AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I have to look after the food,” Mara laughed.
“In a minute,” I murmured into her shoulder. “I need hugs.”
Mara immediately wrapped her arms tightly around me, “You doing okay?”
I nodded. “Better than ever,” I said, giving myself away with a quick glance at Barrett.
“Does he know?” Bex asked, leaning her hip against the counter beside us. I knew in that moment that both women knew I’d had an episode.
“He knows more than everyone else, actually.” I pondered the truth of that statement for a moment. “I wanted him to know. Maybe I was trying to scare him off… but I think I just wanted him to really know me, to understand what made me like I am.”
“Those boys see more than most,” Bex commented, “how did he take it?”
Olivia had retrieved her headphones and put them back on over her ears, using her music to block out the drone of conversation. She wandered into the kitchen and leaned back against Bex, giving her a backwards hug. Bex looped her arm around Olivia’s shoulders, giving her the squeeze she silently requested.
“How do you think?” I laughed, “the man is near perfect.”
Mara stood with her arms still around my waist and Bex plowed on ahead. “Are you going to give him a shot?”
I know my face did not hide my distress when I answered honestly. “I can’t lose him.”
“Who says you will?” Mara asked softly.
I snorted. “You know what I’m like.”
Mara nodded. “I do. The question is, do you?”
This startled me for a moment and Mara continued, “You are not what she says you are. You are generous with your time, generous with your money, generous with your love.”
“Only to you guys, only to the people I love,” I protested.
“Well, who the fuck else would you be like that with?” Bex threw up her hands, impatient and blunt as always.
Mara and I burst out laughing, holding onto each other at Bex’s disgusted face. At the burst of noise, Olivia took herself away, scooping up her tiny black feline, Sirius, on her way.
I released Mara. “How’s the novel writing coming along?” I asked.
She blushed rosily. “It’s going well, I think.”
“I’ll read it when it’s done, to help with editing, if you like?”
Mara blushed pinker. “It’s, um, steamy…”
“Tell me it’s not autobiographical,” I deadpanned.
“Oh my gosh, of course it’s not!” her face now flamed.
“So, where’d you get all the sexy bits?” Bex teased.
“Stop or I won’t let you read it either!” Mara warned, giggling.
Bex pretended to lock her lips closed and I snorted. “You? Quiet? Not likely!”
Eventually we moved our little party outside. The day was perfect. Mara’s flowers were in full bloom and spreading like wildfire. In another couple of weeks her gardens would be pools of solid color.
The kids were playing in the two pop-up tents Mara had purchased for today’s festivities. Olivia had her own set up with her book, a comfy blanket and pillow, and snacks. She had all the snacks in her tent and the twins were pretending she was the store. This would work for her for a while and when she had her fill with playing she would give them back their stash and do her own thing. For now, she was enjoying the game.
Bex was lying in the hammock with Rhys’s big hand clamped on the side, simultaneously rocking her and keeping her from falling out.
