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“We’ve been friends a long time. We got stranded together in Whistler a couple of months ago. He was skiing with some friends, and I was heading farther north to a yoga retreat. My practice had been off for a while, and I needed the support to align my subtle energies.” She waved a hand up and down her body.
“There was a big snowstorm, and all the roads closed. Everything in the area was already booked for the holidays, so I stayed in his room rather than sleep in the lobby. I’m not sure what happened but lemme tell you, that man. Damn, I can’t even describe it.”
“I know what happened,” Emily added. “I’m told Jake had a big thing for Ree in high school, and she resisted.” She elbowed ReeAnn. “All that time together, holiday magic, and wine, your resistance didn’t stand a chance. If it was possible, I would say he planned that snowstorm.”
“I resisted? I asked him to prom, and he said no. That’s not me resisting. Not letting myself fall these past few years was protection, not resistance.” ReeAnn looked toward the bar with a sigh. “I think I’m sunk now.”
“Did you ever make it to the yoga retreat?” I asked.
ReeAnn’s eyes glittered. “No. And now he’smyman.”
“You got that right, babe.” The man appeared with a tray. His heavily inked arms flexed as he handed out the drinks. “We found a way to align those subtle energies after all, didn’t we?” His voice was low and seductive as he winked. ReeAnn’s flawless deep brown skin hid her blush, but her smile said it all.
After we placed our orders and chatted about the weather, Emily spoke in her no-nonsense style. “Okay, we only have an hour for lunch, so let’s get to it. You and Lucas.”
Girl talk. I didn’t have a lot of close women friends other than Annie before moving to Perry Harbor. Kitchens were primarily men, and I never had enough connection with the women who worked the front of the house to be comfortable sharing my fears and self-doubts. Seems I was doing new things right and left these days.
“Yep.” I felt the blush creep up my neck.
“And …” Emily said, a question in her eyes.
“And it’s awesome.”
“Girl, look at your face,” ReeAnn said. “I know that look. I’ve seen it in the mirror.”
“It’s new, and I haven’t done a lot of dating.”
“Neither has he,” Emily said.
“In high school, he was a skinny guy with his head in a laptop,” ReeAnn added. “Then, recently, he acted like a player with too many options to choose one. I think he’s made for better stuff than that. Maybe he’s finally realizing it too.”
“About the player thing … it seems a little too good to be true that he changed his ways for me. Maybe he’s trying something new while he’s away from his usual crew in the city.”
“I’m not sure he had much of a crew there. Finn says Lucas worked a lot. He says Rhys and the guys are more his crew than anyone in Seattle.”
“There has to be a catch.” I looked to the exposed duct work above, then glanced back at my friends as Jake delivered our lunches with another wink and lingering touch for ReeAnn.
“Why do you say that?” ReeAnn asked once Jake headed back to the bar.
“Come on. Look at me and look at Lucas. We’re like Jack Sprat and his wife who could eat no lean.”
They both guffawed. “What? I don’t see that at all,” Emily said. “Your hair. Your lashes. Your boobs,” she whispered. “Lucas very much likes the way you look. At the farm meals, he barely takes his eyes off you.”
I smiled as hope bubbled up. “We ate at a restaurant in Oak Harbor on Saturday, and I recognized one of the cooks from back in Seattle. When he came out to say hello, he kissed me on the cheek, and Lucas made a growling sound I’d never heard before.”
“Oh, that sound. Finn makes it too.” Emily paused, and her eyes glittered. “Lucas wanted the other males in the area to know you’re taken.”
“Um, what?”
“Sorry. Too much time talking about animal behaviors with Angela. She’s a vet tech. She’s pretty enlightening on the subject of men. Bottom line, he’s into you. You should enjoy it every chance you get.”
“Well, that’s the thing. We haven’t …”
ReeAnn and Emily blinked. Why was this difficult? After a few months in my first kitchen, this good little Southern girl was comfortable with all the curse words. Nothing phased me. Now, I dreamed about saying sexy, dirty things to Lucas when I was alone in bed at night. Why couldn’t I talk about sex with these women who were arguably two of my closest friends?
“We aren’t sleeping together yet,” I said.
More blinking.
