Page 90 of All Bets Are Off

Was that her trying to explain something? “I glow?”

“Not like an alien or anything,” she assured me quickly. “Although, that would be cool. You’re just glowing. You smile more often. When you stop in to see me at work, you spend half your time texting. I know you’re sending him dirty texts.”

The server picked that moment to take our orders, so I had to wait to respond.

“I’m going to start with the Bedazzled Skullcap Mojito,” Tallulah said, tapping her bottom lip. “Then, when I’m about halfway done with that, go ahead and bring me the Two Brass Cranes.”

I hadn’t even looked at the menu yet, so I quickly scanned it. “I’ll have the In the Blinker of an Eye to start,” I said. Because Tallulah was watching me expectantly—and we had a driver waiting to get us home—I decided to order my second. “And, like her, when I’m halfway done with this one go ahead and put in a Pink Stone Egg, please.”

“Ooh.” Tallulah nodded in agreement. “You’ll have to tell me how that tastes. I might go that route for my third cocktail.”

“Just how drunk do you plan on getting tonight?” I challenged as the server left us.

“Pretty drunk. I figure you owe me for keeping me in the dark for the past five weeks. I mean … it’s been painful, Livvie. I’m hurt.”

I rolled my eyes despite the guilt flooding me. “You’re too much sometimes,” I complained. “You know that, right?”

She was over letting me drag things out. “Talk.”

I did. I told her everything. It took longer than I thought. We were halfway through our second drinks and rounding around to our third when I finally finished.

“You’re falling in love with him,” she said when I was done.

“I am not,” I scoffed. “It’s just a fling.”

“Most flings don’t involve marriage.”

“Yes, but we’re not going to stay married.” That used to be a given I realized. Now I wasn’t so certain.

“Do you want to place a wager?” Tallulah’s eyebrows wiggled as she sipped her drink.

“He hasn’t said anything about wanting to make this arrangement more permanent,” I hedged.

“Have you?”

“Have I what?”

“Told him that you want to make the arrangement permanent.”

“I don’t know that I do.”

She took another sip and waited me out.

“Fine.” I exhaled heavily. “I wouldn’t mind committing a little bit more. I mean … it’s hard to date when we’re already married, but I might be open for that.”

“That sounds weird but doable,” Tallulah encouraged. “Tell him you want that.”

“And what happens if he doesn’t want that?”

“He’ll tell you.”

“But then things will get weird. I mean … if I make him uncomfortable, the sex will fly right out the window. Then we’ll be two roommates who live under one awkward roof, and I’ll want to die of embarrassment.”

“Geez. You’re so sensitive about that stuff.” She shook her head. “Livvie, nobody dies of embarrassment.”’

“You sound like my mother,” I groused.

“Well, it’s true. I think telling him is the way to go. Living in limbo is going to make you crazy.”

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