Gabrielle’s brows narrowed like she didn’t approve, but I was already unbuttoning the dark-gray dress slacks she’d insisted I try on, and shimmying out of them.
I tugged on the jeans and they fit perfectly since Danica and I were the same size.Gabrielle was on the slimmer side.So was Raina.So they tended to be able to share pants more often.Danica and I both had voluptuous booties that required a bit more space in the back of our pants.
The crop top was from Raina, and after wrestling myself out of the peach blouse from hell, I tugged the loose, black half-shirt over my head.I was so used to living in overalls that the draft from the open window on my abdomen made goosebumps break out across my skin.
One shoulder immediately slid off to reveal my red bra strap.
“That’s hot,” Raina said.“And take your hair out of those braids, let them be loose, crimped waves, and then we’re cooking with dynamite.”
“I don’t think anybody should cook with dynamite,” Danica murmured, giving Raina a weird look.“The food would get blown up and fly everywhere.”
Gabrielle and I both snorted.
I removed the elastics from my braids and undid them so my hair hung over my shoulders.
“Sexy mama,” Raina said.“Oww, oww!”
I rolled my eyes at her in the mirror.
“Do you have a cardigan or something you can wear in case it gets cold?”Gabrielle asked, always the caring mother, even to her cousins.
“No … forget your sweater, then he’ll be forced to give you his.Or you’ll just have to snuggle up closer under the blanket together,” Raina said, her gaze shrewd as she nodded.
“I have a cardigan,” I said, which made my youngest cousin pout.
“What about your makeup?”Danica asked.
I scrunched up my face.“Well, we’re going to be in the dark, and I hate wearing makeup.So …”
“Just a little blush and lip gloss,” Gabrielle suggested.
I rolled my eyes again.“We’ll see.”
“Do you think you guys will have sex tonight?”Raina asked, reaching for the bottle of wine on Gabrielle’s nightstand and topping all of our glasses up.
I shook my head.“We’re taking things slow.Considering how little experience we both have …”
“So many times this week, I’ve found myself thinking back to what Mabel had said the other night.”Gabrielle took a sip of her rosé.“He was just a kid.And the way Mabel said it all so matter-of-factly, almost like she was emotionally detached from the entire thing.”
“That’s the autism though,” I said quickly.“She’s very emotional about it.She knows what Kyla did was wrong, and that she and Lennox are innocent victims in all of this.But she knows she’s a product of rape, and I can’t see that sitting okay with anybody.She’s just had time and therapy to help her process it all.She is just very … to the point, which can be jarring.She doesn’t sugarcoat things.I’m honestly not sure she’d know how.”Then I snapped my fingers.“That reminds me, have you spoken with your son?”I asked Gabrielle.
She huffed a humorless laugh.“Maybe yesterday.Why?”
“Because Mabel asked Lennox to drive her over here today so she could invite Damon to go birdwatching with her tomorrow.”
Gabrielle’s mouth dropped open, much like her son’s had earlier today.
“Yeah.Lennox is going to drop her off here in the morning so they can do their schoolwork together, then when they’re done, she’s going to take him birdwatching.She told him that since they’re the same age and both homeschooled, they should consider socializing with each other.”
“I freaking love that girl,” Raina said.“She’s so to the point.So blunt.”
“So are you,” Danica said to her.
“Yeah, but not in the same way.Mabel is fearless.Filter-free and fearless.”
I met Gabrielle’s gaze and reached for my wineglass.“How do you feel about this?”
She shrugged.“I feel fine.He does need to get out of the house more.And he certainly needs friends.I’m not sure he’s going to enjoy birdwatching, but at this point I don’t give a shit.The kid needs some vitamin D.”
