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I twisted up to look at her. “What do you mean?”
“This town is going to have a population explosion soon.” She set my coffee down and grabbed a chair, nudging toward Erin. “You’re falling in love, as so many others are recently.”
“Aren’t you one of those?” Erin casually raised her tea to her lips.
“Holden and I are through the honeymoon phase of a relationship and settled quite comfortably into domestic bliss, but we are in no hurry to contribute to a population growth.”
“Yeah, we’re not there yet, either.” Erin shook her head. “But,” she looked around, “we’ve discussed, briefly, okay fine once,” she righted her shoulders, a smug look on her face, “about moving in together, just trying to figure out where. My place with easier access for Vera and school, or his fairly new, very modern house, where the school bus doesn’t run, but the view of the ocean is incredible. But I don’t know. It’s a huge deal.”
I tossed a smile at Iris. “Think she’s already made up her mind.”
Iris laughed. “Sounds like it to me.”
“It’s too quick though, right? Like we’ve only been going out a short time.”
Iris shrugged and gave the table a passive wipe. “Holden and I moved in together within a few months of making it official.”
Erin turned to me. “Have you ever lived with a guy?”
Several, but not in the way she was thinking. “Aside from family? No. Never had someone I’d call a boyfriend. That’s sort of the precursor to moving in with someone.”
Erin’s jaw hit the table. “You’ve never had a boyfriend? Why don’t I believe that?”
“Yeah, I’m not buying it either.” Iris shook her head, her dark bangs swishing from side to side.
“Just never been something I was interested in. I like being alone. The remote is all mine.” To use Landon’s example, even though I didn’t own a tv. “I don’t have to stick to one half of the bed. Everything is where I’ve left it. It’s perfection.”
Although it wasn’t. Not really. But finding that someone to let in, to share that with? That would never happen – I was… used and broken.
I looked at the two ladies neither hiding the open shock on their faces. “Oh, come on, there’s nothing wrong with being single.”
Iris wrapped her hand around my arm. “Of course, there isn’t. We just want you to be happy.”
“Thank you. I am.” Mostly.
Just needed Everest off my back about the sister situation, and for my dad to just hurry up and heal already. Love was secondary.
As I tipped back my glass of fireball, I spotted Cedar walking out onto the patio with Amber. They were talking in hushed voices, but Amber was sweeping her hand through the area, pointing out a few things. Rumours circulated around town there was going to be an exclusive New Year’s Eve wedding between Amber and Antonio.
Cedar never glanced my way, but Amber did once, more at Iris.
“I’m on a quick break,” Iris said. “No alcohol. Promise.”
As Amber walked by, she patted Iris on the shoulder. “I know. You’re doing great.”
A little crinkle cracked beside Iris’s eyes, and somehow the sadness she was trying so hard to conceal, washed over me.
It hadn’t been much of a secret though; not too long ago, Iris had consumed too much alcohol, and in her deep, depressive state had attempted suicide. Thankfully, she’d been unsuccessful, and it gave her a bit of a wake-up. That jolt involved her travelling across the country to Amber, meeting Holden, and starting fresh. However, since her arrival, Amber had kept a close, protective eye on her, and Iris always tried her best to stay dry.
Amber and Cedar continued to talk, mostly about the guest list and food. The whole time, Cedar looked out toward the sea, almost as if she were avoiding me. But that wasn’t it because she didn’t know me.
I held my breath as they talked, and once they were back inside, I released my breath. How in hell was I going to tell Cedar we were related?
Landon arrived sharply at nine am and buzzed my apartment, repeatedly.
“Just a sec,” I said to nobody as I rehung a picture.
Behind that frame was an envelope stuffed full of cash, hidden from view, but totally accessible when I needed it. Not sure how much golfing at a full course was going to cost me, I stuffed a few bills into my pocket and zipped it close.
