Page 102 of The Devil We Know

42

A Trope Interrogation

Matt

We've been sitting herefor hours waiting for God only knows what.

Or, in this case, only Antoinette knows what.

I spent the last hour or so sitting in the corner, conversing quietly with whomever swings by while Jessica naps in my lap.

I'm attempting to have a serious conversation with Kaian, but a lingering presence to my right finally draws my attention.

Antoinette.

I give her a bored look and ask, “Can I help you?”

She grins at me, and then Carolina shifts from behind her, giving me the same grin. I sigh, already knowing where this is going.

Neither of them says anything; they just continue to stare at me with that same knowing grin on their faces. Finally, I huff, “Just get it over with.”

Antoinette's grin breaks into a beaming smile. “This friends-to-lovers thing is super cute.”

I groan, and Jessica squirms in my lap, so I wrap my arms around her a bit more snugly. She presses her face into my neck, breathing a soft sigh against my skin as she settles back in. I narrow my eyes at Antoinette. “Seriously? That's what you want to talk about right now?”

Her smile brightens, and Carolina takes a step toward me as she adds, “We've never had any variation of friends to lovers before.”

Antoinette nods enthusiastically. “I know, right?”

“Really?”

They both nod. And then Carolina says, “Definitely not. We've had enemies, dislike, and even some hate, but no friends.”

“But would this even be friends to lovers?” Antoinette asks, more to herself than any of us in the room. “Like when did the lovers part happen?”

“Yeah,” Carolina asks. “Did you even take the time to become friends first or was it more strangers to lovers?”

Antoinette frowns. “Is that a thing?”

“I don’t fucking know, but it is now,” Carolina responds with a shrug.

I glance between the two of them, certain my eyebrows must be in my hairline, but they both look so happy and eager that I give in. “What else?”

Part of me doesn't want to humor them, but the bigger part of me understands that, if anything, Antoinette needs to lean on her many inappropriate coping mechanisms right now.

She laughs gleefully, clapping her hands with such pure excitement that I don't bother trying to hide my smile.

She walks over to Kaian, shooing him until he shifts down to the end of the sofa, making room for both women. They perch on the edge of the seat as if they're about to conduct some super fancy interview.

Antoinette turns her focus to me, her hands rubbing over the tops of her thighs as she says, “First, you have to answer a question for me.”

I groan, immediately wishing I hadn't opened myself up for this interrogation. But being the good sport I am, I incline my head for her to proceed. “Was this insta-love?”

I quirk a brow at her. “Insta-love?”

Carolina gapes at me as she squawks, “Yes, insta-love. You know, love at first sight.”

“Well, our first interaction was a phone call that I intercepted,” I reply dryly.

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