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“Trust me, as the only other Steele in the room—for now—Lawson and then Steele,” declared Jay, rejoining the conversation. “Billie’s right.”
“I don’t know. As the only othercopin the room, I don’t think you can rule out the possibility that Steele pulls the trigger sooner than later,” piped in Reese. “He could havediedif that knife had gone in a different place. Once you realize how short and precious life is—once you’ve experienced that—timelines and priorities change.”
Nora frowned as she stood at the mouth of the kitchen. The island was covered in food: sliced fruit, warm croissants, some sort of breakfast hash, and two glass pitchers easily identified as bloody Mary and classic mimosa. Reese, Billie, and Mitzi were standing around the island, drinks in hand. Upon her return, Jay picked up her abandoned bloody Mary.
“Well, who knows that better than Lawson? He served in Afghanistan three times,” said Billie.
“Youdorealize, Atticus and I have only been together for a couple months? Not to mention, we saidI love youfor the first time just a couple weeks ago. We’re not there yet. Nora isdefinitelyfirst.”
Still frowning, Nora finally spoke. “I’m sorry—are you takin’ bets on which Steele brother proposes first?”
“Oh, hey, girl,” greeted Billie. She immediately reached for an empty glass and asked, “Tomato or orange?”
“Uh…orange,” she muttered, still stuck in bewilderment.
“Yes, is the answer to your question,” said Mitzi with an exaggerated eyeroll. “Jay started it. Though, I think she’s just tryin’ todeflect.”
“Oh-kay—well, I am far too sober to be in on this conversation. I vote we discuss what Mitzi thinks Jay is deflecting.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” said Billie, carrying a full glass of mimosa over to Nora. “If we all gang up on her, maybe she’ll tell us. I’ve been tryin’ fordays,and I’ve gotten nothin’.”
“Or we could just eat,” Jay replied as she lifted her glass to her lips.
“Is this about Liam?” asked Reese.
“This is certainly not about Liam,” Billie stated confidently as she and Nora completed the circle of women. “This is about whoeverreplacedLiam.”
“Who says he’s been replaced?”
“Since when has Liam been out of the picture?”
Both Reese and Jay spoke at once.
Billie narrowed her eyes at Jay inquisitively and answered them both. “A best friendknowswhen the man who was playin’ her girl is gone without havin’ to be told. I haven’t gottenan angry text or a tearful call since your brother was in the hospital.”
“Well, you’ve always disliked Liam. Everyone did. And a girl can only take so manyI told you so’s. There was no point in makin’ a big deal out of it when we split,” said Jay with a shrug.
“Mmhmm—but it works both ways, Jaybird. Took me a minute to figure it out, but I know he’s been replaced—replaced by a man who isnotplayin’ you because he’s too busywooin’you.”
Everyone watched as Jay and Billie stared at one another in a silent standoff. It lasted for a solid thirty seconds. Jay diverted her eyes first; a clear indication she was hiding something she didn’t even want Billie to see.
She cleared her throat and replied, “I’m not ready to talk about it. I have my reasons, and you’re not gonna get me to budge—no matter how many bloody Marys I have today. You can waste your efforts tryin’ to get somethin’ out of me I’m not ready to give, or we could eat and talk about somethin’ else.”
For a moment, no one spoke. Nora studied Jay, more intrigued than she had been earlier. She had no idea who it was Jay was keeping a secret, but she suspected Billie was right. There was someone else—and he had her falling, hard and fast.
“I’m starvin’, and that hash smells delicious,” said Nora, breaking the silence. “I vote we eat.”
Mitzi nodded in agreement, then reached for a plate. “I second that. And while we’re at it, you can tell us how Lawson responded when you agreed to let him move in with you and Evie.”
“Wait, he’s movin’ in?” asked Reese as she, too, grabbed a plate. “Well, that settles it. Definitely Nora and then Mitzi.”
Everyone laughed, even Nora, who shook her head at the same time. She’d totally walked right into that.
Just as he said they would be, Evelyn and Lawson were locking up the apartment a few minutes after Nora departed. With her backpack filled with a couple new toys in one hand, and her fingers tucked inside his other, they made their way out to his truck.
“We’re gonna go to Judge and Nana’s house now?” Evelyn asked, her voice bouncing around the empty stairwell.
“Yup. You’re gonna hang out with Nana while Judge helps me move my things.”
