Page 79 of Life

“Hey, Spicy, what’s the matter?” Eli sits down next to me. “Who are you looking at?”

I tip my chin toward Carson. “That’s Carson Davis.”

“Yeah, Chase’s cousin. Seems like a nice guy.”

I nod. “He is. The best. Only, he’s Kat’s man, and since the fire and her treatments, she’s been steadily pushing him away.”

Eli sips his beer and then dips his head down. “You planning on getting involved in other people’s drama?” he asks with a conspiratorial note.

I frown. “She’s my best friend, and I can see her making the biggest mistake of her life. It’s my job to help her see the light.”

Eli smacks his knee and laughs. “No, babe, it isn’t. It’s your job to be there for her when she makes those mistakes. Trust me. Don’t get involved.”

“You know, you’ve known me all of five seconds and you think you can make decisions for me about my soul sisters? You better back off,Cazador.” My tone brooks no argument.

He laughs again, puts his arm around me, and brings his forehead to mine. “Fine. If you want to get all up in your friend’s business, that’s on you. I’m telling you, though, couples need to work out their problems together.”

“Sure, but women need to go over every possible scenario with the people they trust. I’m a trusted confidant.” I sit up straighter.

“I’m sure you are. Just don’t let their problems get you down. Today’s a good day. You’re finally out of the house, which I know has been hard on your free spirit. So try to enjoy it, okay?”

I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him. He tastes of beer and lime. “Mmm, you taste good.”

“Want me to get you a beer?”

“Por favor. Gracias.Then come back and paint a tiny baby outfit with me?” I bat my eyelashes and pout.

He doesn’t take the bait. “Yes to the beer, no to the painting. You’re on your own.”

I scrunch up my nose and scowl but set about painting a silly onesie so thesuper preggodoesn’t yell at me again. At some point, a beer appears in front of me with a lime wedged into the top, but the man who brought it disappears. Stealthybastardo.

I shake my head and continue making what started out to be an ocean but has turned into what I’m now converting into a night sky complete with fat, puffy, star-like bursts of yellow and orange.

“What is that?” Gigi asks while looking over my shoulder.

“Can’t you tell?”

“Uh…no. Are you painting the whole thing to make it look like overalls?” she guesses.

I look at the painted cloth and turn it this way and that. “Huh. I hadn’t started it that way, but your idea does make more sense. I’ll adjust.”

She giggles and takes a seat next to me. “So, I was wondering, what do you think about Kat and Carson?”

See, it isn’t just me. I glance around, looking for Eli, but he’s off chatting up Chase. Bree is sitting on the chaise next to Kat, making her laugh.

“I don’t see good things in their future, unfortunately,” I say.

“Which is total bull. She loves him. He loves her. It shouldn’t be this hard.”

“No, it shouldn’t. But there is no perfect book on love to give us all the right answers. He may love her, but if he doesn’t say it, she’s not hearing it. His actions in this case are not speaking louder than the words she wants to hear.”

“Does Eli tell you he loves you often?”

I grin. “Mostly when we’re fucking.”

She chokes on her water. “Cute. Very cute.”

“I’m serious.” I adjust my voice to a deep timbre. “Maria, I love fucking you. I love touching you. I love sticking my—”

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