I stopped mid-motion at her words, the one thing she could say that would have me pausing.
“Brian’s willing to negotiate if you meet with him. Here, tomorrow for brunch. There, I shared the message. Please try to be more grateful in the future.”
She hung up, and I stayed staring at the sink, shock coursing through my body. Of course, she had an ace up her sleeve. It was naive of me to assume otherwise.
“Everything okay, Lo?”
Monroe’s voice broke through my shock and I gathered myself, forcing a familiar smile to my lips.
“Yep, just my mother being her usual nasty self.” I fiddled with the dish and finished putting the potatoes together. My hands were shaking, but I ignored them. By the time I turned around, Monroe was staring at me, his brow furrowed.
“I’m good, I promise, and thanks for the compliment earlier. I’ve been trying to learn how to cook more. Jude’s a good sport about taste testing things for me.”
“I’m sure it'll taste wonderful.”
Jude and I looked at one another, laughing as we both cringed. “Yeah, no. Not necessarily. It’s been very much a hit or miss, with definitely more misses. But,” I stressed, raising the food, “I think I’m finally getting the hang of it.”
“You are getting better. Nothing’s been inedible, just not always the best tasting.”
“That’s putting it nicely since you eat almost anything.”
He shrugged, and Monroe laughed with us, looking between the two of us. “You two have gotten closer.”
I know he hadn’t meant anything by it, but it reminded Jude and me why it was the case, both of our expressions falling.
“Yeah, well.” I shrugged, not wanting to think about it. Jude didn’t hold his punches, though, and said it out loud.
“What Loren isn’t saying is that, while I’m a lovable teen that she’s been happy to spend time with,” he preened, placing his hand on his chest before dropping it. His face turned serious as he addressed Monroe. “It wasn’t by choice since all the guys in her life decided to flake on her when she needed them the most.”
Part of me wanted to give him a look for talking impolitely to our company, the bigger part of me was proud of him for speaking up. He’d grown so much into himself, at least with me. “Jude.” I shook my head, unable to say anything else because he wasn’t wrong.
“No, he’s right, Loren, and I’m sorry things turned out the way they did.”
“It’s okay, Monroe, I know. Levi’s important.”
“He is,” he agreed, “the most.”
I didn’t miss the way his eyes glossed a little, and I knew he’d been missing not only Levi, but me as well. It hadn’t been easy for him. Something about that knowledge had me softening even more.
“It doesn’t mean you’re not either, or that your feelings weren’t hurt in the process. I know I need to make up for it even if you do understand.” He’d moved closer, ending with his hands on my hips as he spoke, looking down at me. Monroe displayed remorse and the last shred of doubt I’d had left me.
“You’re right. I am important,” I smiled, “and I’m glad we’re getting another chance.” Leaning up on my toes, I kissed his lips softly, mindful of the teen still in the room, who decided to pipe up, reminding us as well.
“Kid in the room. I repeat, kid in the room.”
I stepped back and looked at Jude, sticking out my tongue. “That was so PG. Even Disney has spicier kisses.”
“Nope, don’t want to hear it!” he laughed, covering his ears.
Rolling my eyes, I handed him the bowl of potatoes across the island to set on the table. He took them with no complaints, and I turned back to grab the chicken. Monroe smiled at me, the gesture sweet and crinkling the corners of his pale green eyes.
“What?”
“You’re both cute together. I’m simultaneously beating myself up for missing it, jealous of what you two have built, and glad you had each other.”
I didn’t know what to say to that, so I dipped my head in acceptance before handing him the chicken and picked up the bread as we moved to the table. Quietly, I scooped out food and passed it off to them. I didn’t know why I felt so awkward about what he’d said, but his honesty had affected me more than I’d been prepared to deal with.
“So, um, Jude, I didn’t get to ask you about how the gaming night went. Did you have fun?”