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You could feel it vibrating off the men around us, an uncomfortable throbbing anger they were all desperately trying to keep under control. Because they had him back, and they didn't want to push him away.
But he had refused their letters for six years, while receiving those of a woman he didn't know from Eve.
There was a sinking in my belly at that, at the clear hurt in Mark's eyes, in the clenched fists of Shane's hands.
"Autumn!" a voice called, making me start. I looked over my shoulder to find Helen standing in the doorway. "Want to come in the kitchen and help out?"
"By that she means she is going to give you the third degree," Eli supplied. "But don't worry. The fact that you own a sex store really works in your favor. Plus, she has the wine refills. You'll be fine," he assured me, kissing my temple, then pulling his arm from around me so I could follow Helen to where she disappeared into the kitchen.
My stomach knotted as I looked around for my sister, thinking a buffer would be ideal. I found her in a corner having what seemed to be a good-natured, but heated argument with Atlas. Sensing my eyes, she looked over, but gave my desperate look a shrug. She wasn't going to save me.
With that, I left the room, taking a deep breath, reminding myself that wine refills would certainly help soften the social discomfort.
"No, I'm just saying, you guys all need to get a Wand," I walked into Fee declaring to them all, brandishing a slotted spoon, half-turned away from the stove.
"Fee," Helen said, smile wicked. "Those first went into production in the sixties. I've had one since before you were even born."
"Oh, shit!" Lea said, smiling huge. "Your mother-in-law just schooled you in sex toys. How embarrassing for you."
"Says the woman who didn't even own a vibrator before I took her to go pick one out. I mean how did you survive for so long without your own personal Buzz Nightgear?"
I had been taking a sip of my wine, and almost got reminded how unpleasant it was for it to come out of your nose I snorted so loud.
"I was in a spell of celibacy!" Lea insisted, rolling her eyes.
"With a hair chastity belt to boot," Fee agreed, smiling. "Grew that shit out like Rapunzel."
"Oh my God, Fee," Dusty whisper-hissed at her, eyes big. "Autumn doesn't know you're joking."
"I'm not joking," Fee clarified. "She thought if she gave up shaving, it would keep her from falling into bed with the wrong type of man. A for effort though, right, Lea?" she asked, giving Lea a fake-angry look because Lea was giving her one first.
"I would tell you they're not always like this," Scotti said, moving in beside me, already refilling my wine glass. "But they're always like this. On Easter, Fee used the term 'invagination' at the dinner table."
"It was the dessert table and the kids were in the other room trading egg goodies. Geez!"
Helen looked over at me as I smiled between them, liking the ease with which they discussed things, enjoying the openness, it reminding me of my sister and me. "Welcome to the family, Autumn," she told me. "Better to jump on the bandwagon now, or they will get you drunk and make you admit things like they did with Dusty."
"You make us sound like monsters," Fee objected. "We got her drunk on her birthday where she just so happened to admit to doing some midnight jackhammering during her shut-in days."
"Oh, my God," Dusty whimpered, closing her eyes, her cheeks heating, but she was smiling.
Feeling for her, knowing some people - no matter how open with sex they were with their partners - just couldn't discuss it in mixed company, I decided to jump in. "You know what one is worth a try?" I asked, watching as their eyes went to me. "The butterfly. Hands-free," I added. "It straps on. Especially if you get the one with the G-spo..." I trailed off as a pretty little toddler came swaying in.
Fee gave me a smile. "Know your audience," she advised. "Three and under, you can pretty much get away with saying anything you want. Three and a half and up, they start repeating stuff and asking questions."
"Like when Mayla blared out over Sunday dinner that a man at mommy's work must have been really bad because he got a spanking."
I laughed at that.
"She's leaving out the part that the man in question is this super alpha asshole coach at Becca's school who is a secret submissive."
"I think I know exactly who you're talking about," I chimed in, smiling. "He comes into the shop with a coach shirt on, always being a complete asshole unless I bark at him to take his attitude somewhere else. Then he's like an obedient little puppy."
