Page 26 of The Deals We Make

Switch and I had a good belly laugh at that bright idea.

But finally, you could eat food straight off the counters if you had to.

We did a couple of quick cycles through the dishwasher and hand washed the shit out of the cupboards.

Switch came up with the idea of rigging Calista’s hairdryer to dry the crockery off quicker when we ran out of cloths.

“Gotta go,” Switch says finally as we clean up the mess outside. “Sophia’s made dinner.”

I hug my friend. “Thanks for doing this. You need a ride home?”

Switch pulls off the thick gloves he’s been wearing. “Niro’s on his way over to get me, and then he’ll drop me off on his way home.”

“I owe you one.”

He shakes his head but looks up at the house. “You don’t. But…be careful. With her, yeah?”

“I know what I’m doing.”

“You sure?”

“We just got to tie up the ends. Give ourselves some closure on what went down.”

Switch raises an eyebrow. “Closure? Is that what we’re calling it these days?”

There’s no point pretending I don’t know what he means. “Fuck you. She’s gonna go back to California. A woman like her doesn’t stick around when things get tough.”

“Even with her mom like this? I’d give my right nut to be closer to Mom right now but with our respective ongoing treatments, it’s hard. Have to make do with trips down there to see her.”

“I don’t know, but I guess she’ll split. It’s just closure. We were good friends once. It feels like that’s how the energy should end between us.”

“Why don’t you come home with me? Sophia always makes too much food. And she’s a better chef than she is a baker.”

I snort at that. “It wouldn’t be hard. But I’m good. Thanks. See you at the clubhouse tomorrow, yeah?”

Switch nods. “Sure thing.”

I watch him trudge to the curb as Niro’s truck pulls up.

The sky is so clear tonight. The kind of inky blue that makes the stars pop. The streetlight casts a warm glow over the street.

And I take a deep breath.

Because there’s a sense of calm knowing Calista is here, and she’s safe, and I can keep an eye on her.

Just like I do everyone else.

8

CALISTA

Ihear the thud of Vex’s boots as he steps into the hallway, and I try not to pay attention to the traitorous ripple of excitement that travels down my spine.

I’m not sure I believe in fate, but there is something about the way this man has remained a part of my life, even though we haven’t spoken to each other in over a decade.

His presence eases my overthinking brain.

I’m not sure why he and Switch gave up their afternoon to help me, but I just checked the kitchen while the two of them were outside, and it’s immaculate compared to where it was this morning.