When Josie left, Skylar was the first person I called. Not Adam, even though I knew I’d get nothing but support from him. But there was something about Skylar’s no-nonsense approach to life and her ability to cut through the extraneous bullshit that was refreshing. And when I was dangerously close to spiraling into chaos, she could keep me together like no one else.
I appreciated her steady friendship in a way that was very different from my friendship with Adam or Meg.
“I just closed on my new place,” she said with something close to a smile.
I bumped her shoulder again. “You did? That’s awesome!” Skylar had been back and forth over the purchase of a property just outside of town for almost six months. There had been some legal hang-up about the deed, but luckily, she had one of the best attorneys around as a friend, so Adam jumped on the case and got it figured out.
“No idea when I’ll actually get to move in, and it needs a lot of work before I do—”
“Say no more. You know I’ll help you,” I cut in.
Skylar shook her head. “You’ve got enough on your plate with your business and Katie. I can’t ask you to help me.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Well, it’s a good thing you’re not asking. Don’t be dumb, Murphy, I’ll be insulted if you don’t let me help you out.”
“You’re so pigheaded,” she sighed. “Rob said he knew some people that will give me a good deal—”
“Rob? Jenkins?” I asked, surprised that the seemingly uptight attorney would know anyone that could help out with home remodeling. I liked Rob Jenkins. He was a good dude. I trusted Adam’s opinion about people, and he wouldn’t have gone into a partnership with a douche, but the truth was I didn’t know much about the guy. I wasn’t sure anyone knew much about him—even Jeremy and Adam. He was a man that seemed to keep a lot close to the chest. And I noticed Skylar was spending time with him—under the pretense of work and mutual socializing—but I knew my friend, and I could see her interest.
“No, Rob Smith.” Skylar rolled her eyes. “Yes, Rob Jenkins. He says he has some friends back in Philadelphia who have their own home refurbishment business. Says they’ll give me a good rate because they know him.”
“I didn’t know he was from Philadelphia,” I said as we entered the kitchen. Meg had Katie up on the counter and was feeding her cookies, as I suspected.
“He’s not. But he went to school there.” Skylar looked at me as if I had lost all of my brains. Of course. They all went to university together. “Anyway, you can come by and give your opinion on the work that needs to be done if it’ll make you feel better,” Skylar conceded, making it clear she was done talking about Rob.
“Yeah, I’ll do that. Let me know when you get the keys, and we can do a walk-through together. I mean, I did gut my own place and do all the work myself,” I reminded her.
“And he did an amazing job too,” Meg piped up, putting Katie back on the ground.
“Should you be lifting a toddler when you’re pregnant?” I asked nervously.
Meg shooed away my comment. “Not you too. I’m not a damn invalid. Adam has been hovering around me like I’m going to keel over or something. It’s annoying.”
“And sweet,” a voice chimed in from the doorway. “He’s only looking out for you, which is what he should be doing.” Whitney went to the refrigerator and got herself a bottle of water, unscrewing the top before turning to face the rest of us. I noticed how her eyes flitted over everyone, quickly passing me by.
Okay then.
“I guess so, but he doesn’t have to be so overbearing about it,” Meg grumbled, though I could tell there was no rancor to her comment. She smiled slightly. “If he wasn’t so damn adorable, I’d make him sleep somewhere else until I gave birth.”
“Please. You’d rip his arms off if he weren’t attached to your hip and don’t pretend otherwise,” Skylar quipped, taking a beer from the box in my arms.
I dropped the beer on the table, taking a few out and putting them in the already packed fridge. Whitney scooted to the side, making way for me. My arm brushed against hers as I opened the refrigerator. Every cell of my body was tuned into those few points of contact. My skin remembered her skin. It was like muscle memory. It pulled and ached and craved.
I quickly shoved the beer inside and moved back to the other side of the room.
“They’re talking about work, so I’m escaping in here. I don’t know how they talk about that stuff when they don’t have to,” Lena griped, coming into the room, Daisy balanced on her hip. Daisy looked exactly like a tiny Lena, down to the chin. I couldn’t see any of Jeremy on her tiny face. She was beautiful in that baby kind of way that was all sweet smells and soft hair.