Page 95 of Nothing to This

“Zairn Lomond…”

“I think he’s seeing someone, but I can ask.”

That quick wit endeared her.“Right,” she said with a quiet laugh and picked up a pen to distract her fingers.“It’s none of my business, but…”

“No, we don’t swing.”Shock took her eyes to Roxie’s smile.“I’ll have to keep guessing if you don’t spit it out.”

“Do people actually ask you things like that?”

“You’d be amazed how brazen people can be.To most of them, we’re not real people.Gives them the impression they’re entitled to us.”

“And that doesn’t upset you?”

“You know what would upset me?If Zairn asked that question.If he asked it seriously, anyway.In our world, our life, there are strong boundaries.We know what’s important: each other, our friends, the people we care about.Everything else is bullshit; it’s theater.Fun that allows us to prioritize our true reality.What we are doesn’t belong to them, and who cares if they think it does?I get to fall asleep in my man’s arms any time I want.I can pick up the phone and pour my grief or stress into him without question or judgment.We’re one unit.Completely open, completely safe.Your guy has to be your safe space.JD seems decent, like he’s in it with you.”

“We’re not together.”

“I heard that about you.What did you want to ask?”

“You made a comment about, a joke, about 3D kids.”

Roxie cringed.“Yeah, I’m sorry about that.”

“No, it’s fine, I… Have you talked about it?With Zairn?Having kids?”

“Yeah.We have embryos on ice, just in case.We’ll get around to it sometime.”

“Doesn’t it scare you?Until recently, people didn’t know JD was the twins’ father.As soon as we go public…”

“His ex would’ve been crazy, public or not.But I get it, you’re worried his wealth makes targets of your kids.It does.I won’t lie to you.”

She swallowed.“How do I minimize that threat?Counter the massive imbalance between what he is and what we are.”

Another smile from Roxie.“Don’t look now, but I think ‘we’ is growing to include ‘he,’ or the other way around.There’s no imbalance when he’s standing on your side.I don’t know Dawes, at all, but I saw it this weekend.The way he looks at you, how he was with Kye.Jamison Dawes knows where his family is.In good times, in bad.What you faced this weekend is probably the worst thing any parent can go through.”Short of a negative outcome, but she wouldn’t give that thought a platform.“You did it together.Didn’t you notice?”

“I wouldn’t have got through it without him.He saved our little girl.”

“And jeopardized her too.”

“No,” she said, unwilling to accept that.“It’s not his fault Gabby is insane.We can’t be held responsible for someone’s actions just because we used to sleep with them.Would you blame Zairn for the same?”

“Oh, please, we could write a book about that.A whole series on his exes.”She sighed.“I’m crazier than most of them.”The blonde pointed a straight finger.“Most.”She faltered to a grin and whispered, “but I have it on good authority that he loves my crazy too.”

“Sounds like quite the guy.”

“Yours is too…” Yeah, was that enough or was she being selfish in justifying her desire?“What do you say to going for a drink tonight?No Crimson clubs in Seattle, but we own a bunch of bars and other clubs.We can tear up the town … I’ve never been arrested in Washington.Not yet anyway.Commits misdemeanors, will travel.Z will be thrilled.”

Whatever that meant.“Uh… Thanks for the offer, but I have two little ones to go home with.”

“Right.Sure, sure.We can stay indoors; I can have fun anywhere.You got music?”

“Music?Yeah, we have music.Brenna’s coming over tonight.”

“Girls’ night!I want to get to know her better too.”

“Not much fun, keeping things clean for the little ones.They could get up any time and Kye—”

“He can hang with us,” Roxie said.“We’ll give him the inside track on the opposite sex before he hits his teens.”God, what a thought.“You don’t want to hang out, that’s fine.But we’re happy to include the kids.Lilya’s pregnant, so we take it easy for her.We’re almost all guy-less up here, why shouldn’t we celebrate the sisterhood?”