Page 9 of More Than Friends

“How’s that hot friend of yours? Have you dated him yet?” Hailey asks.

“Hailey Marie!” my mom scolds. “And his name is Jude. You should remember that by now. Charlotte’s always talking about him.”

I frown. I’m notalwaystalking about him. He just happens to be the person I spend the most time with because all of my other friends have very busy lives, and his is a little slower. Or he makes it slower. I still don’t know how he’s able to help run a company and have the free time that he does, but I don’t ask questions. I’m just happy I’m able to spend time with him.

There’s incoherent whispering on the other line, followed by the sound of my sister laughing. “What?” Hailey asks innocently. “I’ve been married for what feels like an eternity. Let me live vicariously through my young and hot little sister. And you’ve said it yourself that you don’t understand why Charlotte hasn’t gone for Jude and how handsome he is.”

I roll my eyes. If Jude could hear the current conversation, he’d have a field day. I make the mental note that he can never meet Hailey. She’s the more vocal of my two sisters. Carly is the oldest and is good at keeping her thoughts to herself. Hailey, on the other hand, is a lot more like me—we like everyone to know our opinions.

“Jude—my friend who I will never date because he’s afriend—is great. I spilled coffee all over myself on the way to work this morning, and he brought by a new one for me.”

I can almost hear my mom melt on the other line. Maybe I shouldn’t have told her about the nice thing Jude did. Now she might join in with Hailey and ask questions about him every time we talk. “What a man,” Mom swoons. I scoff. Dad makes her coffee every single morning and brings it to her in bed.

“What a shame you won’t date him. At least take him for a ride and be friends with benefits orsomething. Let me live through you, Lottie! Havefun.”

She can’t see it, but I can’t help but roll my eyes at my sister. “You’re way too worried about what I’m doing. I’m having plenty of fun without having to make things weird with my best friend, thank you very much.”

Hailey groans. “Are you at least getting laid by someone else?”

There’s a loud thumping noise. “Ow!” Hailey yells. “Mom, did you just hit me?”

“You can’t ask your sister if she’s getting laid.”

“I always ask my sister if she’s getting laid. I want to know the details. My sex life is planned and once a month on the calendar. Let me ask questions about all the fun my hot, single, younger sister is having.”

Mom lets out an audible gasp.

My nose scrunches. “I don’t need to know that, Hailey.” I dodge her question about my sex life because my sister is still having more sex than I am, but she doesn’t need to know that.

To be honest, I can’t even remember the last time I had any kind of action that wasn’t from one of my toys. I’ve been too busy with work and spending my free time with Jude to meet someone and get involved with them.

“How’s Lucy doing? Or Camille? I can’t believe she’s now the publicist for Scarlett Astor. Ilovedher new movie. The one where everyone thinks she’s dating that cute co-star.”

I smile at my mom’s change of subject. Our phone calls often consist of me giving the rundown on my friends’ lives so she won’t ask me about my own. One perk of moving out to the Hamptons last summer is the people I’ve met and become close with. Mom loves to hear all of the gossip when it comes to the members at Pembroke Hills, and I love giving it to her. Any conversation about someone else prevents her from prying into my life. Plus, I like to remind her that if I moved back to Arizona and left the Hamptons, I wouldn’t have as much gossip.

“They’re great. Lucy’s busy preparing for the wedding at the end of the summer, and Camille is keeping busy with her new firm and wedding planning of her own.”

“Lucy emailed me over some recipes last week. I got them before she posted them online,” Mom says smugly. I can picture her smiling and lifting her chin, proud that she’s getting something before the rest of the world.

I smile because with how busy Lucy is, it was thoughtful of her to make time to send things over to my mom and make her feel special. “I love that for you, Mom.”

“I want the recipes,” Hailey chimes in.

“You can find them on her page or website when she posts them.”

Hailey gasps, and I can’t help but laugh. As much as I love it here in the Hamptons and don’t want to leave, moments like this remind me how much I miss my family and wish I were there with them.

“How’s your friend with the cute little girl?”

I smile, thinking of Margo. “Margo’s great, and Celeste is cute as ever. I’m so excited for them to be here for the summer. I’ll be talking Margo into letting me have a girls’ night with Celeste.”

“Don’t let your nieces hear that,” Hailey pipes up. “They’ve been asking when you’re coming home to visit.”

“Hopefully soon,” I respond, giving the generic answer I always give. I know I need to get back there; it’s just hard scheduling it. But I miss them all like crazy, so once I figure out where I’m living for the summer and I get more into a routine with the bev cart job, I’ll find a time to get back to Arizona for a few days.

“You better. Lottie, I love you, but I’ve got to get going. I just wanted to prove Mom right and show that you were out having fun, but instead, you’ve let me down by being lame. Get out there and have fun, wild sex. Love you!”

“Don’t listen to your sister,” Mom immediately speaks up. I can imagine her aiming a stern look in Hailey’s direction. I’m sure they’re sitting in the kitchen of my childhood home, Mom sitting in her chair as Hailey circles the space, trying to round up her children. All of my siblings live within fifteen minutes of home. They’re at the house constantly, and it’s hard not to feel a little left out of the family dynamic with how much time theyspend together. I don’t let it get to me too much. I chose to come out here. Missing out on the everyday family antics is something I signed up for.