tanned legs going for miles, her tank top molded to every curve. For a makeup artist, she very rarely wore any makeup herself. Which was just as well; she didn't need any.
Stop it. I wasn’t going to spend the evening drooling over Whitney Galloway. I wasted too much of my life doing that.
I turned to Adam. “I’m going to put this in the kitchen and check to make sure Katie hasn’t coerced your wife into feeding her all the cookies.” I laughed, hefting the crate of beer in my arms for a better grip.
“Probably a good idea. Meg has no willpower when it comes to your kid. I hope she gets some; otherwise, our son will be spoiled rotten.”
“Hey Web, I’ll come with you. I need to freshen up my drink,” Skylar said, finally noticing my arrival.
I gave her a one-armed hug, which was about all she’d tolerate. “Hey there, Murphy. I wasn’t sure you saw me. Rob seemed to really have your attention.” I bumped her with my shoulder, and she scowled at me, as I expected her to.
“Don’t be an idiot, Webber. It doesn't suit you,” she snarked. I chuckled. To most people, Skylar Murphy seemed like a strange addition to our friendship group. Adam and I played football together, so we made sense. Meg and Adam had known each other since in utero, so it was only natural for us to spend time together. But Skylar was this moody goth chick that might stab you with her pencil if you looked at her funny. There was something untouchable about Skylar. She built her walls tall and wide. If you were one of the few she allowed to see what lay behind those barriers, you got to know what a beautiful person she was—inside and out.
When Josie left, Skylar was the first person I called. Not Adam, even though I knew I’d get nothing but support from him. But there was something about Skylar’s no-nonsense approach to life and her ability to cut through the extraneous bullshit that was refreshing. And when I was dangerously close to spiraling into chaos, she could keep me together like no one else.
I appreciated her steady friendship in a way that was very different from my friendship with Adam or Meg.
“I just closed on my new place,” she said with something close to a smile.
I bumped her shoulder again. “You did? That’s awesome!” Skylar had been back and forth over the purchase of a property just outside of town for almost six months. There had been some legal hang-up about the deed, but luckily, she had one of the best attorneys around as a friend, so Adam jumped on the case and got it figured out.
“No idea when I’ll actually get to move in, and it needs a lot of work before I do—”
“Say no more. You know I’ll help you,” I cut in.
Skylar shook her head. “You’ve got enough on your plate with your business and Katie. I can’t ask you to help me.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Well, it’s a good thing you’re not asking. Don’t be dumb, Murphy, I’ll be insulted if you don’t let me help you out.”
“You’re so pigheaded,” she sighed. “Rob said he knew some people that will give me a good deal—”
“Rob? Jenkins?” I asked, surprised that the seemingly uptight attorney would know anyone that could help out with home remodeling. I liked Rob Jenkins. He was a good dude. I trusted Adam’s opinion about people, and he wouldn’t have gone into a partnership with a douche, but the truth was I didn’t know much about the guy. I wasn’t sure anyone knew much about him—even Jeremy and Adam. He was a man that seemed to keep a lot close to the chest. And I noticed Skylar was spending time with him—under the pretense of work and mutual socializing—but I knew my friend, and I could see her interest.
“No, Rob Smith.” Skylar rolled her eyes. “Yes, Rob Jenkins. He says he has some friends back in Philadelphia who have their own home refurbishment business. Says they’ll give me a good rate because they know him.”
“I didn’t know he was from Philadelphia,” I said as we entered the kitchen. Meg had Katie up on the counter and was feeding her cookies, as I suspected.
“He’s not. But he went to school there.” Skylar looked at me as if I had lost all of my brains. Of course. They all went to university together. “Anyway, you can come by