“This really is primo,” I said, looking around at the classy, well-appointed living area.
“It is,” she agreed as she moved to a small fridge by a wet bar. “Although I’m starting to feel boxed in. I’d like a yard. Flowers. My old partner is actually refurbishing his house. It’s pretty cool. I keep bringing it up with Tyler and he keeps changing the subject.” She scowled a little. “It’s starting to get on my nerves.”
“He just sick of owning real estate?”
“I don’t know. I’m letting it go for now. Our caseload is too intense to do the house-search thing anyway. But it’s a conversation we’re going to have to have eventually. The trials and tribulations of being a couple,” she added with a sigh.
“You love it,” I said.
“I do,” she agreed, and smiled so brightly she lit up the room.
“Well, if you have a whim to paint, feel free to come over to my place. Anything I can do to contribute to the peace between you and Tyler.”
“That’s right,” she said, bringing a bottle of pinot noir to the coffee table in the living room. “Tomorrow’s the big day.” She opened the wine, poured us each a glass, and lifted it in a toast. “To home ownership,” she said, and I laughed.
“Thanks. I can’t believe it’s really tomorrow. It’s a huge deal for me. This will be the first house I’ve lived in that wasn’t a rental.”
“Seriously? Did you move around a lot as a kid?”
“An insane amount,” I admitted.
“That makes tomorrow all the more special.” She took a sip of her wine. “So did you come over because of pre-house jitters? Or—oh, shit—did I forget something about the wedding?”
“No. Honestly, I just wanted to hang out and catch up.” I shrugged. “And I was wondering if you knew where Tyler was. And if he’s with Cole.”
“Misplaced the new boyfriend already?” she said with a laugh.
“Did you talk to Flynn, too?”
“No, I talked to Angie. She talked to Flynn.”
I rolled my eyes in mock irritation, but I had to secretly admit I was enjoying myself. My friends cared about me. About Cole. They were cheering for us.
That was pretty damn cool—and it reinforced my determination to tell Sloane the truth. Because the longer I waited, the more entrenched the lie would be.
And, frankly, I’d waited too long already.
“But to answer your question,” Sloane continued, not realizing my mind had wandered off, “no, I don’t think Tyler’s with him.”
“You don’t think?”
“Cole called here this morning and they talked for a while, and I overheard Tyler ask him if he needed help. Cole must have said no, because Tyler said that was good because he had plans today. Which, frankly, surprised me because I thought he was just catching up on paperwork at Destiny today.”
“What did he say he was doing?”
“I overheard the call,” Sloane admitted. “I didn’t feel right about asking.”
I watched her face. “But you have an idea. What are you thinking?”
She sat back. “Nothing good, I’m afraid.”
I cocked my head. “Are you worried it’s something that’s going to get the cops looking at them?”
Sloane glanced at me, surprised.
I rolled my eyes. “It’s not like I don’t know what they do.”
“I’m supposed to know what they do,” she said with a sigh. “I didn’t insist Tyler go squeaky-clean, but I do want to be in the loop. And, honestly, he was laying low for a while, and I liked it.”