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“When are you coming here?”
Something shifts in the hallway. Is somebody out there?
“Shit, can I call you later? I’m in the middle of a Beef Wellington, and I have to pull it out to rest.”
“You’re making a Wells? Promise to cook me one when I visit?”
“Promise you’ll help me?”
“I’ll sous—I mean it this time. I miss our little cooking duo. I’m getting takeout tonight. There’s this new sushi place that literally opened a block away. It’s amazing.”
“I’m moving back,” I say matter-of-factly.
She laughs. “Don’t even think about it. You can do this. And, hey, send me a cross section of the Wellington!”
“Obviously. Chat later, eh?”
“Love you!” she singsongs.
“Love you more!”
I end the call, shove my phone into my back pocket, and walk straight into a wall of muscle in the dark. It’s Lonan, I’ve already memorized his cologne.Where the fuck did he come from?
“You scared the shit out of me! What are you doing back here?”
“I should ask you the same question.”
“I was on the phone. Were you eavesdropping on me?”
Even in the dark, I can make out the silhouette of his tight shoulders. He braces his arms against the wall, boxing me between them.
“I’m getting a roll of paper towels from the closet. Your timer went off, by the way. I took out the food and set it on the counter.”
“T-thank you.”
“You know you can always come to me if you need to chat or vent or whatever, right?”
Yeah, but it feels weird talking to you about my parents, who seem to be your parents as much as they are mine.
“Uh-huh.” I slip under one of his arms and scurry into the kitchen to return my focus to cooking. He doesn’t follow me.
As promised, I shoot off a picture to Micky of the cross section, and she sends me back an animatedO-faceGIF. She’s not wrong. This is one slutty-looking Beef Wellington.
When we sit to eat, Lonan compliments the meal but still seems reserved. He’s been acting odd since finding me in the hallway. Talking to Micky was just what I needed. Maybe Mom and Dad are right and I should find a therapist. But I don’t want to hash out everything with Julianne. I don’t need to. I just need to move on from everything that’s happened. Leave the past in the past, focus on the future. Life has been confusing as of late, but cooking and chats with my bestie have brought back a sense of normalcy. I’m fine. Everything will be fine.
That thought was doomed as soon as it crossed my mind, because the next thing I know, the doorbell rings. Mom furrows her brow and exchanges a curious glance with my dad. He shrugs in response. Then wipes his mouth with his napkin, dropping it next to his plate as he walks toward the front door.
“Lori...” She hurries to his side, and I can hear her gasp from here.
“Story’s out,” he calls from the front window.
The rest of us shove out of our chairs and try to get a peek at the activity happening outside. Two news vans are parked in the driveway, and they appear to be doing camera and sound checks. Are they here for me?
Lonan is the only one who hasn’t moved from his chair. He looks a little rigid, but that might just be his muscles. Mostly he’s busy staring at the table in front of him. He takes a long pull from his beer and goes back to eating. This kind of excitement is nothing out of the ordinary for him. On the other hand, Mom flies into action, crossing the house and lowering the blinds and curtains as she makes her way from one side to the other.
“I’ll get the windows on the back side,” Audrey says, heading toward the rear patio doors.
What a nightmare. I guess we knew it would happen eventually, but damn. This sucks.
