Neither of us asks if we should tell her.
I shower. In case I smell like him. Then don a powder blue bodycon dress. Combat boots. Leather jacket.
The pink-red lipstick that drives Oliver insane.
Holden and Daisy arrive around my first coat of mascara. I listen to them greet Oliver with a surprise. Launch into conversation about an expensive but delicious tea place in San Francisco.
I give them a few minutes alone. Buy time to think of a story.
To-may-to, to-mah-to.
I move downstairs.
Easy breaths.
Steady steps.
I'm seeing my best friend in person for the first time in nearly two months.
I'm excited about that.
I'm not terrified she's going to find out I'm fucking her brother.
Not. At. All.
There. My feet find the ground floor. My lips curl into a smile. My heart thuds against my chest. "Hey."
Daisy jumps out of her seat. She turns to me. Claps her hands together. "Oh my god, Luna. I missed you so much." She practically leaps from her spot at the table—next to Holden, across from Oliver, who's got a perfect poker face.
I wrap my arms around her. Pull her into a tight hug. "I missed you too." So much. Too much. I'm already melting into the familiarity.
Daisy is family. For the last ten years, this place has been my second home. But, really, it's her.
The shy girl who comes alive when she listens to music. Who insists she will never, ever read me her "terrible poetry."
Who loves tea, and tries to make everyone happy, and looks far too adorable for her own good.
She releases me with a happy sigh. "I haven't seen your hair in person, yet." She flips a few strands. "It's fierce."
"Thanks."
"Perfect on you." She turns back to Holden. "Doesn't she look good?"
"This is a trap," he says.
"Oh please." Daisy laughs. "He's not shy about pointing out cute chicks."
He nods maybe. "Luna looks amazing, baby. She knows that. Don't you, Luna?"
"Sure, but it never hurts to hear it," I say. "Tell me more, Holden. What do you find most beautiful about me?"
"Your humility," he says.
I laugh.
Daisy does too.
Even Ollie joins in.
"I know my personality is perfect, yes, but we're not on that yet," I say. "Tell me more about my outer beauty."
"You're very tall," he says.
"Is that even a compliment?" I ask.
"It's not your best work," Daisy says.
Holden's laugh gets louder. "You want me to tell your friend she has a great rack? She knows she has a great rack. She shows it off all the time."
"God, he turned that into an insult almost," I say.
Oliver nods. "You used to have more game than this."
Holden's expression gets knowing. Something about how Oliver and I are fucking, so of course, Oliver enjoys my rack.
But he says nothing. Just smiles. "Maybe you should show us. So we can judge properly. Is that better?"
Daisy play swats him. "Don't even."
"No? Just you, baby." He motions come here. When she does, he pulls her into a slow kiss.
I groan reflexively.
She pulls back. Turns to me. "Sorry. He's just so incorrigible."
He smiles. "Baby, you know what those big words do to me."
She laughs, charmed. I guess she would find her boyfriend charming. And, really, I should thank him for playing up the Casanova thing. He's doing it to distract her from the Oliver and I are fucking thing.
Or maybe he's doing it because he's Holden.
Either way, it works.
I mouth thanks to the trouble making tattoo artist. Turn to my best friend.
"What were we… your hair. It really does suit you." She smiles. "I cut mine a little." She motions to her wavy blond locks. They're still long, but now they fall at her shoulders, instead of halfway down her back. "You like?"
"You look grown-up." It's overwhelming. Daisy is the sister I never had. She's sweet and well-meaning and incredibly easy to hurt. I'm protective of her.
So seeing her bloom—
I blink back a tear.
"Oh my God, Luna, don't. Or I won't stop." She squeezes me again. "Come on, Ollie made coffee."
"You look so grown-up."
"I do not." She leads me to the table. To the spot next to Oliver.
"You do, baby." Holden leans in to kiss her.
"Why?" Daisy's voice fills with curiosity. "I'm the same."
"No." He shakes his head. "You're carrying yourself differently. With more confidence. And this—" He runs his fingers over the hem of her dress.
Oliver practically growls.
Holden turns to him. Shoots him a really look. "Down boy."
"You really want to say that to him?" Daisy asks.
Oh—
Ew. I clear my throat.
Holden chuckles. "Okay. No funny business at the table. I don't like those rules." He kisses Daisy again. "But I can live with them."
"Can you?" Oliver asks.
Daisy mouths sorry. "It's surprising, actually." She smiles. "I got to his place at six a.m. Woke him up. And then—"
"Fuck, no details," Oliver says.
She blushes. "I'm just… surprised you have so much energy." Her eyes fill with affection as she looks at her boyfriend.
"For you? Always." He pulls her into another soft kiss.
Yeah, it's adorable. They're in love. I'm happy for them.
Just maybe… "Save it for later."
Her blush deepens. "I better keep him busy." She squeezes his hand. "Make me a chai? Pretty please."
He nods sure. Kisses her again. Like he's making a show of it.
Maybe he is. It's not like either one of us can object.
Even so, I thank some higher power when Holden finally moves to the kitchen.
"She's right," Oliver says. "You look grown-up."
"Why?" Her hand goes to her heart. "My hair is four inches shorter and I'm wearing a sweater dress. It was cold this morning."
"It's one of those things." His expression fills with pride. "Obvious but impossible to explain."
"A good thing?" she asks.
He nods yeah.
"Okay, I'll accept it. But stop bringing it up." She looks to me. "And, I guess Luna hasn't been a guest for a long time. And she's definitely not a guest now. But why is she without a mug of coffee when yours is full?"
"I'm a bad host?" he asks.
"A bad roomie, I guess." She looks to me. "Is he?"
"Only if you mind listening to Smells Like Teen Spirit fifteen times a day," I say.
His hand brushes my lower back as he stands.
"Only fifteen?" Holden chuckles. "He's losing his touch."
Oliver grabs a mug from the top shelf, fills it to the brim, drops it at the table. "Black?"
"Of course." I wrap my hands around the ceramic. "Thanks."
"Don't thank me. You asked for this." He pulls out his cell. Taps the screen a few times.