Page 48 of The Benefits of Love (As I Am 2)

“Yeah, yeah, Olivia, we’re eating.” Laura silenced her from starting aconversation none of us needed to delve into. She peeled off the wrapper of her sandwich and started nibbling at it while we watched the people passing by and the park and river ahead of us.

Unlike Friday evening, we were each lost to our own thoughts. Mine strayed to work and the office, then returned to Laura. Growing to like her didn’tseem too far-fetched, considering she was gorgeous, kind, funny, and basically had everything I’dbeen looking for in apartner, if Iever sought one. Which Ididn’t.

The alternative would have been to end this arrangement with Laura and start asimilar one with another woman. Uh, no thanks. There weren’tmany women like Laura who were as confident about not getting attached, no matter the level of friendship we had. Itruly preferred not to hurt anice girl over amisunderstanding, when Ihad Laura who understood me well.

When we finished our food, Laura collected the leftovers, pushed from the blanket, and went to the nearest trash can to dispose of them.

“You like my sister.” Olivia’sstatement shook me from staring at Laura.

“What?” Itwisted my head, my brow furrowing.

“You heard me.” She lowered her voice to aconspiratorial tone. “Shut up and listen, before she comes. She didn’ttell me anything, but”—Olivia peeked at Laura, who reached the bin and tossed everything inside—“if Ihad to guess, I’dsay she likes you too.”

Ihoped my cool stare covered my surprise. “We’re friends. Friends like each other.”

“Nah, Ihave guy friends. This isn’thow we look at each other.” Her lips quirked in asmile, smug with herself. “Not like you two did now, or over dinner.”

The stares she caught weren’tof two people in love, they were of people in lust. People who were attracted to each other and happened to enjoy the other’scompany.

She inched closer to me, waving at Laura and saying through afake smile, “You both are in such denial.”

“Livs, we’re friends,” Ijoined her whispering when Laura was less than six feet away.

“Riiight.” She widened her grin, looking like anutty toothbrush commercial when her sister stood directly above us.

Laura inspected us, her hands on her hips. “Everything okay?”

“Yes, of course.” Olivia rose to her feet, wiping her hands on her sweats. “Let’sgo home, err, Imean to work.” She strode off, not waiting for us before hopping off toward the bikes.

“What did you say to make her stop being Miss Grumpy Cat?” Laura whispered.

What was it with the whispering? “Nothing. She’sateenager, one minute this, next minute the other.”

Laura focused her laser beam eyes on me, contemplating whether she believed me or not. “Whatever it was, I’mgrateful.” She patted my arm, her inquisitive glare transforming into awarm one. “For her and for this morning.”

She didn’tgive me asecond to reply before climbing on her toes, placing her hands on my shoulders, and leaning in to kiss my cheek.

Olivia, who stood behind her, mouthed meTold youand did aheart shape with her hands.