Page 3 of November

“Hey,” Finley greeted her. “Don’t be mad, but Molls is coming, too.”

“Oh?” she said and sat down across from Finley, dropping her expensive, in-season bag onto the vinyl of the booth and hoping there wasn’t anything on that vinyl that would damage the bag. “I thought it was just going to be us.”

“It is for right now. She’s going to stop by later, though. She’s with Jules and Gwen, and they were already planning on coming here tonight.”

“Okay,” India replied.

“But she said it would be, like, thirty minutes, at least, so that gives us some time.”

“Right,” she said. “So, what’s to drink here?”

“Pretty much anything.”

“You got a beer?”

“Of course,” Finley said, holding it up.

“Do they have wine here?”

“They do. And this is Candace’s place. You remember her from the barbecue?”

“Oh. This isherplace?” she asked, taking another look around.

“Yeah. And she’s a brilliant mixologist; ranked in the world and stuff. I usually don’t take her up on it, but if you ask her, she’ll make you something you’ll probably love.”

“Intriguing,” she said, considering. “Something for fall, maybe.”

“Go for it,” Finley replied and took a drink.

“Oh, hey.”

India looked up, expecting to see Candace or Logan, who worked here as a bartender. It could’ve also been Rory, Logan’s girlfriend, who told India at that same backyard barbecue that she had spent a lot of time here since Candace was her best friend. Instead, it was Ava, the woman Finley had tried to set her up with at that party, but India hadn’t wanted to be set up. Ava hadn’t been interested, either, so they’d just texted a few times since then as friends.

“Hey. What are you doing here?” India asked.

“Came to talk to Logan. I have news,” Ava said. “She told me to stop by.”

“Want to join us?” India offered.

Finley looked at her in confusion then. Yes, India knew that this was supposed to be them testing the friendship waters, but Finley had invited her girlfriendandJuliet and Gwen, sosheconsidered Ava fair game.

“Sure. Let me just tell Logan that I’m here.”

Ava walked over toward the bar, where India saw Logan pouring drinks.

“So, no friend hang tonight, then?” Finley asked.

“You invited your girlfriend, Finley.”

“No, I didn’t,” Finley said. “Look, Molls is good with you and me hanging out, but she’s still a little nervous about it, given everything. So, we compromised, and I told her I’d hang with you for a few and she could join after that, okay?”

“Why didn’t you just tell me that?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t tell Molly that I would.”

“Is she really that worried about us?”

“Not how you think. Molly liked me for a while, and I didn’t know, but she had to watch you and me together for a long time, India. Then, you pulled that crap where you tried to kiss me a few weeks ago, so I think she’s got a right to be nervous.”