waiting, no judgments, just a lot of purring and rubbing against calves.
We enter the apartment and it’s the first time it feels like we’re home. I’m home. Maybe he’s my home.
22
Not that kind of girl
Friday, August 18
Lori
“What’s going on?” Carson asks as he whacks me in the stomach and saunters into my apartment for poker night.
“Nothing much.” I whack him back. “You hear from Sami at all?”
“No. She’s not allowed to have her phone while they’re on the honeymoon.” He laughs wickedly.
“I can’t blame him. She’s extra. I’ve never seen a girl touch her phone that much.” We walk out onto the deck and sit in the loungers where I have a bucket of beers on ice.
“Is Cap already here?” Carson glances around.
“Nope, he should be arriving any moment. Where’s Rich?”
“His d-bag brother is forcing him to go to some party.” He makes a jerking-off motion which is very Carson of him to do. “Is Jenny here?”
“No, she’s out for dinner talking to Stan,” I growl.
“Stan Levisohn?” Carson sits and lifts his eyebrows in surprise.
“Yeah. She’s been hunting for a job for two weeks, nonstop. It’s not going well. She disclosed being pregnant to a few, and they were not interested in someone who’s dating a billionaire and pregnant. Basically, laughed in her face and said she’ll be a socialite stay-at-home mom in eight months. Why would they hire that?”
“Oh, bro.” Carson winces. “This has got to be affecting the sex life.”
“Between that and the sleeping all the time, it’s been interesting to say the least.” I chuckle but it’s all bitterness. I sit and crack open a beer. “Stan’s going to hire her back and that will add some fire to my life. I threatened him every way I could, so we both know he’ll do everything he can to undermine this relationship.” I lift the beer. “To Stan, screwing me over at every turn.”
“And to having the foresight to know it’s going to happen.” Carson laughs and lifts his beer.
We drink and I can’t fight the self-pity.
“Hey!” Cap shouts as he walks across the living room with Mike on his heels.
“Mike!” I say excitedly.
Simon stops them at the French doors and demands affection. Mike scoops him up and rubs his ears. “What’s going on, boys?” Mike asks.
“Living our best lives,” Carson answers as they sit. “How are you not back in Florida?”
“Liz is seeing family and shopping.”
“Pregnant girls gotta shop. Is Bev coming?” Cap questions as he takes a beer and hands one to Mike.
“Yeah, she and Geoff should be here any second. I can’t believe he has her living in New York.” That brings a genuine smile to my lips.
“Matty still hasn’t said much on it.” Carson winces.
“What’s he gonna say? Who tells Bev to do anything?” Cap whistles. “She is a spicy girl.”
“Speaking of spicy, how’s things with Sukii?” Carson waggles his eyebrows.
“Nice.” Cap’s answer is missing something.
“Nice?” Bev says from behind the table, startling us all. “Did you just use nice to describe your relationship?” Her mocking Southern twang is just what the moment needs.
“It’s nice.” Cap shrugs but avoids eye contact with us. “It’s simple. We hang out. We watch movies. Eat. It’s low key.” The silence from everyone makes him lift his gaze to ours. “What? Is that so bad?”
“Yes,” Bev bursts with a laugh. “That’s describing your relationship with Lori.”
“No,” I disagree. “We have spanking and challenging each other in workouts and him yelling at me and calling me names. Our relationship has way more fire than nice.”
Cap sighs and closes his eyes, muttering, “Maybe it’s what I need after the Sandy fiasco. Just a nice girl who wants to hang out and not ask for a lot.”
Bev stares at him, a puzzled look growing on her face. “Are you being serious right now, Belamy?”
“What?”
“That is a not a low-key girl, my man. That’s a girl who is biding her time. She is waiting for you to get past your ex and the divorce. Then she’s gonna pounce and the next thing you know, you’re married again, having kids, and she’s redecorating your apartment and making you sell the place on Cape Cod ‘cause it’s too far.” Bev words as usual are savage.
Geoff winces and grabs a seat, taking a beer and keeping his thoughts to himself. I’m not sure he understands how much we all need her sage and stabbing words of wisdom.
“No way.” Cap waves her off.
“She is on her best behavior. I bet she says yes to every single