Page 103 of Everything After

Poppy played in the pool and sunbathed while I made Kara and I drinks before we studied properties on some realtor sites. After some persuasion and a ton of deliberation she chose two quite moderately priced places in gated communities to view.

Once I’d made us fresh drinks we headed out to the patio.

“This is great timing,” I said, smiling.

“What is?” Kara asked.

“I invited another friend over. Neil was one of the students I worked with at FSU, he was in the same year as Lily. I met him at their alumni reunion a few days ago and invited him and his daughter over.”

“Do you want us to leave?”

“Hell no. Neil’s a single guy and part-time dad from what I gather. I’ve invited him and his daughter over to chill.”

“I’m confused, you invited us and him?”

“Yeah, I thought I’d introduce you to each other.”

“I’m not looking for a man, Alfie.”

“And I’m not suggesting that’s why he’s here. But you could use some friends since you’ve been out of the loop for so long. Trust me, he’s a nice guy, you’ll like him.”

“I’m not looking for a man and yet I smell a set-up.”

“Then you’re wrong, but if you were, you could do worse,” I said, chuckling. “Look, I asked him on the spur of the moment… and yes, as I haven’t seen him in years, I figured it would be good to invite him with someone else.”

“And I happen to be that ‘someone else’?” Kara asked, wide-eyed.

“You are. I just thought it might be mutually beneficial to us all to hang out since I haven’t spent time with either of you in years.”

We both glanced down at the dock and saw Skipper Ronnie lift Neil’s daughter and set her down beside Neil on the dock. After waving him off, Neil took his daughter’s hand, turned and looked up at the patio. I stood and waved, then waited for them to reach us.

“You never said he was good looking,” Kara muttered out the side of her mouth as Neil and his daughter drew nearer.

I chuckled. “He’s not exactly my type.”

“I wish he wasn’t mine. He’s hot… and getting hotter by the minute,” she admitted as she shuffled her feet, then shifted her weight from one leg to the other. “Damn, look at all that long hair and those sculpted abs. Men with bodies like you and him shouldn’t be allowed to wear tight T-shirts.”

“Thought you’d sworn off men?” I asked, laughing.

“My head is, but my lady parts are weeping at that decision.”

“Did you just tell me he makes you wet, Kara?”

For a whole two beats Kara stopped breathing, stared up at me with eyes as wide as the moon. When her thoughts had thawed out from the shock, she swiped my arm with the back of her hand. “I-I didn’t mean th-that kind of wet,” she stuttered as Neil stepped onto the patio. “Hi, Alfie, thanks for the invite.”

“Glad you could make it. And who is this little lady?” I asked.

“Alexandra, but you can call me Allie.” I instantly got the vibe that Allie was not only cute with her dark mahogany hair and big brown eyes, but as sharp as a tack.

“Poppy, can you come up here for a sec,” Kara called, waving at her daughter who was laying down by the pool.

Poppy glanced up, shaded her eyes and stood up. She wrapped a sarong around her waist and came up to meet us.

“This is an old friend of mine, Kara and her daughter,” I said, gesturing at them both with one hand.

“Didn’t you used to go to FSU?” Neil asked Kara, looking from her to me for confirmation. From his narrowed eyes, I could see he wondered how we knew one another.

“Yeah. No,” Kara and I said in unison.