My heartbeat stutters. Her hand reaches up, around the side of my face, and she kisses me, slowly and passionately.
Without question, I’m an absolute fucking goner for this woman.
Forty-Four
THIS IS BULLSHIT
Liv
“Okay, tonight we’re painting a boat on the lake at sunset.”
Rachel pulls out an already painted canvas: a small rowboat sitting on the water, with trees silhouetted against the backdrop of the lake and small ripples of water radiating out from the bottom of the boat. The sky is a blend of pinks, purples, and oranges splashed across the canvas.
It’s beautiful, and I’m one hundred percent sure there isn’t a chance in hell I can create anything even remotely close to it even if it were a paint by numbers.
“Well, here’s to trying new things and painting shitty pictures in front of complete strangers.” Viv clinks her plastic cup against mine.
“Please. Yours is probably going to be gorgeous. Don’t even deny it,” I say, lifting my cup to my lips.
“Oh, I know. I was talking about you.” She winks. Reg, sitting on her opposite side, in front of his own blank canvas, snorts.
“Friends are supposed to be supportive!” I shove her playfully in the shoulder. Wine spills over the side of her cup and into her lap, making Viv laugh even harder.
“Reg, help me out here.” Viv turns to the surly old man.
“Don’t involve me in your nonsense,” he grumbles, squeezing tubes of paint onto the palette.
“Unbelievable.”
“It’s going to be unbelievable if you tell me you haven’t finished that book yet so you can start the one I left for you. What kind of reader are you anyway?” Fran says, climbing into the seat next to mine, placing her little six-pack of spiked seltzers on the floor next to her.
“A slow one?”
“Hey, Fran!” Viv waves, her voice sing-songy and tilting up at the end.
Reg clears his throat and straightens his shirt, shifting in his stool.
“Hi, hun,” Fran reaches across me and grabs Viv’s fingers, pats my knee, and then leans forward, looking past both of us. “Hey, Reg.” Her voice has dropped an octave.
“Oh, uh, hey there, Frannie.” Reg glances at her and then away immediately.
Interesting.
Viv nudges my shoulder, clearly noticing what I’m noticing.
“So, did you finish the book or what? Hot shadow daddies are waiting for you, and I’m waiting for my next small-town romance. Does your book have the one bed trope? Tell me yes. That’s my favorite.” Fran says.
“First, yes, I did. Second, yes it does, and it was a great scene. Third, please don’t take offense but are you always this pushy with books?”
Fran tilts her head and purses her lips. “Only when I know the book is worth it. Besides, you’re on vacation. I assumed you’d have plenty of reading time!”
Viv snorts. “Liv doesn’t have the time because she’s busy getting her freak on with a hot B&B owner,” she mumbles under her breath.
She chortles when I fling my foot sideways, kicking her under the table.
“What was that?” Reg asks, looking over the frame of his glasses.
Shaking her head and shrugging like she has no clue what Reg is talking about, Viv squirts paint onto the palette beside her canvas.
