“Yes, Mom, everything is fine. Everyone has been…great.”
Especially Jamie, but she’d hold that a little closer to the vest, like a super-sexy secret. She blamed her new boots.
Athena’s eyebrows unfurled, and she breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, that’s wonderful, Brinny. Well, I’m off to book club with the girls. We’re readingIt Ends With Us.”
“Oh, nice, something light,” Shay mused, giggling.
Athena kissed Shay on the forehead, sidestepping the sarcasm as always. Then, she leaned closer into the screen. “And remember, baby, if you have sex with this man, don’t forget to pee right after. And wipe front to back?—”
Brinton groaned. But honestly, it was a useful reminder. Nobody had time for a hypothetical UTI. She made a mental note to ask Liza for cranberry juice, just in case.
“Goodbye, Mom.” Brinton laughed.
Athena waved, then disappeared through the kitchen archway.
“Okay, now that she’s gone,” Shay said conspiratorially. “How are you feeling for real?”
Brinton flung a lacy thong toward her pillows and flopped onto the edge of the bed. “No panic attacks yet. So, decent?”
What she couldn’t say yet but couldn’t deny? Everything was blooming in unexpected ways. Including her.
Shay popped a mini-pretzel into her mouth. “A little therapy would be a cute add-on… ”
“I don’t need therapy. I need to do my job,” Brinton droned, eager to change the subject. “How areyou?”
“I’m volunteering at an animal shelter tonight.”
Brinton side-eyed her sister. “That’s generous for someone allergic to practically every creature on Earth. I mean, who’s allergic to snails?”
“It means God spent more time on me.” Shay blew an air kiss and grinned. “But, if you must know, her name is Miley. She’s a veterinarian technician, and Brinny, she’s a saint. Afterward, I’ll take her for boba, and then we’ll do perfectly scandalous things on her futon. Truly, I can’t wait to rub her feet while watchingSnapped.”
Brinton smiled, shaking her head. “Wow. Dramatic reenactments of horrific crimes and dessert. Really pulling out all the stops.”
“What can I say? I’m a romantic. I even learned to trace her name with my tongue.”
Brinton cracked up laughing. “If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.”
Much later, while transcribing interviews at the kitchen table, Brinton demolished the plate of spaghetti and turkey meatballs Liza had sent over.
At eight p.m., right on time, the doorbell rang. She opened it to find Michael, smiling as usual and holding out his arm to help her down the front steps.
“Car’s ready for you,” he said. Michael looked her over and whistled. “Although,thoseboots are made for walkin’.”
She couldn’t help but smile.
CHAPTER TWENTY
When Michael opened the SUV’s back passenger door, Jamie’s eyes practically popped out of his skull. He never questioned Brinton’s beauty, and he liked her regular clothes. They were modest but fit her personality.
Now, she had on one of those tank tops with a deep scoop in the front, the material so thin he could tell she wasn’t wearing a bra. As she climbed in, he caught a flash of butt cheek, the heavy curve jutting out from her shorts.
Did that mean she wasn’t wearing panties?
He called it right then. Those shorts were going to be a fucking problem.
Worse yet, her skin was all glowy. The thick, black lines rimming her eyes made them even more penetrating. Sexier.
Lord, help me.
