Page 42 of Why Not Both?

“What is it?” I ask in a sing-song voice, assuming it’s my sister.

“What are you doing right now?”

I sit up quickly, sloshing water around the tub when Spencer’s voice comes through the speaker. We hadn’t gone on any more hikes since the event season started picking up, but he’d walked me home every time it was a nice enough night.

“Nothing,” I say.

“Lis. Are you in a bath?” he asks, humour lacing his voice.

“None of your business. What do you want?”

“I just need a second to scrub the image of you naked in a bath from my mind. No, wait. Image stays. Anyway. Derek just told me he forgot to invite you out tonight. He’s hosting his monthly game night. Last Monday of every month. You started at Blue Vista on the date of the last one.”

I blink, trying to keep up with everything he’d said. “Game night?”

“Yeah. I think we’re playing Cards Against Humanity tonight. If Daze and Sophie are free, they’re welcome as well. Unfortunately, Cerberus is not invited. Abyss would probably take him out in about three seconds.”

“Abyss?”

“Derek’s cat. So, are you coming? Or are you going to stay in your bath? Because honestly, I’m not sure which is a better option.”

“Staying in my bath is more relaxing. Which was my plan for tonight.” I pause, thinking. Spencer waits. “Where does he live?” I ask, resigned.

He tells me and I sigh.

“I’m going to have to drive.”

“Probably. Or you can take an Uber. We can share one back. There’ll be drinking tonight.”

I look at my glass of wine. “There fucking better be. All right. Give me an hour to get ready and get there. I’ll ask Daze and Sophie, but they both work tomorrow.”

“No worries. See you in a bit.”

We hang up and I drain the tub with a small pout. But if the rest of them are at Derek’s house for a night of fun, I want to be there, too.

After I’d been fired for dating a co-worker, I’d tried not to involve myself at all in my next job. As a result, I never created any rapport and it ended almost as badly as the previous job. I’d managed better with the next job, and I was determined to do the same with this one.

I ask Daze if she and Sophie want to join me, but as I suspected, they’re going to have an early night. I get dressed, take Cerberus out for a quick walk, and then order an Uber while I finish getting ready.

When I arrive at Derek’s house, I knock, and he opens the door.

“Lis! You came. Sorry I didn’t mention the game night. Everyone else knows. It’s a standing thing. And you’ve blended so seamlessly, I completely forgot you hadn’t been to one before.”

He ushers me inside and I remove my coat and shoes. I can hear loud chatter and laughter from deeper in the house.

“It’s no problem. I didn’t have any plans.”

“Spencer said you were just relaxing.”

“I was. I brought the wine I’d planned on drinking. The one I’d opened and an extra one. Just in case. Can I get a glass and put the rest in the fridge?”

“Right this way,” he says with a grin.

He leads me to the right into his galley kitchen and gets me a glass.

“Bathroom is on the other side of that wall,” he says, pointing as he pours my wine for me. “Everyone else is over there in the living room.” He nods toward the other end of the kitchen. “And that’s pretty much my place. Upstairs is my bedroom and office. Another bathroom. And further up is the rooftop terrace. We’ll spend more time up there in the summer. It’s a bit cold now.”

“A rooftop terrace sounds so cool. This place is great.”

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