She raised an eyebrow. “He talking about me?”
I laughed. “No. And we’re keeping it like that.”
She harrumphed.
I continued. “You ever hiked Noccalula Falls? Gone to the waterfall?”
“I’ve heard it’s beautiful, but no,” Jodi said as Ceci shook her head.
“So he took me there a week ago. There’s a secluded spot right behind it and, um,” I stalled, taking a drink. How much did I want to tell them?
They leaned forward, drinks in hand. “You can’t stop there,” Ceci said.
So I told them, crossing my legs and shifting in my chair as my body relived the moment.
“Outside?” Jodi said, her mouth still agog. “He…you…outside?”
I laughed. “I assure you I stopped thinking about where I was pretty damn fast.”
Jodi cackled and gave me a high five as they swung close. “I knew he looked happier these past few days. Also, I’m super jealous. I could use a boyfriend to get my mind off things.” She grinned wickedly.
I grinned back, my whole body warm with the memory of Aaron’s tongue between my legs, the attention he’d lavished on me.
Wait. Did she say…? “He’s, um, we’re not…he’s not my boyfriend.”
“Relax, Dev,” Jodi said. “I didn’t say he was. I said I needed a boyfriend. I totally want you to stay in town, but I’m not labeling your life.”
I swallowed. “Thanks.” Then I remembered what Aaron had said. I leaned forward. “Speaking of hot Joseph men, is there maybe a brother you’ve got your eyes on?”
Jodi blushed and looked away. “Nope.”
I pointed at her. “Ha! Not true! Look at your face!”
Ceci peered at her. “Is it Will? He’s so…stern.”
I laughed. “You like a good stern daddy, Ceese? Wait. Don’t answer that.”
She waggled her eyebrows. “You know, your brother is very —”
“La la la, I can’t hear you,” I sang and plugged my ears with my fingers.
“Fine, fine, back to Jodi.”
Jodi avoided both our gazes.
“It’s Price,” I said.
At his name, Jodi blushed even harder. “Shut it, you two. He doesn’t know I exist, and that’s fine.”
I shook my head. “We need to do something about this.”
“No! No no no,” she said, her eyes wide and pleading. “Please no. Drop it.”
Ceci and I shared a look. “It’s nice not to be the center of everyone’s romantic attention for once,” I said. “But we’ll let it go. For now.”
Darkness fell and I lit some candles, the three of us drinking and talking for hours. Eventually, my brother pulled the minivan into the driveway and he got out. “Ladies,” he said, tipping his baseball cap as he stepped onto the porch.
“Husband!” Ceci slurred, launching herself off the swing and into his arms. “Why are you here? Where are the kids? Oh gosh,” she hiccuped, “what time is it?”
Rick chuckled. “Sounds like y’all have had yourself a fine time of it.”
I smiled and tipped my nearly empty glass at him. “We have indeed.” Although I hadn’t had nearly as much as the other two, seeing as how I was basically on a liquid diet and wasn’t interested in a tequila-infused hangover.
“I called our neighbor over to man the house while I came and got you two home,” he said. “No way are you driving.”
Ceci went on her tiptoes, still wrapped around Rick, and whispered something in his ear. Even in the dim candlelight, he turned beet red.
Jodi and I giggled as she stood up and wobbled. “Seems we need to get a move-on,” she said, then bent down to pick up her shoes.
As we said our goodbyes, Aaron’s truck pulled up in front of the house.
Ceci, still being held up by Rick, squealed and pointed. “Lookie! Dev, it’s Aaron!”
Rick laughed and it was my turn to blush a vegetable shade of red. “Oh my god, please take her home.”
“Let’s go, love of my life,” Rick said, pulling Ceci down the stairs and to the car. He waved at me and turned to Jodi. “You, too. Come on.”
“Got it,” she said, taking the steps a hair too fast. She was definitely more sober than Ceci, but at this point, that wasn’t saying much.
