Page 11 of Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake
“I’ll get dressed.”
“I’ll see myself out.”
They spoke at the same time, both cringing.
“I can walk you out,” Rake said, scanning the floor for his underwear, feeling ridiculously modest all of a sudden.
“Don’t worry about it. I know the way,” Lizzie said, backing toward the door.
“Just give me a minute. I don’t mind.” He stretched out his arm, trying to reach the crumpled trunks.
“Seriously, it’s cool,” Lizzie said, shooting him little finger guns before she backed up into the wall with anoof.
“Oh my God, would you just wait a second.” Rake’s finger hooked the fabric, and he pulled it toward him, trying to hurry.
“Thanks for the, er… sex,” she rushed out, turning and getting to the door just as he pulled on his boxers and leaped out of bed.
“I really enjoyed—” The door clicked shut behind her before he could get the words out. “Meeting you,” he whispered to his empty hotel room.
Chapter 5
LIZZIE woke up the next morning and stumbled out of her room and straight to the kitchen for the coffeepot.
Indira was lying across the couch, a book in one hand and coffee in the other. “Morning, sun—”
Lizzie made a noise somewhere between a shush and a grunt, waving away her friend’s perky voice as she reached the pot. She grabbed her favorite mug from the shelf, the wordsWORLD’S SEXIEST GRANDPAprinted on it in large block letters, and filled it to the brim. After taking three long sips, she plastered a smile on her face and turned to Indira.
“Good morning, you sweet gorgeous angel with a face like a delicate orchid. How did you sleep?”
Indira snorted and moved her legs off the end of their couch, making room for Lizzie to sit. “You’re ridiculous,” she said. “And an addict,” she added, pointing at the mug.
“We all have our fatal flaws. What do you have planned today?”
“Errands,” Indira said with a wave. “Gonna try to get lunch with my brother too, but I’m on call tonight so I’ll be bumming around here after that. Fabulous life of a resident.”
Indira was wading her way through her psychiatric residency, focusing on pediatrics and regularly wowing Lizzie with hercompassion and hard work. Lizzie was so proud of her friend, it felt like her heart would burst from her chest every time Indira talked about it.
“Can I be you when I grow up?” Lizzie asked, taking another sip of her coffee. “Like, seriously. You’re gorgeousanda certified boss ass bitch? Incredible.”
Indira giggled, pressing a kiss to the top of Lizzie’s head. “You’re a boss bitch too, ya know.”
Lizzie almost choked on her sip of coffee. She’d lost countless jobs, was on thin ice with her current one, and still ate instant ramen over the sink like a raccoon foraging from a trash can on a regular basis. There wasn’t really a comparison.
Indira’s phone trilled from the coffee table, and she grabbed it. “Harper’s FaceTiming us,” she said, swiping open the call.
Lizzie and Indira smushed their faces together to fit in the screen, both screaming in excitement as their best friend, Harper, popped up. Harper’s gorgeous, gangly boyfriend, Dan, hovered in the background, smiling as he rested his chin on Harper’s shoulder.
“We miss youuuuuu,” Lizzie squawked. “Move back to Philly immediately, please.”
Harper had moved to New York a year ago after graduation for an oral surgery residency. She was so brilliant, Lizzie sometimes wondered how Harper’s tiny body could support such a giant brain.
“We miss you too!” Harper said, shooting a sweet glance at Dan. They were so in love, it was almost disgusting. “But hold on, let me get Thu-Thu in here,” Harper added. Thu was the final piece of their best friend quartet. Whip-smart and sarcastic as hell, she was living in Los Angeles as she finished up her orthodontics residency. After a few seconds of fiddling, Thu’s face filled the bottom half of the screen.
“Harper, did you tell them yet?” Thu asked by way of greeting.
“No, I thought I’d let you do the honors.”
Thu looked into the screen, her gorgeous smile brighter than normal. “We’re visiting!”