“I’m sorry. Is she driving you nuts?”
“She got beet juice all over the marble countertops and there’s some staining. That plan backfired.”
He chuckles and kisses my neck again. “It had good intention behind it. I’m sure we’ll be able to get the stains out. Don’t worry about it.”
“She’s been in the kitchen all day, but since she’s in there, Matty wants to be in there too, which is a nightmare for me, constantly trying to drag him out of there. I never thought I’d look forward to going back to school as much as I want to on Monday. He has become quite attached to your mom.”
“Not a bad thing, just challenging. Since tomorrow is Sunday, do you want me to take Matty and my mom somewhere so you can have some time to yourself, prepare for the next school week? And I can call up the spa and see if they can fit you in.”
“You would do that?” I ask as his lips move up to the back of my ear. The whisper of his mouth over a sensitive part of my skin has shivers chasing up my spine.
“Anything for you, babe. I’ll give them a call right now.” He pauses and then says, “Hey, why don’t I book you an appointment for Milly too. You two could make it a girls’ day.”
“Didn’t Milly and Carson just get back from Greece?” I ask. “Doubt she’d need another pampering session. You know her, she isn’t really into all of that.”
His hands go to my shoulders where he lightly massages them. “I got the impression from Carson today that maybe they’re going through something tough.”
“What?” I ask, turning in Knox’s arms. I straddle his lap and take a seat so I can study his handsome face. I remember the first time I laid eyes on this man. I didn’t admit it to myself at the time, but he was easily the most attractive human I had ever seen. And even though we’re older now and there are light smile lines and a few more years of sun exposure on his face, I still think he’s incredibly good-looking. Okay, drop-dead gorgeous. “Why do you think that?”
His hands fall to my legging-covered thighs where he rubs them up and down. It’s a possessive gesture he does when we’re together, reminding me that I’m his, no one else’s.
As if I’d want anyone else. He still makes me breathless.
“Well, I asked how Greece was, he said amazing, and then made an off-hand comment about how it was good for Milly to get away from everything. When I asked him more about it, he brushed it off as if it was nothing. But it didn’t seem like nothing. There’s something there. I wasn’t sure if Milly had spoken to you.”
I shake my head. “She hasn’t said anything to me. I wonder if she’s talked to Dottie.” I pat his chest. “Why don’t you make the reservations and I’ll check in with Dottie, see if she knows something I don’t.”
“Okay.” I go to get off his lap but he stops me and slips his hand behind my head. “Got to get those lips, first.”
I smirk and lean in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Once he’s satisfied, I hop off his lap, snag my phone from the coffee table, and then head back to our bedroom where I dial Dottie’s number.
The phone rings twice before it’s picked up.
“Emory, you beautiful creature, how are you?” Jason’s voice, Dottie’s husband, booms through the phone.
“Hey Jason. Doing well. How about you?”
“Oh, you know, watching my girl strut around naked. Just got done . . . you know,” he says, his voice full of innuendo.
In the background, I can hear Dottie yell, “Do not tell her that.”
“Oh, sorry,” he says. “Dottie doesn’t want me telling you how I just watched her do a striptease for me, followed by—”
He’s cut off as the phone bounces around a bit and then I hear, “I’m never doing that again, you hear me? That’s your punishment.”
“Suuuuuure,” Jason says in his teasing lilt that I know Dottie will fall for. Whatever they did, there’s no doubt in my mind that they’ll do it again, because she’s a sucker for the man. Absolutely loves him. And I’m not surprised. He’s crazy, and does the most absurd things regularly, but he’s so good for Dottie. I love that she’s so happy.
Chuckling, I say, “Are you there?”
“Yes,” Dottie’s out of breath voice says.
“Is Jason still alive?”
“Unfortunately.” I hear chuckling and then Dottie says, “Jason, I swear to God, go put some clothes on.”
“Is he doing the helicopter?”
In an exasperated tone, Dottie says, “When is he not? Honestly, I swear, being married to an overconfident, cocky man has its pluses but major drawbacks as well. At least Knox doesn’t do half the stuff Jason does.”
“But that’s why you love him, because you’re uptight and he’s not. He brings the fun out in you.”
“Is there a point to this phone call?”
I chuckle. “Yes, sorry. I was wondering if you’ve talked to Milly recently?”
“Uhh.” I hear a door click shut. “Just a few texts recently. I asked how her trip to Greece was, but nothing more than that. I didn’t want to bother her while she was trying to relax. Why?”
“Knox thinks something’s going on with Carson and Milly. Carson let something slip today and when Knox pressed him about it, he didn’t say much. So I wasn’t sure if Milly spoke to you. I know she goes to you on occasion about things.”
“No, she hasn’t said anything,” Dottie says with a concerned voice. “The only thing we’ve spoken about is her trip and then how Shane is getting a divorce. Do you think that has anything to do with it?”
“Her good friend Shane from college?”
“Yeah. Were they ever an item?”
I give it a thought. “I don’t think so. I think they were just friends. I don’t remember her saying anything about them being romantically involved.”
“Who’s Shane?” Jason asks.
“My lover,” Dottie replies and I snort into the phone, knowing exactly how Jason’s going to react.
“Woman, you know I don’t joke about that shit.” Pause, then, “Do you really have a lover? Is that why you did what you just did? Because you’re feeling guilty? Don’t do this to me, Dottie, you know I can’t handle the turmoil of a divorce. It will destroy me.”
So dramatic.
I hear Dottie snort. “Shane is Milly’s friend from college.”
“Oh . . . oh,” Jason says. “Oh shit, is she having an affair?”
“No,” Dottie says and then into the phone she asks, “Is she having an affair?”
“No,” I answer but then think on it again. “Milly and another guy? I honestly can’t imagine it, but then again, Knox did say Carson was looking down . . .” I truly doubt that Milly would ever cheat on Carson, or anyone for that matter. She’s too . . . loyal. Present. “Can you imagine her doing that, Dottie? You know Milly. We know Milly.”
“I agree. I know it was the first thought I threw out there, but I don’t think Milly’s capable of that. She and Carson are tight. Strong, ya know?”