Page 116 of January

“And you don’t have to go,” Kyle said.

“I do, actually. I’m working in a couple of hours, and I need to get home to shower and change.” She seemed to have a thought. “Where’s the construction crew?”

“Oh, they’re coming this afternoon,” Kyle answered as she cupped Melinda’s cheek softly. “They had a quick job in the morning. It’s why I wanted to do this last night.”

“You are very smart,” Melinda noted before she leaned in and gave Kyle a quick kiss.

“I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah. Just come by whenever. I’m in the office today. Jolie, it was nice to see you. Maybe we can all do dinner or something?”

“Yeah, maybe,” Jolie replied.

“Maybe?” Kyle said to her sister after Melinda said hergoodbyes and headed toward the house.

“Yeah, maybe,” Jolie repeated. “I don’t know how long I’m staying yet. Can we please get out of your backyard sex palace now? This is weird for me.”

“You came in here.” Kyle laughed. “Uninvited, I might add.”

Jolie went out the now-unzipped tent flap and stood, waiting for Kyle while she put on the rest of her clothes and shoes.

“I saw a half-eaten pizza in there. I took an early flight and skipped breakfast.” Jolie started toward the house.

Kyle joined her, and once they were in the kitchen, she locked the back door behind her and walked to the coffee maker she’d bought. It was a cheap one, but it would get her through on the nights that she and Melinda decided to crash in the backyard. She started up a pot and went to the table.

“So, you and Melinda? You’re a couple now?”

“Yeah, we are.”

Jolie looked at the pizza, grabbed herself a slice with the mushrooms, and asked, “What are you going to do when you go home?” She bit into the slice and started chewing.

“Um…” Kyle sat down at one of the kitchen chairs. “I’m not.”

“Not what?” Jolie asked.

“Going home.”

Jolie’s eyebrows knitted together before she sat down across from Kyle.

“You’re not going home?”

“No. This is home now.”

“A tent in the backyard?”

“I’m staying in New Orleans, Jolie.”

Jolie took another bite and nodded, thinking about whatever she was thinking about.

“You’re moving here permanently?”

“Yes,” Kyle said.

“Because of Melinda?”

“Because of me,” she replied.

Jolie nodded some more and asked, “You’re sure? You want to live here becauseyouwant to live here? Not because you met someone?”

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