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“What? I know that look. You’re keeping things from me.”
“This is better than TV,” Moore whispered under his breath.
“Cole?” Mark swung his gaze over to him.
“I know nothing.” Cole raised his hands, wanting no part in one of Mark’s moments.
He tried again. “Mom?”
“Marcus,” June took control of the conversation, “I’m a woman in my sixties, and I have needs that can’t be fulfilled with some simple triple A batteries.”
Mark’s face fell, and his cookie dropped dramatically from his hand. “A lifetime of therapy just flashed before my eyes.” He spoke like he was stuck in a trance.
“I have found someone who has the same needs as me, and I’m not willing to share who that is, as long as you, my love, will stay out of it.”
“Needs?” He swallowed hard.
“Yes, sex.”
“I need to go lay down.” He eased into his seat, and June looked at Abigail with a smirk. She’d had fun with that.
“Shall we eat?” June beamed at all of us, and the laughter broke out as we all sat down at the table, and as conversation hummed, I glanced out the door where Ivy leaned against the rail and talked on the phone. I turned and began to chat with Moore about some ideas I had for the team.
“Keith,” Ivy had come into the room and handed him the phone, “Brandon would like to tell you what’s going on.”
“Thank you.” He pulled her in for a hug then slipped away with the phone pressed to his ear.
“Told ya.” Mark, who made a miraculous recovery from a few moments ago, made a V with his fingers then a T at me, and I chuckled. Ivy shivered and headed toward the kitchen.
“Excuse me for a sec.” I hastily got up and followed her. I came up behind her as she blew into her hands to warm them. “Here.” I took her icy fingers and pressed them to my stomach as I pulled her in for a hug.
“You’re so warm,” she sighed and snuggled against my chest. I rubbed her back to create some friction and hoped it helped. “Thank you.” I felt her body vibrate with a giggle. “You’ll do anything to get your hands on me.”
“While that’s true,” I laughed, “Just tryin’ to help. I hate seeing you uncomfortable.”
“That’s a nice thing to say.” She pulled away when a burst of laughter came from Mark’s table. “Sounds like Mark’s at it again. Come on. We should eat.”
With Brandon back at Dusk safe and sound and Ivy’s stalker behind bars, the house enjoyed a quiet evening. The conversation stayed light and fun, and it kept our minds from slipping to the dark shadows that constantly haunted us.
“Okay, hang on. I have something to say.” Savannah leaned back as June removed her dessert plate. “Thank you, June.” She smiled warmly at her and focused back on us. “Moore, I think it’s only fair that you know we’ve heard all about the Tinder account.” I went to speak, but she shot me a look.
“I thought we were even!” Moore hissed at me, appalled I’d give up such a story. “Did you know he gave out my mother’s number, and she got some sex texts!”
“I mean, what you did was pretty bad…” Savannah shrugged and played her lie well.
“One guy told her that he wanted to eighty-four me, and my father thought it was wise to look up what that term meant.”
“What does it mean?” Sloane glanced at Savi who shrugged.
“Let’s just say it involves one of us to sit like a crab.” Everyone covered their ears and groaned. “Yeah, well, try having to explain that while at Thanksgiving dinner with all my cousins sitting around researching what it actually meant.”
“Don’t you think it was fair? I mean, for what you did. How did it happen, again?” Savannah’s face was pure evil.
“How was I supposed to know he’d be stark na—"
“It’s a trap. Abort, abort,” I hissed behind my napkin, and the entire table broke up. Moore looked at me then at Savannah, and it clicked.
“Oh, you’re bad!” He pushed to his feet and tossed his napkin at her. “And I thought you broke our code!” He pointed at me. “Fuck me.” He held his chest like he might have a stroke. “My life could have gotten so much worse if I finished that sentence.”
