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Carla waved a hand in protest. “TMI. All sex must be discussed in the abstract.”
Piper grinned, unrepentant. “You’re just jealous.”
“Absolutely.” Carla dropped her bag on the porch. “And I also have zero desire to look at Cal and think ‘He and Piper did it doggy style in the kitchen!’ For one thing, I’d never be able to eat at your place again.”
Mia looked over at Dani. “Is this a hypothetical situation, or did it actually happen?”
Dani threw up her hands. “I’m not asking because Piper here wouldn’t have any problem with telling. Don’t share anything with her that you don’t want broadcast all over the island.”
Piper stuck out her tongue, laughing. “I’ll bet you’ve got all sorts of amazing stories from working at Sweet Moon’s. Your grandparents’ motel is where everyone on the island goes when they want a little romantic time alone.”
Right. Time for a distraction. Mia pointed to two shopping bags with her borrowed wardrobe on the front porch. “I’ve got your things clean and ready for you. Thanks for lending them to me.”
She’d had the rest of her stuff shipped in a PODS unit that had arrived yesterday from the mainland.
Piper peered inside. “Wow. You could totally start a laundry service. I’d be the first to sign up.”
So she liked things neat and tidy—those were admirable qualities. “I appreciate the loan.”
“No problem.” Piper grinned, eyeing the pool and the hose. “I think I came out ahead on this one. Are we having a pool party?”
Why not? An hour later, Piper had filled the plastic pool with the hose, and Mia had dragged out a cooler full of frozen drink pouches. She had both piña colada and peach daiquiri. Go her. She also made a mean tuna-fish sandwich and now they were lounging on her porch in bikinis, with their feet in the pool. It wasn’t a power lunch in suits, but there was plenty of laughter.
Carla stabbed her drink pouch with a straw, slurping happily. “So how did you really meet Tag? When you weren’t rescuing him from matchmaking old ladies, that is.”
She looked at Piper and Dani. “Carla knows, too?” Was there anyone who didn’t know?
“It’s hard to keep secrets,” Piper said apologetically.
“And I’m completely trustworthy,” Carla added.
Confession time. “We met in San Diego, when we both had leave. At a bar.”
There was no point in leaving out the gory details, right?
“He was a bar hookup? You rock.” Piper high-fived her.
“You should keep him,” Dani suggested.
Mia inhaled her drink and choked.
Piper whacked her on the back. “Not a good idea?”
“It’s a fake engagement. Hello. That means we’re not getting married. We’re not a couple.”
“Yeah, but you’re having real sex, right?”
Yep. She was blushing. She could ride in a Jeep with soldiers sharing the raunchiest sex jokes, but apparently she turned beet-red if the sex life in question was her own. Way to go, soldier. “Tag doesn’t want a fiancée.”
“He doesn’t know he wants one,” Dani countered. “He’s a guy, so he needs a nudge.”
“Are you matchmaking?” Because that was what had gotten her into this mess in the first place.
“Maybe.” Piper grinned unrepentantly. “We like you. We like Tag. See? Match made in heaven.”
“I was engaged before. It didn’t work out so well.” Possibly, she should check the alcohol content on her drink, because she had no idea where those words had come from.
“Do tell.” After producing a polka-dot bikini from somewhere, Piper had proceeded to commandeer the pool. She lay in the center, her legs sprawled over its plastic edge. With her big white sunglasses, she looked very Marilyn Monroe.
“Yeah.” Carla nudged Mia hopefully. “Take pity on us single girls and share. At the very least, give me the name of the bar so Deep Dive can import more single men from there. The dating pool on this island is pathetic.”
Before she could answer, however, a truck pulled up in front of the cottage, and Daeg and Cal got out. Piper abandoned her spot in the pool, plastering herself against Cal. Partly, Mia suspected, to get her fiancé soaking wet and partly to kiss him hello. Dani followed suit, winding herself around Daeg. Mia doubted her front yard had ever seen so many torrid kisses. Holy. Moly.
“We’re odd women out.” Carla sighed. “It’s disgusting, isn’t it? Let me buy you another daiquiri.”
