Page 48 of Drilled (Dad Bod Contracting 2)
Nova keeps her expression blank. “We…were…just talking.”
Imogen rolls her eyes. “Why are you playing coy, Nova? It’s just us girls.”
Nova shrugs. “I’m not playing coy, I’m just…a little reserved about some things.”
Laurel snorts. “What is there to be reserved about? You like the guy, he likes you. You were cozied up on the cooler, talking. So what?”
Nova busies herself mixing drinks—something complicated with a lot of rum and a lot of vodka and not a lot of mixers—probably more for something to do than because anyone really needs another drink. “My life is complicated and there’s no room for anyone in it, especially not a guy with two daughters. So yeah, I like him, he likes me. But that’s as far as it goes.” She shrugs, not looking at any of us. “Just how it is, whether I like it, or want it that way, or not.” Her gaze sweeps us. “There. You wanted to know, now you know. I think it’s time to eat.”
Nova abandons her effort at making drinks, taking one and leaving three finished and several half-begun, and exits the kitchen. Her long, loose, shimmery, fiery copper hair sways down her back as she moves out into the sunlight, which catches on her hair and on the many bangles and bracelets on her wrists, lighting her up with sparkles and glints and shimmers.
Imogen takes one of the drinks and sips it. “No sense leaving these to go warm.” She sighs, watching Nova. “I was hoping she’d loosen up a bit once she got here, but I guess I was wrong.”
“She seems super cool, though,” I say. “I like her.”
Imogen nods. “She’s awesome. We met in the cafeteria, as we tend to work similar shifts a lot and usually take lunch at the same, and have ended up eating lunch together pretty much every day. She doesn’t talk about herself very often, and I just get the sense she keeps her personal life very buttoned up, you know? But on any other topic, she’s, like—she’s this firecracker, just exploding with energy and opinions and personality. I just love her to pieces, but I wish she’d let me in a little.”
“Well, you do tend to want people to spill their every secret to you the moment you meet them,” I tease, exaggerating just a little.
Imogen rolls her eyes at me. “I’m personable. It’s what makes me such a good bedside nurse. Any time there’s a really cranky, difficult patient, I get sent in because I can handle them and get them to calm down and open up. It’s just one of my gifts. But Nova? She’s a tough nut to crack.” She pokes at me with a finger. “Nova is a lot like you, actually, Audra dearest. You have this inner wall around yourselves where you keep all your painful little secrets, and you never let anyone in, or even anywhere close. The only reason I know as much about you as I do is because I’ve known you since before either of us got our first periods, and I’ve been there for literally every major and minor life event since.” She gestures at Nova, who is watching Franco chase Nina and Ella around the yard with what looks like a live snake. “I just can’t help wondering if she has her own Imogen. I feel like she doesn’t.”
I rest my head on Imogen’s shoulder. “Everyone should have their own Imogen. But they can’t have you—you’re mine.”
She pats my head. “I think Jesse might disagree with you on that point.”
I wrinkle my nose. “I guess I can share you with him.” I point at Laurel, faking a glare. “But don’t get any ideas, missy. You try to steal my best friend, and you’ll be in trouble.”
Laurel just laughs. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Calm down, Audra. No one is stealing anyone. Plus, there’s enough of me to go around, I’m pretty sure.” She pats her butt. “No matter how many burpees you make me do, Audra, I think I’ll just always have a big ass.”
Laurel cackles. “Honey, you’re preaching to the choir, here. I lost sixty-six pounds in a year and a half, gained about ten pounds back, and literally all of it is on my butt! No matter how I eat or work out, those ten pounds are just stuck—right here.” She grabs and shakes a butt cheek in gesture.
“Like I’ve been telling Imogen for literally years—” I start, but Imogen cuts me off.
“You shush, woman,” Imogen cuts in. “You know as well as I do that build and genetics play a part in all of this. You work your ass off and you’re fanatically devoted to how you eat. I get that, Audra, I see it, and I respect it.” She leans against Laurel and they bump hips. “But some of us are just doomed to have big butts.”
