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“It’s fine,” Deanna says. “Start in the car. Finish at home. I’m going to go to bed, anyway.”
Lexi frowns at the mention of bed, but she continues anyway. “Yeah, River, tell me everything. And don’t skip the good parts.”
…
I try to tell the story, but, again, I can’t find the words. Lexi’s attention is too overwhelming. I start and stop half a dozen times.
Then Deanna takes pity on me, puts me out of my misery, and relays what I told her, minus Alice’s anger over my high school obsession with Lexi.
Despite the lack of dramatic turns, Lexi hangs on every word. She nodsuh-huhand gaspsreallyand stares at me as if she can’t believe the deep truths I’m revealing via her sister.
When we arrive at the Huntington place, Lexi parks on the street. Deanna steps out of the car, but she doesn’t go home. She stands there.
“Are you going to wait for me?” Lexi asks her sister.
“Yeah,” Deanna says.
“I’m fine,” Lexi says. “Why don’t you head home. Shower. Give me a minute or two alone, huh?”
Deanna studies the two of us. She shoots me a cutting look. I’m not sure what she means beyonddon’t touch her, but I know she means that.
Lexi watches, impatiently, as Deanna walks around the house, through the backyard, into their apartments.
Then she turns to me with that big, beautiful smile.
And I can’t find a single word.
This is exactly what I imagined a million times. Okay, not exactly. But close to what I imagined. Privacy in a car with Lexi.
The two of us, listening to Sade, kissing over the center console, whispering sweet nothings.
Only we’re in Deanna’s Tesla, on the street, without a single note of music.
“Did you have fun?” Lexi asks.
I manage a nod.
“Really?” She tilts her head to one side. “I was worried she wouldn’t keep you entertained.”
Again, I nod.
“She teased she’d keep you warm for me. With a lap dance. I don’t suppose she made good on that?” Lexi laughs at the mental image.
I…do other things. Go other places. Deanna, in only those combat boots, sliding backward into my lap, whispering dirty promises in my ears.
When did she get so fucking sexy?
When did my body stop listening to my heart?
I need to go home, get my head on straight.
I try to find something to say, someI’ve wanted this for so long, too long, I can’t think now. Instead, I say, “How long have you lived back here?”
“Three years,” she says. “Since Dee’s ex broke her heart.” She looks to the apartment. “It really hurt her. She thought they’d be together forever. They were together for ages.”
“She loved him?”
“I don’t know,” Lexi says. “I’m not sure she thinks about things in those terms. And if she did, I wouldn’t understand them anyway.” She turns a little more toward me. “Hey, what do you say we go for a drive?”
