Page 119 of Mistakes Were Made

“You know she won’t be here before noon.”

“Hmm,” Cassie said, coming closer. “Whatever will we do with ourselves with all this time we have?”

“I don’t know what I’ll do with myself.” Erin got up off the couch and met Cassie halfway. She slid her hands under that jacket. “I’ve got some ideas about what to do with you, though.”

She and Cassie were dressed and in the kitchen by the time Parker arrived.

“Cassie’s here!” Parker shouted as soon as she opened the front door.

“Yeah, ’cause you slept so late, princess,” Cassie said. “It’s almost one!”

Parker barreled into the kitchen and hugged her, paying no mind to her teasing.

Erin didn’t look up from the wraps she was making.

Seeing Cassie and Parker together was always—“bittersweet” wasn’t quite the right word, but something like that. Erin loved seeing two of her favorite people happy, but being reminded that her daughter’s friend was one of those people—for decidedly not friendship-based reasons—bitter was definitely the right word for that. Acacia was coming to visit for the Fourth, and Erin was absolutely not looking forward to it. She didn’t know how much Acacia knew—she and Cassie had never discussed it after the New Year’s Eve mishap. The idea of someone who knew, someone who might notice the way Cassie looked at her sometimes, the sly smiles and knowing glances they sent each other—it grated on Erin’s nerves.

She did have to admit there was a thrill in being near Cassie with people around, though. After lunch, some of Parker’s hometown friends arrived, saying hello on their way to Erin’s pool. It was how they spent most weekends, and sometimes weekdays, too.

Cassie was on her back on a pool float when Erin came out of the house in the suit Rachel had made her buy when they went to the Bahamas together. It wasn’tinappropriate,but she could feel Cassie’s eyes on her, even though they were hidden behind sunglasses. The bottoms were black, plain, full coverage. The mismatched top was white, triangles and string ties and admittedly some side boob.

“I hope you don’t mind if I share some of the sunshine with you guys,” Erin said.

“Of course, Dr. Bennett,” Caleb said.

“Caleb, I’m kicking you out of my backyard if you call me Dr. Bennett one more time.”

“Aren’t you used to how chronically over-polite he is yet?” Parker asked. “Anyway, that lounge is open.” She gestured to the chair next to the one where Cassie’s stuff was.

It wasn’t the lounge chair Erin had planned to take. There were three open—Lila’s stuff on one while Parker, Caleb, and Madison sat at the table playing a complicated card game Erin had never had the patience to learn. Walking past an open lounge chair to take the one next to Cassie’s would’ve been too obvious had Parker not suggested it. But given the excuse, Erin was glad to stretch out beside Cassie’s chair. Unsurprisingly, Cassie was soon out of the pool.

She “accidentally” dripped water on Erin’s bare legs before flopping down next to her. Cassie’s sunglasses were still on, but she couldn’t hide the way her tongue darted out to lick her lips.

“What’s up, doc?”

Erin rolled her eyes. Hard. “Never say that again, Cassie.”

Cassie laughed and relaxed on her chair.

Erin wished she’d worn sunglasses herself, so she could drink her fill of Cassie. Her high-waisted bottoms and bandeau top matched, both bright red with white polka dots. She looked so…wholesome,and yet Erin couldn’t stop thinking about riding her face.

Caleb, Lila, and Madison filtered out eventually, sun kissed and damp from the pool as they made their way home for dinner. Erin sat up, swung her legs to the side of her lounge chair, and stretched. She did not look at Cassie, who was being too obvious now that her sunglasses were sitting on top of her head.

“What do you want for dinner?” she asked.

“Burgers,” Parker said without lifting her head from the next lounge chair.

“I’ll have to go to the store and get buns,” Erin said. “Do you want anything else?”

At that, Parker sat up. “I can go.”

“You don’t have to.”

“No, I will,” Parker said. “You’re cooking. I can pick up buns.”

Erin eyed her. “Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?”

“I’m growing up,” Parker said. “You raised me well. Good job.”

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