"I did."
"How did Adam feel about that?"
"I didn't ask."
"Overprotective with him too?"
"It was necessary."
She raises a brow was it? "I guess… he was alone a long time. He wasn't doing well. It would be easy for someone to take advantage… but more likely he'd be taking advantage of her."
Maybe, but—"I'm trying to protect him. Not her."
"That's kinda fucked up."
"I didn't know her."
"Now that you do?"
"Of course," I say. "She's family. I'll do anything to protect her."
"Really? Bri too?"
I nod.
"I should warn them."
"Hey."
"What? I should. Are you going to investigate every one of their friends and coworkers too?"
"Only drastic changes."
"And with Vanessa? Did you investigate her?"
"It's not serious."
"She's having dinner with the family."
"She's a family friend."
"Mm-hmm." She shakes her head sell that story to someone who buys it. "You like her."
"I do."
"More than you liked Katy. Or the woman before that."
"I've known her a long time."
"And liked her a long time. That's what Liam says. He says she's been the number one spot in your spank bank since you hit puberty."
That sounds like Liam. "I had a crush on her in school."
"Simon with a crush… I wish I could see that. It's hard to imagine. Or maybe I'm seeing it now. Quick, think about her."
"Not in front of you."
"Are you excited to see her tomorrow? At the opera?"
"Not the way you mean."
"Oh my god, you are! You totally like her. Get a ring, pronto. You'll never do better."
I won't. She's right there.
"Why don't you talk about it with me?"
"I don't talk."
"You do." She folds her arms. "You did, with Bash. I know it's different now, but… do you really think this is what he'd want? For you to hold on to everything, all the time?"
No. Of course not.
"He was always trying to draw out your romantic impulses. Even when he talked about sex. He made the dirtiest things sound romantic."
"Should I be concerned?"
"So you do remember."
"He had a way of speaking."
"Seriously. He could be in one of these." She pulls a paperback book from her backpack. A romance with a swirling sheet on the cover. Something illicit.
The really dirty books have the sleekest covers.
Rings, ties, lace, silk sheets, feathers, heels.
"But more vanilla." She catches my stare. Drops the book in her backpack. "No shame."
"Should I be concerned now?"
"What do you always say? Don't be ashamed of your desires? Well, I'm not. So I'm sure you support me in wanting to do two guys at once."
Fuck.
"There's this cute guy in my art class who's really close with his friend. They're always talking about it…"
She's trying to kill me.
"Oh my god, your face." She laughs. "See, it's not that bad. We're not talking about whether or not I'm going to plan a threesome—"
"Are you?"
"Not right now, but—"
"Opal."
She doubles over laughing. "Oh my god. You're too easy."
I am. She knows how to push my buttons.
The server interrupts with our food. He looks at us funny. Shrugs weird rich white people and leaves.
"We don't need to talk about whether or not you and Vanessa are planning threesomes." She stirs hot sauce into her already hot noodles. "We don't need to talk about anything specific. But we should talk about it. What it means."
"It's just sex."
"That's not true."
She scoops noodles to her mouth. Chews. Swallows. Groans. "Oh my god, this is so good." She motions to her plate. "Try it."
"I know what that means."
"What?" She plays dumb.
"It's too spicy for anyone but you."
"You can handle it."
I can't, but this is part of our routine too. I take a bite of her noodles, bring them to my lips.
Fuck.
Already, my tongue is on fire.
I push through it, but it's hotter with every bite.
There.
I manage to swallow.
"Good, right?" she asks.
Fuck, it's hot. The Thai iced tea helps. Not enough to soothe my tongue, but enough I can talk. "You're super-human."
"Thanks." She takes another bite. Shrugs at the spice level. "It's more than sex."
"We're back to that?"
"We never left." She sips her tea. Sighs with pleasure. "What would you say to Bash?"
"If he was here, I'd have more pressing questions."
"If he hadn't… if things were different."
I wish he were here. Everything would be easier. Even this.
"I'm not Bash. I know. I'm younger, less experienced." She clears her throat way less experienced. "And I'm a woman." She doesn't add I know that's it, but I won't call you on it, but we both know it's there. "But I can be romantic too." She taps her chin, trying to recall our late brother. "Were you with her last night?"
"I was."
She squeals in a very Opal way. But when she smiles—
That's Bash's smile.
Warm, affectionate, wanting the entire world as in love with love as he is.
"You spent the night with her," she says. "Actually spent the entire night. What was that like? Being in her bed? Holding her? Having this vision of a life you could have together?"