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“He said on Monday, but I know that can change,” Samiah answered.
It turned out that everyone’s plans had changed in the span of a few hours. Just as London had wrapped up her meeting with Doug Renault, where they’d reassigned or rescheduled her surgeries for next week, she’d gotten a group text from Samiah, letting them know that her and Daniel’s trip to Philly was postponed due to a work emergency.
Daniel, as a federal agent who could be pulled into an assignment at a moment’s notice, had a job that forced Samiah to be flexible. Of course, Samiah’s promotion at Trendsetters, the software firm where she’d climbed the ranks in record time, could be just as demanding. Those two made for a good pair.
Taylor had responded to Samiah’s text with news that she and Jamar were going to wait until tomorrow morning to make the three-hour drive to Houston.
And, just like that, their Friday girls’ night out was back on. Although they’d opted to order in instead of dealing with a crowded restaurant or bar. The music festival taking place this weekend had brought a slew of people into the city.
“Have you and Nina had ‘the talk’ yet?” Taylor directed at London.
She shook her head. “That’s what our trip to the mall was supposed to be about, but Koko and Miles tagging along kinda changed the plans. I didn’t want to discuss it in front of them, you know?”
“Maybe you should have,” Taylor said. “It’s never too young to teach kids to not do stupid shit over the Internet.”
“You’re probably right,” London said. “I was going to bring Nina to this craft village tomorrow, but my stepmom sent her on a band trip instead. With the boy.”
Taylor and Samiah both responded exactly as London knew they would. She listened to them screech for a solid five minutes about April’s misguided parenting decisions.
“It’s as if they just forget what it was like to be that age,” Taylor said. “I refuse to be so clueless when I have my own kids.” She held up a hand. “That was just me making a declaration. I’m not pregnant, so don’t jump down my throat. I’d never get pregnant for a guy I’ve only been dating a few months.”
Samiah’s eyes flew to London’s. London responded with an imperceptible head shake. She hadn’t said anything about Samiah’s brush with babydom.
“There’s a birthday party for Miles next weekend,” London said. “I’m going to steal Nina away for a bit. Maybe we’ll go for a drive and talk.” She ladled curry over a scoop of white rice and, as casually as possible, said, “But now that I won’t be hanging with Nina, I’m going away with Drew this weekend.”
The room went completely silent. Even the air conditioner cut off. She glanced up to find Taylor and Samiah both looking at her with intense, confused stares.
“What?” London asked. “Don’t try to make this into athing, okay? We’re still just hooking up.”
More silence.
“It’s not a big deal,” London stressed. “We’re just going to a winery, and a spa, and to his late mother’s house so he can decide what to do with her belongings.”
“Um, do you know how fuck buddies work?” Taylor asked. “They don’t go to wineries together or help each other go through a dead parent’s belongings.”
“Unless—” Samiah started, then she shook her head. “No, I can’t think up a scenario where fuck buddies would visit a winery. And going to his mother’s house? That’s pretty damn personal, if you ask me. You probably need to redefine whatever it is that’s going on between you two, because it’s more than just hooking up, chick.”
“I know.” London groaned. “How did things get out of hand so quickly? This was supposed to be simple!” She set down her plate and cradled her head in her hands. “I amnotfalling for him. That much I’m sure of.” She blew out a breath. “Okay, maybe just a little.”
Taylor and Samiah wore matching expressions—brows arched and bullshit meters on full blast.
“I will not own up to more than that, and neither of you can make me,” London said. “Look, the sex is amazing—likebeyondamazing—and I’ll admit that Drew is funnier than I would have ever given him credit for. I swear he wasn’t like this in high school.”
“It’s called becoming an adult,” Samiah said.
“Which I usually am, except when I’m around him, he makes me feel like the kind of giddy teenager I hated even back when Iwasa teenager. And, for some strange reason, I find myself sharing stuff with him that I would never share with previous boyfriends.”
London slapped her hands over her mouth.
Samiah gasped and pointed at her. “You called him your boyfriend!”
“That was a mistake!”
“Nope. Too late to take it back,” she said in a singsong voice.
“You, London Kelley, are blushing, and it’s the most adorable thing I’ve seen in my life!” Taylor clapped like a trained seal. “Look how cute you are!”
“I hate both of you right now,” London said.
