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I lift a hand back. “Hello.”
“What was happening in the car?” Meghan moves her gaze between me and Steph.
“Kissing,” Steph says, like it’s the most boring thing in the world. “I was kissing my… man, in the car, outside the building.”
“I didn’t mean to watch.” My eyes widen. “Look.” I correct myself. “I wasn’t watching. Not like…”
The blond woman snickers. Then she holds her hand over her mouth. “Sorry. Sorry.”
At my side, Katelyn bumps me with her elbow. “Giggles over there is Izzy. She’s a financial adviser who works mainly with athletes. And she’s married to Zach Hunt.”
My brows go up.
Zach was the one in the penalty box with Luke in Vegas, and thinking of him married to this brainy, curvy blond makes me smile.
“You know I’m married to Jackson, and I work from home as a copy editor for a publisher that mostly does romance,” Katelyn tells me, and I make a note to ask her more about her job later.
Then Katelyn points to Meghan, who is still trying to get Steph to tell her more about the man in the car. “Megs has her own event-planning business. So if you have a corporate thing or something you need help with, she’s your girl. And she’s married to Ash LeBlanc, the goalie.”
Ash is the one Luke is no longer allowed to make bets with.
Meghan, overhearing, rolls her eyes. “Fair warning, our husbands become morons when they’re together.”
A laugh jumps out of me, and I slam my mouth shut.
“Is the food ready?” Steph reaches for the bottle in my hand, and I let her take it. “We brought champagne.”
I smile at Steph’s use of the wordwe.
Meghan side-eyes Steph. “We’re not done with this conversation.”
Steph lifts her chin. “When I’ve hidden this relationship as long as you hid yours with Ash, then you can talk shit to me.”
Katelyn snorts out a laugh. “She has you there.”
Chapter 95
Sugar
While we allload up our plates with fresh sourdough, soft scrambled eggs, cream cheese, and smoked salmon, Katelyn keeps up conversation with Natalie, asking how she likes Minnesota.
We all know the basics of what happened. Because of our gossiping husbands. But I still have so many questions.
I won’t ask them though. Not yet. Because I’m familiar with the look in Natalie’s eyes. It’s a look I carried for a long time.
It’s the look of someone who doesn’t have close friends.
And it’s hard to make new ones. The idea can be terrifying, and trying to infiltrate an established friend group can seem impossible. But I did it. And she seems like she’ll fit in just fine.
Plus, I brought a little welcome gift for Natalie. Just something small, but maybe it will help her feel more welcome.
Katelyn already has the carafes of coffee and juice on the table, and Meghan snags champagne glasses out of the cupboard while Steph pops the top of the bottle and pours.
We take the drinks and our plates to the table, and once everyone is seated, I lift my glass.
“To new friends.” I smile.
Natalie is seated across from me, and I hope I’m not trying toohard. I don’t want to weird her out. But she seems to be relaxing. Even if it’s just a little bit.
