Ari shook her head. “He really fucked up, didn’t he?”
“Oh yeah. It’s been years in coming, though. He always has been careless with those cigars and tried to put on a façade that covered up a fragile, insecure ego.” I slid out from beneath the covers and shivered as I hurried over to my dresser to find a pair of panties and a bra. “Gah, it’s cold.”
“You can say that again.” Ari slid into her jeans and sweater from the night before. “Meagan knows I’m over here today, in case you’re wondering. So…will you be my maid of honor?”
“Of course, goose. Just don’t make me wear an ugly dress.” I hopped around, trying to slide my foot into my jeans. If we were going ghost-busting in the evening, I wasn’t about to wear a dress. A skirt would work, but it was just too cold. I sat down on the bed, turning to her. “I really am happy for you. I knew she was more than a casual fling.”
“So did I, but I was afraid. Meagan’s family will be furious—they’re hoping this is a phase, I guess. But she told me that back in high school, she had a real thing for one of her fellow cheerleaders. She could never express it. She told me that she picked on me because she was so jealous that I felt free to be exactly who I was. She didn’t have the courage to admit she was gay, and her family pressured her into getting married.”
Ari stretched out on her back on the bed, letting out a groan. She folded her hands behind her head and sighed. “I love her, January. After all these years, I’m actually in love. I’ve been close before, but you know how gun-shy I can be. But Meagan makes me feel special, and whenever I’m near her, I want to do things for her and make her smile. She’s got the most incredible body—her boobs are so…delicious. And her laugh is the most special sound in the world.”
I stared at her. “And when she cries, it stabs you in the heart?”
“Um hmm,” Ari said, rolling to a sitting position. She brought her knees up and rested her forehead on them. From her muffled position, she said, “I sound corny, don’t I? Rainbows, hearts, and violins. I’m buying her engagement ring as soon as the snow clears enough to get to a jewelry store.”
“Hey, don’t discount the rainbows and hearts. I’ll even go for violins if they’re done well, like the violinist in Tempest or Steel Eye Span.” I paused, then slid behind her to rub her shoulders. “Love is hard, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” Ari said. “When we don’t have it, we want it—almost desperately. Then when we get it, it’s either never the way we hoped, or it sparks off insecurity. But now…I just know that I don’t want to be without her.”
I hugged her, wrapping my arms around her shoulders, but inside a sudden fear crept up that I’d lose my best friend to her fiancée. But then I shook off the fear. Ari hadn’t lost me when I married Ellison. And Ari wouldn’t ditch me because she was getting married.
I rolled off the bed and yanked on a pair of slippers. “Come on, it’s time for coffee.”
“I’ll be there,” she said. “Just give me another moment and I’ll meet you downstairs. I need to find my socks.”
“If they’re dirty, use a pair of mine. You know where they are,” I said, waving to the dresser.
Downstairs, Louise was up, but she looked wan, and there was a hesitation about her movements. She was wearing a robe of mine that was too big on her, but it was better than too tight. Teran was making breakfast and she carried over a cup of tea and a plate of bacon and eggs, setting them in front of Louise. The kitchen smelled wonderful, and I fixed myself a latte while Teran dished up breakfast for the rest of us.
“Where’s Rameer?” I asked.
“He’s upstairs watching TV in the guest room,” Louise said. “He’s really quite nice.”
“Yeah, he’s all right,” I said. “I’m grateful I ran into him. I’ve never met a djinn before.” I settled in at the table as Ari entered the room. She was wearing a pair of my socks, so I guessed hers were still MIA.
“Aren’t genies supposed to grant wishes?” Louise asked.
I froze, slowly raising my head from where I’d been contemplating my bacon and eggs. “Yeah, in a complicated way. Why?”
“Oh, I just wish he could clear out my restaurant for me with a blink of an eye.” She sighed and poked at her egg with her toast. Then she shrugged and took a forkful of the food, though her movements were slow and I got the feeling even the act of eating exhausted her.
“Well, we’re going to attempt to do just that tonight,” I said, reaching across the table to pat her hand. “Then, if all goes right, you can move back in and run the restaurant without a problem.”
“Thanks.” Louise ate a few more bites, then pushed her plate away. “It’s good, but I’m so tired I can barely eat.”
“Why don’t I help you back to bed. You can rest and eat more later. I’ll make you some broth for lunch.” Teran helped her up and, wrapping her arm around Louise’s shoulders, led her out of the room, one slow step at a time.
“Cripes, that’s bad,” Ari whispered.
“Yeah,” I said, keeping my own voice low. “I really hope she perks up soon. That shadow man really drained her.”
Ari slathered her toast with butter and once again, I shook my head. She had the metabolism of a hummingbird. She could eat just about anything she wanted and never gain an ounce. It just went to show how no two people were the same.
“What are you doing today?” I asked.
She shrugged. “Not working, that’s for certain. Do you mind if I hang out here?”
“Not at all.” I paused as Xi climbed up my leg, and Klaus made a running leap and bounded up on the table. “Hey, manners! Food on the table means no cats allowed.”
Ari snickered. “You really think they understand that?”
“Xi does. She’s my familiar.” I held up the little tortie and stared at her, shaking my head. “Get down while I eat.”
Love. Pet me. Food? Xi stared back into my eyes, her own wide and innocent.
I laughed. “Oh, you know how to work it, girl.” I cuddled her, kissed her head, then made sure they had food. Teran had given them breakfast, and there were still plenty of nibbles there, so Xi had been begging for bacon, which she did not need.
I patted her butt, sending her toward the food dish. Klaus bounced back off the table, chasing after his sister as I reached for him. As he passed by, whacking at her butt, she took off and they went zooming around the house.
“You really are blossoming,” Ari said, looking at me. “In just…what…six weeks? You’ve come out of the shell you were hiding in. You seem so much happier, and so much more confident.”
“That’s what freedom from an asshole will do,” I said, finishing my food. As I carried my plate over to the sink, my phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number, but when I answered, it was Toby, the mechanic who had my Subaru. “Oh, hey, how’s Cookie?”
“Cookie?”
“Oh, sorry,” I said with a laugh. “My car. How’s my car?”