Page 72 of The Season
Summer:NO.
Summer:We talked about this. We were going to FaceTime Lily.
Lani:(eye roll emoji)
Summer:(knife emojis)
Lani:Summer and I are dating
Summer:WTF
Summer:Not anymore.
Summer:JK baby. Love you.
I choke out a disbelieving laugh, nearly falling off the wooden bench as I scramble to a seated position, rifle through my jacket for my earbuds, then push the video chat button. I’m greeted by the familiar sound of Lani and Summer’s laughter, a thud, a muffled curse and then both their faces coming into view.
“Lily!”
“Were you guys in the same room texting?” I ask through laughter. “You are such dorks.”
Summer grins broadly, her face close to Lani’s in my screen. Lani cocks her head, looking at the camera with interest. “Where are you? Are those lockers?”
“Oh.” I look behind me, at the rows of gray lockers, then back to my phone. “Yah. This is the instructors’ changing room I told you about.” I narrow my eyes at her. “But that’s not what we’re talking about. You have goss. Spill.”
Summer shoots Lani a dark glower.
“We’re together,” Lani practically squeals, grinning belligerently at Summer.
I internally high-five myself, but try not to look too smug at her news. Only months ago, when Summer had been lamenting the cesspit that was apparently online dating, I’d suggested she ask Lani out.
She’d given me one of her patented unimpressed looks, then accused me of assuming that, just because she was lesbian and Lani was bi, they would be into each other.
“Don’t look so smug,” Summer snaps.
I mime zipping my lips, then grin even wider.
“So Henry will be crying and licking his wounds somewhere, I take it?”
It’s no secret that Henry has been in love with Lani since middle school, though he likes to pretend it was a passing crush and he’s over it now. Recently, Lani told me she ‘might have possibly kissed Henry just a little’ when they were camping on North Shore the weekend after I left Hawai’i.
Summer and Lani exchange a look, Summer’s face going stony while Lani’s sun-kissed cheeks flare pink.
“So remember how you and Steve tried the whole nonmonogamy thing…” Lani hedges, looking sheepish.
I can feel the weight of Summer’s glare on me through the phone, and I focus my attention on the sweeter of my best friends.
“Well, we’re thinking about giving that a try.” Lani ducks her gaze, long dark lashes resting on golden cheeks.
“Okay…”
I’m not really sure what to say to that, or if there is anything I should say. What Steve and I did absolutely did not work, but after talking to Seth the other night, I’m starting to think that was a Steve-problem rather than a nonmonogamy problem.
And what do you want, honey?
Seth’s question runs through my brain, a gentle whisper, reaching into all my secret desires with smoky tendrils.
“Is that what you guys want?” I ask, looking at Summer first. “Are you all on board with it?”
