Page 117 of Fly with Me

“Like how much I want to peel your uniform off you and tie you to the bed with one of those neckties you wear. Or use it as a blindfold. I have many, many ideas.”

“I’m glad I’m sleeping with someone with such a creative imagination. You’re putting that art history degree to work.”

Sleeping with. Not girlfriends with. Was that intentional? Dropping that in to remind Olive that only part of this was real? The rest a mutually satisfying friendship. And fuck, Olive was satisfied. Her lady parts would probably be aching for days. The happy pain reminding her of the time they’d spent in bed. On the couch. On the floor. And in the shower.

Friends.

Friends who were attracted to each other and wanted constant sex. It was a natural thing. Casual. No commitment beyond the last work event a couple of weeks away right before Christmas. They hadn’t talked about what it would mean when it was over yet. They hadn’t talked about anything relationship-wise since Olive’s pneumonia.

Olive frowned for a second, but Stella kissed the drooping corners of her mouth. “I know you’re hungry.” She passed her a bottle. “Shampoo, Olive. Then I really am going to buy you lunch.”

Olive blinked and wiped the water from her eyes. “We can never shower together if we have to be somewhere on time.”

“Good thinking.”

They finished their shower, and then toweled off. They shared a couple of kisses tasting of toothpaste before Olive headed to her closet to find clothes. Stella’s things were still out in the living room.

Olive pulled on her clothes, dusted her face with a small amount of makeup, and ended with a sweep of mascara.

Her phone was still plugged in on the nightstand, and it was vibrating. A sinking sensation dropped into her pelvis at the name flashing on the screen. This wasn’t good. She swiped to answer.

“What’s up, Morgan?”

“You told me to call you if anything changed.”

Olive’s legs shook, and she sank down onto the bed. “What’s wrong?”

“Can you come in today? The doc here wants to call your family in for an emergency meeting.”

Her face screwed up with tension. “Is everything…”

“Let’s talk when you get here, okay?”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

The past two weeks had been too damn perfect to last.

Chapter 42

Stella opened the door. “What’s wrong?”

“My brother.” Olive covered her face, a chill shaking her shoulders. “I just got a call from his facility.”

“What happened?” Tender concern lined her face.

“I don’t know. They’re calling us in for an emergency family meeting.”

“What does that mean?”

“He might have taken a turn for the worse. Or they might have gotten some new test results. I don’t know.”

Stella wrapped an arm around Olive. “Do you want to tell me more about him and what’s going on with your family? I know you haven’t been ready before, but I know he was important to you. I know about the video, but there’s more, right?” Her eyes were round and questioning without being intrusive.

“Jake… Jake was this enormous teddy bear. He was six foot seven. Hockey player. A goalie, actually. He was the best older brother. Overprotective but not in a toxic way. Just in a… I-knew-he-cared way. He was also good at everything. My younger sister is similar. Type A. Perfect grades. He was an engineer and built planes, but I think I told you that.” Olive blinked several times, scrunching her face and then relaxing it. “I used to make him laugh by refusing to understand about how planes work.” Olive gave a watery laugh. “I’d say it was magic.” Olive was pretty sure she was repeating herself, but her brain was functioning like a rusty gear.

Stella shook her head and brushed away a tear from Olive’s cheek.

“He had this health scare. It was really bad because he lived alone and his cleaning lady found him passed out. He ended up being fine, but I guess it scared him. He said he had an epiphany and made this list.”