Page 2 of The Ties that Bind

“Do you have to leave?” Marty’s eyes gazed imploringly at me over the top of the book.

“Yup,” I said, turning to look for my shoes before those eyes got to me. “I’ve been planning this for days. You knew that.”

“Yeah, but…you could come help me relax first.” The eyes intensified and blinked.

I started to laugh, then realized what he meant and turned it into a playfully exasperated snort. “Marty, I love you, and I would love to stay in bed with you and watch TV shows and do all kinds of other, naughtier things…” I watched the hope dawn in those puppy eyes. “Any day after our wedding,” I added smoothly, giggling as his face fell. “I really have to go. Do you need anything first?”

“No, I’m good.” Marty gave up the act and straightened up so he could give me a big hug. “Have fun, okay?”

“With Zoe and Abigail? Always.” I grabbed the bag I had packed earlier, checked that I had my phone, charger, wallet and keys in my purse, and headed out the door.

My music app brought the speakers to life as I turned the key in the ignition, and I immediately began to sing along. I hadn’t seen Abigail and Zoe since the engagement party Marty’s parents had thrown for us. That had only been about five days ago, but I had become so accustomed to seeing my friends every day around the sorority house we had lived in.

We’re all moving on to new chapters in our lives.I knew this, and I was so, so proud of myself and all my friends, but it felt very strange to know that after the wedding in June, I would be the only one of us three who still lived in New Orleans.

By the time I knocked on the front door of Aiden’s beautiful Greek Revival home in the Garden District, nostalgia and the tiniest bit of worry about the future prompted me to gather my two friends into a hug.

“What’s up?” Zoe asked, blue eyes worried amidst a frame of black hair.

“Just thinking about how you guys are both moving away soon.”

Abigail grabbed my hand and tugged me inside. “But not today! Come on. Zoe and I went to the store earlier and got snacks and wine.”

“I thought we were making dinner?” I asked as I stepped into the house.

“Oh, we are. But we’ll need snacks for all the movies we’re watching tonight.”

I gave a mental shrug as I followed my friends to the kitchen. I would just be careful not to let the chips bait me into curling up on the sofa with an entire bag.

But there were no chip bags. Zoe giggled at my face. “Did you really think we’d get a bunch of Doritos and popcorn and stuff like that after you’ve been working so hard? There’s hummus in the fridge to go with the veggies, and we’ve got some mixed nuts and deviled eggs.”

“You guys are actually the best.” I popped a walnut half into my mouth.

“Of course. Although we were getting worried for a while there that you weren’t coming,” Abigail told me as she began pulling various ingredients for gumbo out of the fridge.

“I was just running a little late,” I said. Bent down to grab a pot from a cabinet under the counter, Zoe nibbled her lip and wiggled her eyebrows. “Stop that! I was just on the treadmill.”

“Mhm. And you and Marty didn’t want to, uh, do anything before you left for a whole night?”

I shook my head at Zoe, but the pink flush in my cheeks told the truth. “Okay, I mean, maybe he wanted something. But I didn’t have time. There probably won’t be much time until after the wedding.”

“Oh please,” Abigail dismissed. “You can always make time for a little fun.”

I saw my chance to divert the conversation from my own sexual pursuits and seized it. “Uh huh? So what about you and Al? I bet Mr. Rock Star is more than a little fun.”

Abigail grinned mischievously. “More than a little… A lot more than a little… Even big, I would say.”

Zoe’s and my mouths formed O shapes as we picked up on her meaning, and we glanced at each other, eyes filled with fun and nosiness. “Damn, girl,” Zoe said. “But does he know how to use it?”

Abigail took a long, slow sip of her glass of wine before answering, “Oh yeah. Let’s just say he’s had practice. And he likes to keep practicing on me.”

“Whoo!” I looked at Zoe, fanning myself, to see that my friend was doing the same. “Well don’t stop there! We need details.”

“Well…” Abigail began.

A throat cleared, and we all looked toward the living room. Aiden was standing there, slightly red and obviously trying not to laugh. “Hello, ladies. I just wanted to let Zoe know that I’m leaving.” He turned to his woman and held out his arms, and she flew into them like he was a magnet. “I’ll be back late, okay? Y’all have fun.”

“We will.” After the previous topic of conversation, the kiss Aiden and Zoe shared made Abigail, and I swap suggestive glances. When Aiden disappeared through the front door, Zoe said, “He has a sort of going away party with some of his faculty friends at Tulane tonight.”