I thought they were good. Not my favorite new food, but I liked it. Boone hated two of them, but he did think one was okay.”
“Heartwarming,” Zodiac said while Elle grinned at me.
“I’m glad you’re getting Boone to try things. He’s so stuck in a rut. I bet he wouldn’t even think of knocking up a chick and then crying until she moved to a new city for him.”
Zodiac muttered, “There were never any tears.”
“Internally, you wept,” Elle said and patted his cheek. “I remember handing you tissues.”
“Whatever you say, human incubator.”
“Stop begging for my love in front of Nova. Your words of endearment are bound to make her nauseous after all the sushi she ate tonight.”
“I’m sure that isn’t all she’s got swimming around in her belly.”
Elle laughed at his gross comment, but I didn’t hold it against her. She was newly in love, so Zodiac was especially interesting to her. Of course, she also had a big mouth, meaning she didn’t think people required filters.
“Do you need to wash your, you know, coochie?” Elle asked as she fixed her hair. “Before you crawl in bed with your girls, I mean. I always make sure I’m jizz free before I cuddle with Sutter.”
“Mom of the Year over here,” Zodiac grumbled.
“That’s why you picked me to impregnate.”
“That wasn’t planned.”
“Not on your part,” Elle said and straddled his lap. “Want to fool around until the game is over?”
Zodiac frowned at her. “We’re only hanging out so I can finish the game.”
“Oh, in that case, fuck off,” Elle said and climbed off his lap. “Let me talk to my friend Nova about how I was knocked up by a dipshit with a limp dick.”
Zodiac chuckled at her taunts while I followed her into the kitchen. She poured herself orange juice and smiled at me.
“Boone’s a great guy.”
“I really like him.”
“Do you think you could love him? Boone’s so sad that Clint replaced him with Ivy while he was in jail. Double dates could help make his pain more bearable.”
“I feel like Idolove him, but we’ve only been together in a real way for two days.”
“Logic and love don’t mix. If they did, I would have ditched Zodiac and stayed in Little Memphis. But our hearts write their own stories. I’m glad yours is writing one with Boone. He really is a great guy, and you deserve someone awesome.”
I startled Elle by hugging her. She adjusted so we could tighten our embrace without squishing her belly.
“Trust your heart,” she whispered. “You deserve good things, so don’t hold back or try to be overly sensible. Just enjoy life.”
Nodding, I smiled at her before glancing at the hallway leading to my room. “Do you need me to stay up with you?”
“No, I plan to cuddle up with limp dick over there and wait until the game is over. Do you need us to stay over tonight?”
“No, I’m good. Lula and Dan will be back in the morning. Everything’s fine.”
