After we cleaned up we took over the dining room table to work on his design project. He’d come up with a serviceable design, good but not brilliant. I critiqued his drawings and offered a bunch of suggestions. I sounded like Professor Joska, which annoyed me to no end.
Wren came downstairs half an hour later. She breezed through the dining room and gave Trip a kiss in passing. On the way back, with a full bottle, she bent and kissed
“Good job,” she said.
She wasn’t talking about the project.
“What was that about?” Trip asked when she’d gone back upstairs.
“I had a big talk with Christy this morning.”
“No fireworks?”
“No. Went pretty well. Told her a bit of my history.”
“Ah. I’m sure I’ll hear about it tonight.”
“Yeah, probably. Can’t keep anything secret around here.”
“Just so you know,” he said, “Wren and Christy tell each other everything. If one of ’em knows, the other does too.”
“I kinda figured.”
“And they aren’t like us. They give details. Like,
“Got it. Thanks. Now, let’s take a look at that case study of yours. If you change the design, you’ll have to…”
Christy came downstairs the next time, about an hour later. She patted my shoulder on the way by. When she returned with a full bottle, she paused and gave Trip a sisterly kiss on the cheek. Then she planted a whopper on me. I felt lightheaded when she pulled away.
“Um… not that I mind,” I said, “but are you okay?”
“Mmm hmm. We aren’t drunk or anything. Just buzzed. Having a girls’
night. You guys have fun. You know where we’ll be.” She waved and headed toward the stairs.
“That was interesting,” Trip said when she was out of earshot.
“Very. And if you don’t mind, tell Wren I’m trying to slow things down.
Christy gets really flirty when she’s drinking.”
“Gee, you think?”
“Exactly. So it’d be easy for me to take advantage of her when she is. I
“Okay. I’ll tell her.”
“Thanks. I don’t think I need a chaperone or anything, but I’m a little worried what’ll happen if we’re both drunk. Then the little head does most of my thinking.”
“Been there, done that.”
“Right. Anyway, let’s get back to your site plan. I think you should…”
The girls came out of Christy’s studio a little after eleven. We heard them giggling from two floors down.
“Oh, boy,” Trip said under his breath.
“Right. Good thing we’re more or less done.”
“Thanks for all your help, man. I didn’t realize how much I miss having you around to give me advice.”
“I’m always here. Sorry I’ve been busy with my own stuff. I should’ve made more time for you.”
“It’s okay,” he chuckled. “We aren’t dating.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Yeah. Sorry. Couldn’t resist.”
We stood as the girls entered the room.
“Trip Whitman,” Wren said, “the bases are loaded, an’ I need a gran’
slam.”
“That isn’t all that’s loaded,” I stage-whispered.
Christy giggled.
“I heard that,” Wren said. “Yes, we are loaded. Horny too.”
“Speak for yourself!”
Wren ignored her. “Hustle up,” she said to Trip. “You’re on deck.”
“She’s really kinda cute when she tries to talk baseball,” he said. “Better give her what she wants. Batter up!”
“Doubleheader if you’re lucky,” Wren promised.
“Already
Christy rolled her eyes when they’d gone. “She drank a lot more than I did.”
“I could tell.” I nodded at the seat next to me. “Join me?”
“I’m a little hungry. You want a snack instead?”
“Sure.”
I sliced carrots while she cut an apple in half and smeared it with peanut butter.
“Aren’t you having anything?” she asked.
“Nah. I’m still full from dinner.”
“Lucky you.”
“Wish I knew where you put all this,” I said.
“Me too.”
I sat at the kitchen table with her while she ate. I told her about Trip’s project and the changes we’d made.
“Wren said he’s really struggling,” she said. “He has to work a lot harder now. He doesn’t get it like you do, and it bothers him.”
“He has other talents. He gets the business side of things.”
“Yeah. She said he’s doing well in his management class.” She fell silent and ate her apple.
“So,” I said when she finished, “is that all you talked about?”
She shook her head and looked down at her plate. She wiped up stray peanut butter and absentmindedly sucked it off her finger. She blushed when her eyes met mine and she realized what she was doing.
“If you eat any more peanut butter, I may have to leave the room.”
“I can’t help it.”
“I know. Sorry. I’ll be nice. So… you told Wren what I said?”
She nodded.
“Did she have anything to add?”
“The usual.”
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”
“It isn’t that. It’s just that I have a lot to think about.”
“Okay. I can live with that. Like I said, I’m patient.”
“I’m glad.”
I took her plate and set it in the sink. “You ready for bed?”
“Separately or together?”
My jaw didn’t
“Sorry,” she said with a laugh. “I can’t be a good girl all the time. I have to keep you interested.”
