“That’s not— Please stop.”
She shrugs, looking entirely too satisfied with herself.
“I’m taking a shower.” I grab my bag and stomp off, not caring what she does. I’m in the bathroom when she yells through the door.
“Okay, boo! I’ll just hang out here and get to know your bro.”
Fuck.I bang my head against the door. But the need to be clean and go through my skin care routine wins out. Jonah can take care of himself. Right?
Right?
Even so, I hurry through it all. Not willing to leave my bestie alone with Jonah for longer than necessary.
When I leave the bathroom, the first thing I hear is Frankie laughing and Jonah…he’s laughing as well. Cracking up, actually. That really shouldn’t bother me.
“Hey. What’s going on?”
Jonah stands when he sees me. And okay, he’s staring at me with a big goofy grin that has my heart believing this is real.
“Oh. My. God.”
I glare at my bestie. “Stop.”
She nods, but when Jonah turns to grab his Dopp kit, she mouths, “Oh. My. God.”
I wave her off.
Jonah touches my arm. “Hey, I’m going to shower. And then we can go.” He hesitates for a second or two. “Frankie said Iwas invited to brunch, but I want to make sure you’re okay with that.”
This man is the sweetest. “Of course you’re invited.”
“Thanks, Viv.” And then he leans in like he’s going to kiss me and stops. “Um, okay.”
He tries to run off, but I grab his shirt. “Get back here.” When he turns, I grab his face and kiss him. A nice, long kiss. I don’t want there to be doubt in anyone’s mind about what’s happening here. Least of all, Jonah’s. “Now, go shower.” And as he leaves, I smack his ass.
Frankie’s eyes are as wide as the ball that drops in Times Square on New Year’s Eve. We used to go every year when we both lived in New York. She also appears to be screaming internally. It’s kinda fun to watch.
“Are you done yet?”
She nods rapidly and then slower and slower until she stops. “I’m calm now.”
“Good.”
“But, Vivie,” she says, her eyes pleading, “I need to hear every sordid detail.”
“Uh, no. That’s not happening.”
She pouts, but this is one time I’m not giving in.
I’m starving by the time we reach the restaurant and sit down for brunch. Frankie chatters on about everything from the best places to eat in San Diego to the chica she met last night in Hillcrest to the horrible traffic on I-5. “People just don’t know how to drive anymore. Come sit by me, Jonah.”
My hand is resting on Jonah’s thigh—for grounding purposes—and I squeeze his leg to keep him there. “He’s fine where he’s at.”
Jonah stares from me to Frankie, looking a little shellshocked.
I lean in. “It’s okay. Everyone feels that way around Frankie at first. You’ll get used to it.”
“Will I?”
