Page 64 of Puck Yes

With an eye roll, he flips me the bird.

I pretend to peer a little closer at his mouth. “There’s a lot of room in there still. You wanted to test inserting the whole damn thing, right?”

“Fine, fine. I deserve that,” he says, but then he fixes me with a serious look. “But do you really get it?”

I tilt my head in question. He’s going to need to do some more heavy lifting. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know how to fucking do this,” he says, raising his eyebrows importantly, like he’s sending me a secret message. “I mean, we’ve donethis,but we haven’t donethis.”

Fallen for the same girl?

I don’t want to say that out loud. Don’t want to give it air and breath yet, especially since I’m pretty sure my friend is in a different place than I am when it comes to matters of the heart. Honestly, I’m pretty sure Ivy is too. But I can take a step closer to Hayes. I can lead the conversation to where I think he’s going.

“I’m not annoyed anymore that you’re married to her, and I appreciate you telling me now. But I’m going to be blunt with you.” This is harder than pitching him on a threesome, something I didn’t even have to do. Hell, he pitched me. He’s done the hard work so far. I can do the same.

I pinch the bridge of my nose and lean against the wall, then, like Ivy opened up to me this morning, like Hayes opened up to me just now, I do the same with my friend. “I don’t want a one-time thing with her. I don’t want last night to be like the other times we’ve shared a woman. I want to spend more time with her.”

I take a beat and say something even harder. “I wantusto spend more time with her.” As his lips curve up in a grin, I beat him to the punchline. “I suppose what I’m saying is…I’d really like to fuck your wife again.”

He cracks up, then shakes his head, blowing out a long breath. “Yeah, me too. But I’m pretty sure she’s royally pissed at me.”

I laugh like the cat who ate the canary. “And you’re going to need to fix that and do it really fucking soon. Because I don’t just want to fuck her. I’d like us to take her out.”

He paces beside the treadmills, clearly puzzling through next steps. When he turns around, he’s smiling like he’s pleased with himself. “I have an idea for how to say I’m sorry.”

“I want in on it.”

“What do you have to say you’re sorry for?”

I wave a dismissive hand. “Please. I don’t need to say I’m sorry. I have other things I need to say to her. Namely,come over tomorrow night. So whatever you do, make sure it covers your sins and my request.”

25

AN APOLOGY BOUQUET

Ivy

Fun fact. There is hardly a woe that a vanilla latte and girlfriend time can’t cure. But big woes require big drinks, so I get a big-ass one.

With my drink in hand, I sink down into a comfy chair at a sidewalk table at Dr. Insomnia’s and take a thirsty sip from the mug. It gives me courage.

So does Roxy, who’s curled up in my lap at this outdoor table with me. When Trina brought my pup, she whimpered with excitement when she saw me, proving once again that dogs are a girl’s best friend. I scratch her ears while Trina’s three-legged pup, Nacho, sits on the sidewalk like a good boy, ears up, checking out lady dogs with avid interest as they walk by.

Well, he might be checking out boy dogs too. I don’t really know his preferences.

Aubrey settles in with her mango smoothie, flicks some strands of her red hair, and gives me anI’ve been waiting too longlook. “Are you finally going to tell us about your wedding night?”

They already got the big picture details in text. Now it’s time for the real tea. My stomach does cartwheels as I draw a deep, fueling breath. I start with the good news. “I have been introduced to the joys of a double dicking.”

Everyone’s quiet for several long seconds till Aubrey gasps, and Trina’s green eyes pop. “Get it, get, get it,” she sings, shimmying in tune, before she says, “With who? I want details. Do not skimp.”

Aubrey lifts a finger. “Hayes and Stefan, I bet.”

“Nailed it,” I say.

“Sounds like they nailedyou,” she corrects.

“Touché.”