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“I can handle that. But what about going out? I don’t want this to be solely about sex.”
“No dates. No PDA. And business comes first. Sorry.”
“All right. I get it. Anything else?” he asked.
“Not that I can think of. You?”
He shrugged, and they let the silence settle in around them. She still wasn’t sure this was a good idea, but supposed the rules of a fling probably allowed her to back out at any time. As long as the deal went smoothly and her heart stayed protected, she thought she could do this. She’d take a short hiatus from husband-hunting, have a little fun, and when it was over, they’d walk away friends. That’s what Lizzie had said, right?
She took the last sip of her coffee, then led the way back inside. The pizza box was still on the counter, along with two empty wine bottles, glasses, and used napkins.
“Wow, we left a mess,” he said. “How many seconds are you away from cleaning?”
“Less than ten. You should go.”
“I’d offer to help, but have a feeling I’d just be in the way. You’re probably pretty particular about how you do it?”
“Five, four…,” she said, handing him his wallet and keys and pushing him toward the entryway.
“Okay, okay. I’m going. I’ll call you.” He laughed and gave her a quick kiss goodbye before she gave him a final shove out the door.
Later that day, Kate was on her way to help hold down the fort at her parents’ house with her sisters. Their mom and dad had driven to Raleigh to pack up Nana’s things and wouldn’t be back until the next day. Kate had been assigned to bring lunch.
When she arrived, her sisters were already out by the pool and a couple drinks into their plan to day-drink the day away.
Kate stumbled in with a bag full of deli sandwiches and a smile. She dropped the food on a table and stripped off her swimsuit cover. “It’s so hot,” she said. “I might get in the pool today.”
“Oh. My. Gosh. You had sex,” Lizzie said in greeting.
“What? Why would you say that?” Kate stammered, looking down to make sure Adam hadn’t left any marks. “All I said was, I might swim.”
“Are you, or are you not, doing the walk of shame right now?”
Kate held her tongue, but that only made it worse.
“I knew it. Was it Adam?” Lizzie asked.
“Seems more like a strut of shame to me,” Lucy said with a huge grin.
“Or a happy dance of shame,” Emma put in.
“Ugh. Fine. Yes, I had sex with Adam,” Kate admitted. “Is that a pitcher of mimosas? Gimmie.”
“Details. Now.” Lizzie sat up, poured Kate a glass of something cold and fruity, and then gave Kate her full attention.
“I can’t. We agreed we weren’t going to tell anyone. Keep it on the down-low, you know?”
“Kate, you’re thirty years old,” Lucy said. “Way too old to use the term ‘down-low.’ Also, we’re your sisters, so obviously, we don’t count. Pinky swear we won’t tell. Now spill it.”
“Fine,” Kate said. “It started with a couple of glasses of wine and a game of Truth or Dare.”
“Ah, if I had a nickel for every time I said that phrase,” Lizzie said, and they all laughed.
“Anyway, my dare was to jump into the pool fully clothed, and I pulled him in with me. It started there—”
“You had sex in the pool?” Emma asked.
“Gross,” Lucy said. “Remind me never to go in your pool again.”
