Page 114 of Where You're Planted

She frowned over her shoulder, a flash of worry.

“Because I know we have to be quiet, but I’m kind of addicted to the sounds you make when you come.”

She laughed through her nose, her amusement followed by new sparks of heat in her eyes. “God,” she said, slipping her hand around his neck, “youaretrouble.”

—

Jack awoke to a doorbelland Tansy’s startled elbow jabbing into his ribs. She tripped getting out of bed, complaining, “It’s seven on a Saturday. Who on earth—” She stumbled into the plastic nightstand, toppling the glass of water he’d brought for her after theirthirdround, which had been barely four hours ago.

He laughed and swung his legs to the floor. “Open your eyes before you walk,” he teased, adding, “I’ll get it.”

She threw him a glare. As he shuffled down the hall, he heard her in the bathroom, bumping into the wall and cursing.

Jack had grabbed his shirt and was snapping it up over his boxer briefs, planning to simply pop his head around the door and tell whatever Jehovah’s Witness or home security salesperson they weren’t interested, but he came around the corner into the living room just as Briar was pulling the door open for Marianne, Irma, Kai, and Ian.

“Christ,” he coughed.

Marianne raised a righteous eyebrow before looking him up and down and immediately averting her eyes.

Irma held out her palm and announced, “Everybody, pay up.”

“I’ll Venmo you,” Kai groused.

Jack would kill for a fucking couch right now to block his bare legs and boxers from these people. “What are y’all doing here?” he managed tightly.

“Where’s Tansy?” Marianne asked, cheeks aflame.

“She’s—”

“Who is it?” Tansy called, coming down the hall. “Unless they’re selling Girl Scout cookies, we’re not—” She skidded to a stop, nearly bumping into Jack, where he, too, had stopped abruptly. She had at least thought to put on sweatpants and a T-shirt, but her hair was an absolute mess, and she had beard burn down one side of her neck.

“Not Girl Scout cookies. But we brought doughnuts,” Irma said, offering up a Shipley’s box.

Briar perked up at that and followed her into the kitchen.

Tansy tried to detangle her hair with her fingers before giving up. “It’s seven on a Saturday,” she said defensively. “Why are you all here?”

Kai stepped forward, and Jack moved Tansy in front of him, blocking his half-dressed body. “Turns out, the vice chair of the grant committee is in Marianne’s cat rescue group, and they’ve been talking about medications for this feline skin disease for weeks.Shepassed along unofficial word to Marianne.”

“That’s right,” Marianne said, straightening a little. “For once, I was the first to know something.”

“The first to knowwhat?” Tansy asked impatiently.

“We got the grant,” Ian said, grabbing Kai’s hand.

“We got the grant?” Jack asked.

“We got the grant,” he said again.

And then everyone in the room repeated it, again and again. Briar joined in, marching around the room, lifting her already-half-eaten doughnut in celebration. The others made an impromptu conga line, unencumbered by Tansy’s lack of furniture.

Tansy laughed and turned to Jack, tears in her eyes and the most beautiful smile on her face. “Nice work, partner. Now…when’s a good time to discuss decor for our building?”

Epilogue

Tansy

About One Year Later