I shake my head, trying not to smile. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And you’re smitten.”
“I amnot.”
“Juliette,” she says softly, with a knowing look. “You kissed him.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
“It meanssomething.”
I open my mouth to argue, then close it. Because the truth is sitting right there between us, smug and undeniable.
“Okay.” I lift my hand, palm out. “Truce. Change of topic.”
“Already?” She pouts. “I was just getting to the good part of terrorizing you.”
“We were going to finalize plans for Theo tonight,” I say quickly. “Unless you are someone who hates joy. So, I’m thinking we really scale this party back. Maybe just do something at the store. Balloons, your cake, a few kids. Low-key. Easy.”
Vivian’s head snaps up. “No. No, no, no.”
“Excuse me?”
“You are going to call Sawyer,” she says, pointing her fork at me like a tiny silver weapon, “and you are going to say, ‘Hello, sexy man, I would love that box. Thank you.’”
My stomach flips. “It feels like too much.”
“Why?” she shoots back. “Because you just kissed him?”
“Stop.”
“No, seriously,” she continues, warming to this. “You already have him at the store. He’s being wonderful with Theo. He gave Charlie tickets. He’s?—”
“That’s because he’s a nice person,” I interrupt, too quickly. “And I don’t want to blur lines. He’s already doing so much?—”
“—because heisa nice human being,” Vivian cuts in, nodding emphatically, “who also offered you a box. Anabundantlynice offer. At some point, Juliette, you have to start saying yes when people offer to help.”
I want to protest, but Vivian is making sense.
“Also, saying you don’t want to blur lines? Girl,” she says, arching a brow. “His mouth was on yours. Explainthat.”
I open my mouth. Close it. I hate that she’s not entirely wrong.
Vivian leans forward, rubbing her hands together like a woman plotting benevolent mischief. “Say yes to the box. You let him do something generous because that’s who he is. Then I get to come with you.”
“Why do you come?”
“Clearly I’m there for emotional support.” She smiles and winks. “For you.”
I snort despite myself.
“And Charlie comes, too,” she adds. “Charlie can sit on the balcony with Theo and watch the game like two extremely wholesome buddies having a day out. I’ll stay with you and make sure you’re not scandalized by anything that appears on a jumbotron.”
“Vivian.”
“Think about it,” she says softly now. “Theo gets an incredible birthday, and you get one night where someone else carries a little of the weight. You don’t have to do everything alone.”
The room feels suddenly very still. The river glimmers beyond the window. My wine is empty. My heart is not.
