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Baby.
He’d called me baby. He’d said it so quickly, easily, as if he’d been calling me baby for years. Had he called other women that? Was that his term of endearment for the women he dated?
“Oh, for the love of Jesus Christ from church this morning!” Lo’s voice came through the door. “I’m dying here. Please tell me what’s going on!”
I laughed and let out a sigh, releasing any negativity that lingered in me.
Me: There’s homemade ice cream here, and Howard is showing Roger some new beer he bought. I was asked to relay an invitation to you. By the time you get here, I’m sure we’ll be sitting down for dinner. One more plate is easily added to the table.
Brett: Awesome! I’ll let you know when I’m headed your way.
Lo had a peculiar look in her eye when I took a seat beside her. She’d pulled her chair over so she could still see the front yard since the girls were back to playing. They were riding around on their bikes. Luna kept trying to pedal away, but Roger was there, talking with Howard, and he had a hand on the back of Luna’s bike. She was pedaling, but not moving forward. She kept glaring, but Roger was ignoring her, listening to Howard.
Lo’s eyes shifted to me as I put my phone on the table. “You’re quiet. Why are you quiet?”
I gave her a look. “I’m always quiet.”
“True, but this quiet is different. Why’s it different? Did you sext with Broudou?”
“What?”
She laughed. “Never mind. You didn’t sext. I’d be able to tell.”
I frowned. “He’s coming for ice cream and dinner.”
She froze, her eyes latched on me.
My frown deepened. “Was that the right move? I could cancel, tell him we should go somewhere else.”
She jerked forward in her seat. “No! I mean, that’s great.” She coughed, her voice more normal. “He’ll be here? I can finally meet this guy.”
Crap. I’d messed up.
It was too soon.
And after I told him I wanted to go slow too.
I’d totally messed up.
As if reading my mind, Lo’s hand shot out. “No. Whatever you’re thinking, stop. This is good. Great. Fabulous. Roger can have his fangirl moment.”
Luna was shouting now, so Lo’s attention was divided. “Especially if this fizzles out fast. Roger will always have his memory of having dinner with Brett Broudou.”
Fizzles out fast? I groaned, reaching for my phone. “This was a mistake. We should go somewhere else.”
“No!” She plucked my phone from my hands. “Sorry. I’m being—we’ve already covered this, but I’m just protective of you. You hardly ever date. And other than Seraphina and Daniel, they were creeps. I’m not counting Travis.”
Yeah. I’d really messed up. “You can’t tell him about them. I barely even count them.”
“Why not?”
I cringed.
“Why not?”
“He got upset on Friday.”
“At you?”
