Page 82 of A Break in Communications

Sean and Berg both trailed off in the other direction before long, talking in hushed voices with one another, Sean looking chagrined as he went, and Anna’s mother gave me a hug before she went anywhere.

“Lucy, you need to come visit us for Christmas,” she said. “We’ve missed you so much. You can bring Miss Charlotte. She’sjust wonderful and keeps asking for more of our signature family chili recipe.”

Anna answered before I could. “Don’t worry,” she laughed. “You’ve finally gotten your way, Mom. Got someone I’m not missing any events with. Lucy and I are going to be there. Aren’t we, darling?” she said with a look my way that took my breath away. Damn, but I loved that word in her voice.Darling.Also all the other words.

“Of course we will,” I laughed, looking back to Anna’s mother. “I’ve got to try your world-famous cinnamon rolls again, after all, Maria.”

She looked like she’d explode with happiness, and once she and Anna’s father went, she was just about giggling and gushing the whole way about her daughtersfinally finding love.Sweet woman. She did make some good cinnamon rolls, too. Guess Anna’s culinary skills had come from somewhere.

Kelcey beamed at us, looking like she was so happy she might have passed out too. No wonder Anna’s mother seemed to love her. Peas in a pod. “So you’re both getting the promotion? Boss Anna and Boss Lucy?”

“Don’t call me that,” Anna said.

“Boss Lucy is right,” I said. “I assume they will. I mean, how could any of you carry on without your favorite power couple leading the department?”

Kelcey squealed. “Oh my god, I know! Boss Wives. That has such a good ring to it.”

“Please…” Anna hung her head. “Please just call me Anna.”

Kelcey didn’t get much more time to gush over us before the looming shadow of Veronica swept up behind her, and when Veronica stepped up next to her and slipped an obvious hand to Kelcey’s butt, Kelcey giggled, lighting up as much as Anna’s face fell.

“Don’t go spending too much time talking to my sister,” Veronica said lightly, holding a drink in her other hand. “I’ll get possessive.”

“Oh, god,” Kelcey giggled, falling into her side. “You could get possessive of me. In any way you like.”

“Please, you two,” Anna groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Veronica slipped her hand down to take a completely shameless handful of Kelcey’s thigh just below the hem of her dress. “Trust me, I will,” Veronica said. “I’ve missed the noises you make.”

“Ew—Veronica,” Anna said, wrinkling her nose. “Can you stop feeling up my coworker right in front of me?”

Kelcey laughed, ignoring everything in the world not named Veronica Preston. “Including the noises you make fun of me for? I’m still going to squeal when I see cute Christmas decorations in a shopfront.”

Veronica took her hand out from under Kelcey’s dress, thank god, and nudged her playfully. “Kelce, babe, those are my favorite ones of all. I only make fun of it because I get jealous you’re looking at a shopfront instead of me, you know how it is.”

Kelcey nudged her back, giggling. “Ugh, keep flirting like that and we won’t get anywhere, Vee.”

“I think I know exactly where we’ll get,” Veronica said lightly. “And I’m not going to pretend I’m not angling for it. Like I said—an ambitious woman.”

“Hmm. You’re a capable girl. I bet you can pull it off.”

Anna massaged her temple. “Kelcey, go hit on my sister… elsewhere. Please. I beg of you.”

“Maybe we ought to give them space,” I said, squeezing Anna’s side, and Veronica gave us a look.

“Ugh, you two can’t steal all the spotlight,” she said. “You get that mad when it’s someone other than the two of youflirting? Don’t get me wrong, Luce, I’m glad my sister finally got her head out of her ass and got together with you, but let’s not pretend you two haven’t been flirting nonstop everywhere you go. Besides, look how cute Kelce is. Of course I’m going to flirt with her.”

“Including reaching up her skirt in the middle of the room,” I said lightly. Veronica raised her eyebrows.

“That’s not something you wanna dare me on.”

Kelcey gave her puppy-dog eyes. “It’s something I wanna dare you on.”

“Okay, that’s more than enough,” Anna said, putting her hands up. “Lucy—darling—let’s just leave. I’ve partied enough for one night.”

Veronica shot her a look. “For the millionth time, you’re not subtle. You can just say you want to go fuck, and it’s going to be easier for everyone.”

Anna sighed, hard. “Yes,” she said. “I want to go have loud, messy sex with my girlfriend now.”

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