Page 79 of The Love Bandits

“Oh, I was looking for that.” Claire glances around the foyer as if she’ll find it propped up.

“Sorry, it was very much destroyed.”

“And the bat? Can we send Todd the splinters?”

I smile. “Itwouldadd a twist ending to his thirty minute story about buying it at auction. Also. Way ahead of you. I saved the pieces, and I’m going to box them up tonight.”

Rosie shakes her head. “I have no idea what you two are talking about, but what happened after you messed up your car? Claire told me about that, obviously, and with all that adrenaline pumping… Don’t tell menothinghappened. I mean…this guy is so much hotter now that we know he’s not a real therapist, and there’s definitely something vibing between you. I saw it at Smith House the other night.”

“What’s wrong with therapists?” I hedge.

I can feel Claire staring at me. I can feel herknowing.

Rosie shrugs. “I have issues with men who understand me better than I understand myself.”

I laugh—at myself—because I’ve never felt in danger of that happening…until now.

I take a step toward the kitchen, but Claire catches my arm. “Rosie asked you a question.”

I shrug. “I like him, but he’s not going to stay. So what does it matter?”

“The present is the only thing we’re guaranteed.” She squeezes my arm. “So itdoesmatter.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I say.

Part of me wants to fully confide in Claire about the way I keep pulling back at the last moment with Jake. But I’m not ready to get quite that forward with Rosie, and I’m too confused about what’s going on in my own head to try sharing it.

“I’m in desperate need of wine,” I add.

“Amen, sister,” Rosie says, and this time we all head down the hall together, to find Jake and Declan talking as if they’ve known each other their whole lives. I roll my eyes at Jake, and when he grins in response, I feel a gush of warmth.

“Hey,” he says, taking a step toward me. “Is your friend going to be able to fulfill all of those cookie orders?”

His obvious pride is—sigh—adorable.

I turn toward Claire. “We need to have them before two so we can mess up Peter’s meeting and hopefully destroy his hopes and dreams. It’s all Jake’s fault.”

She laughs, her eyes sparkling as she glances back and forth between the two of us, obviously making all kinds of conclusions. “Well, we wouldn’t want Peter to find any kind of happiness and fulfillment.”

“We may also need a cake that says,He has herpes,” Jake says, his eyes twinkling. “Pending confirmation that it’s true. I know Lainey likes to play fast and loose with the law, but I don’t want to risk her getting sued.”

I walk over and bump his shoulder with mine. “Thanks, sidekick.”

He puts his arm around my waist, sending a gush of shock andyes, yes, yesthrough me—along with a healthy dose of fear.

Wine. I need wine.

Declan, bless him, must have poured us glasses of wine before they started talking, because there are three of them waiting on the table. I squeeze Jake’s hand and pull away.

The five of us settle around the small table in the kitchen, Jake next to me on one side, Rosie on the other. We drink. We talk. We eat lasagna.

As the night progresses, the warm feeling in my stomach grows. Jake gets along with my friends. They like him, and he likes them. That feels stupidly good. My friends were never good enough for Todd, and my parents, who would have loved to worship the ground he walked on, were an embarrassment.

We’re having another glass of wine after dinner when Claire asks for an update on the necklace.

It’s a bit like being splashed with cold water, but I fill her in on everything, from Mrs. Rosings’s request to the high tea scheduled for Sunday.

Rosie, who’s had more wine than anyone else, smacks the round table with her open palm, making it wobble on its uneven supports. “You need to hire Joy to cater the tea. She’s so great,sogreat, but she needs more confidence. I’ll come along and help her. It’ll be perfect.”

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