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After a few more sputters, she waved me off. “I’m fine.”
But alarm was apparent in her gaze as she tracked Nora’s stiff movements. Colson had thrust his arm out, holding the flowers, his head dipped, not meeting her eyes. He looked like a third grader handing wildflowers to his crush.
“Thank you.” Nora sounded like a robot, with absolutely no feeling in her voice at all.
Next came the coffee. “Here.”
“Uh…thanks.” Again with the robot voice, except now curiosity had woven a way through.
Colson cleared his throat, explaining. “It’s for tomorrow…I’m always exhausted after I entertain. Thought it might help.”
Seemingly over the small talk, he took the empty seat next to me and tucked himself into the table.
“Why did you invite Colson?” Rae whispered in my ear while one of the women at the end of the table started talking about some work story, entertaining everyone while the food was being passed around.
I turned to her, whispering back, “He’s an old friend. I haven’t seen him in years. It felt like the right thing to do.”
She let out a sigh, sipped her wine, and drawled a curse word under her breath.
“Is that not okay?”
I didn’t get the chance to hear her response because Nora spoke up.
“Colson, you could have brought your girlfriend this evening. She’s not at home all alone, is she?”
Rae kicked Nora under the table, making her friend grunt and lean forward with a wince.
Colson blanched as though he’d been the one kicked as he replied. “Nope.”
Nora’s eyes narrowed into slits, her cheeks warming as she sipped more wine.
Rae tried to carry the conversation, but Colson piped up next, interrupting her.
“How come your boyfriend isn’t here, Nora? I was hoping to meet him.”
Rae had chosen that moment to sip her wine, which was unfortunate because it came sputtering out from her mouth a second later.
“Are you okay?” Nora leaned in and asked.
Rae wiped at the edges of her mouth and rasped, “Fine, but I need to go to the bedroom and change.”
“Oh no, I don’t think that you do…” Nora argued, raising her voice as Rae stood.
“I’ll be right back. Um babe, can you come help me with the zipper?” she asked, poking me in the back. Her shirt didn’t have one.
“Sure.”
“I can help you, Rae. I can go,” Nora said, half standing from the table.
Rae waved her off. “Don’t be silly…it’s your dinner party, we’ll be right back.”
I scooted back and followed Rae to a back bedroom, where she shut us in and started pacing the room.
“What is going on with you and Nora?” I asked, taking a seat on the guest bed. This wasn’t Nora’s room because I’d seen it when I helped hang all the blinds and shades in the house last week.
“She hates Colson. Well, no, she loves him…but hates him.”
“Oh shit, I didn’t know…”
