Reid: WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK, BRIG!
Brig: What? **Fans Face** I had no idea. When did this all happen?
Reid: I told you not to tell anyone. What the fuck, man?
Rogan: Is anyone else picturing Reid’s face getting super red right now?
Griffin: Like the Lobster Landing logo. Yeah, I see it.
Brig: I must have been texting in my sleep again.
Reid: You’re dead to me.
Brig: If that’s the case, I might as well tell everyone else.
Reid: I will murder your penis.
Griffin: That sounds sexual.
Rogan: Super kinky. I think Harper said that to me one night.
Griffin: Ren said the same thing.
Brig: Did Eve say that to you, Reid before you guys did the nasty? **Said in girly Eve voice** Get over here, big boy. I’m about to murder your penis.
Rogan: Oh I heard that really well.
Griffin: I could see Eve saying that.
Reid: SHE DIDN’T FUCKING SAY THAT.
Brig: I think she did.
Griffin: It’s pretty likely that she did.
Rogan: Scale of one to ten on likeliness, it’s an eleven . . . until he pulled his pants down and she was massively disappointed.
Reid: Not that it’s any of your business, but her jaw actually hit the floor when she saw my penis.
Rogan: Because she couldn’t find it, right?
Reid: Why are you like this?
Griffin: So you can dish it, but you can’t take it?
Reid: I think we all know that by now.
Brig: So tell them, tell them you’re dating.
Reid: Why do I need to when you do it for me?
Brig: Fine. **Takes deep breath** The curse is broken! Reid finally matured and poked Eve with his penis. He’s free!
Reid: You and that GD curse. Let it the fuck go.
Jen: If you’re going to include me in these texts, can you please refrain from talking about your penises? Unless you want me talking about my vagina after giving birth to children. **Rubs hands** Then game on, boys.
Reid: I just threw up in my mouth.
Brig: Flappy vagina talk—NEVER AGAIN!
Griffin: **Slowly backs away**
Rogan: Yeah, I have a meeting to run to.
Jen: My work here is done.
CHAPTER EIGHT
EVE
“Hello?” I answer in a groggy voice.
“Hey, sis.”
I spring out of bed, all thoughts of sleep forgotten. I wipe at my eyes and clear my throat as I check the time on my clock. Six in the morning. Why is Eric calling me at six in the morning?
For a brief second, a wave of nerves rolls through my stomach at the thought of Eric knowing about Reid and me. Did Reid sticking his hand down my pants on the dance floor somehow get back to Eric? Barb and Marv aren’t the gossiping types, but I would say that’s pretty juicy information for someone to spread on a bored wintery day.
“Eric, is everything okay?”
“Yeah, sorry about calling so early. I couldn’t sleep.” He pauses. “How are you?”
Seriously? It’s six in the morning. A how are you question isn’t exactly what I want to be answering right now, not after working a late shift. But I would never say that to Eric—not when things are this uncomfortable between us.
“Good. You know, just working and finishing up school.”
“Yeah? How much longer until you graduate?”
“Last semester. I’m almost done.” As he mulls that over, I obsess over how random this phone call is. It’s completely out of the blue, and I’m nervous to find out what brought it on.
Reid seemed unfazed at the prospect of not telling Eric about our new development. And it makes sense, since their friendship has dwindled over the past few years. But Eric is still my brother, and a small piece of me feels like he should know.
And I mean a very small piece of me.
“Damn, Eve, that’s amazing. I don’t know how you do it all. School, studying, being the manager at the Inn, and practically running the entire operation. Do you have any spare time?”
Just enough to have a wild affair with your best friend.
“I find time.” I yawn and try to smother it, but Eric is too quick.
“Man, I should have waited to call. I’m sorry, but I had to get something off my chest.”
Oh boy. Here it is. The reason. I brace myself, waiting for him to call me out on hooking up with Reid.
“Uh, what’s that?” I ask, holding my voice still, trying to hide my nerves.
“I wanted to apologize.”
Huh? Wasn’t expecting that.
“Apologize for what?”
“For not coming back to Port Snow on Dad’s death anniversary.”
Oh.
A wave of emotion hits me all at once. Sadness, appreciation, awkwardness. It’s all there.
“It’s fine—”
“It’s not fine, Eve. It’s unacceptable. Ever since we lost Bar 79, I haven’t been the brother you deserve; I’ve dropped the ball on many things, especially when it comes to our parents. I shouldn’t let you be by yourself on those days.”
“I wasn’t. Reid was with me.”
Why did I just say that? Maybe because he’s on my brain. Maybe because I feel a little guilty about keeping Eric in the dark. Or maybe because Reid was truly there for me, and I want Eric to know that.
“Reid was there?” Confusion laces his question. “Wow, that’s really nice of him.”
“Yeah, well, he knew it was a tough day.” And then we totally did it later that night, but I’ll keep that to myself. “It was nice to have someone to lean on, but I know you were busy. You didn’t need to call to apologize.”
He’s silent for a few breaths, heightening the tension between us. It didn’t used to be like this; we weren’t always so awkward and clumsy with each other, but a lot of time and space have settled between us, almost too much. I wish he would move back, live out the dream we once shared, but after Bar 79 went under, so did the rest of our plans.
“I’m still sorry,” he finally says. “Really fucking sorry, Eve.”
I sigh and close my eyes, hating the pain I hear in his voice. “I know, Eric. I know.”
I’ve been to Reid’s houseboat a few times. It’s simple. A house on floats, seafoam green on the outside, and two stories tall, with a loft upstairs and a rooftop deck. Refurbished and the perfect bachelor pad for a guy who is trying to hide from the world. It’s just another place, and yet a wave of nerves hits me all at once as I step up onto the deck that leads to the entrance. The outside lights illuminate a path where the snow has been knocked away into the harbor, and salt has been dusted over the slick surface, giving me a straight shot to his home, like a shining invitation.
I make my way to the front door, and before I can knock, the door swings open, revealing Reid standing on the other side, wearing a pair of sweats and a Port Snow, Maine shirt that clings to every contour of his chest. His hair is damp, and there is a light in his eyes I haven’t seen in a long time.
“Took you long enough—get in here.”
He pulls me by the hand and slams the door shut before tipping up my chin and kissing me.
It’s been a week. One week of us “seeing” each other, and every time he goes to kiss me, it’s like he doesn’t even have to think about it. His kisses still startle me—but in the best way.