Page 4 of All's Well that Friends Well

“You’re right,” India says to me, her eyes wide, her jaw gaping. “I smell cologne.”

I nod primly. “Some sort of Axe body spray, if I’m notmistaken.” It’s not as sophisticated as I’d expect from any man of Aurora’s, but ultimately, what do I know?

“And your hair,” India says to Aurora, patting the top of her blonde head. “Now that I think about it, your hair might look a little…mussed?”

“Mussed hair,” I say happily. “Excellent. Aurora—spill.”

“I—it isn’t—he isn’t—ugh.” Aurora’s noise of frustration bounces off the walls of the kitchen, and my smile widens, because I know we’ve worn her down.

“Spill!” I say again, in the most commanding voice I can manage. I poke her shoulder, practically dancing on my tiptoes. “Come on, tell us! What’s his name? Where did you meet? How long have you been dating?”

Aurora crosses her arms tightly over her chest, her gaze bouncing back and forth between me and India, her eyes narrowed.

“You two are pests, do you know that?” she says, but there’s a grudging hint of affection in the words, a twitch of a smile at the corners of her lips.

“We know,” India and I say together.

“Come on,” India says. “You guys were all over me when I was getting together with Felix.”

“You just needed some nudging in the right direction to make it to boyfriend–girlfriend status,” I say reasonably. “And it all worked out in the end. You’re inseparable now.” I lower my voice. “Ask him what he thinks about the kind of man who wears Axe body spray.”

India nods seriously and picks up her phone.

“Hey,” Aurora says, but we ignore her, and finally she sighs, resting back against the kitchen counter again. “Fine. I’m not dating him,” she says. “But I’ve been casually seeing a guy from work.Casually.”

“What’s his name?” India says, and I nod quickly.

“Yeah,” I say. “Tell us his name, and how you met, and what he does?—”

“He’s the marketing manager,” Aurora says. “The manager of the department adjacent to mine.”

“So he’s not your boss?” I clarify.

“No.”

“Boo.” I pout. “I love a good employee–boss romance.”

Aurora gives me a little frown. “We have thesameboss, and the same role in our respective departments.” She clears her throat. “Anyway, his name is Bart, and it’s all very new and very tentative, so?—”

“Bart?” India cuts her off, one brow quirking.

My nose wrinkles.“Bart?”

Aurora rolls her eyes. “Yes,” she says impatiently. “Bart. So what?”

India and I glance at each other, settling into our spots next to Aurora. “It’s just…an interesting name,” India says.

“Interesting how?” Aurora says, and I know I’m not imagining the defensiveness in her voice now.

But come on.Bart?

“Just…interesting,” I say. I keep my tone tactful as I go on, “Not the kind of name I would expect your boyfriend to have. But he could!” I add quickly when Aurora shows signs of protesting. “You could date any kind of name. Even weird ones or funky ones or names with bad juju.”

Aurora snorts. “Names with bad juju? That’s not a thing.”

I blink at her, surprised. “Of course it is. A name can carry inherently negative energy.”

Next to me, India nods, shifting her weight against the kitchen counter. “Adolf,” she says reasonably.

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