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What could my boss possibly know about my wife?
Whatever it is, I pretend I know. I pretend I'm married to my long-term partner and not my sister's best friend. I pretend I made this choice after careful consideration. And not on the high of fan-fucking-tastic sex and the thrill of discovering more of Daphne.
That's what he wants, isn't it?
Someone who follows his head, not his heart.
I smile back as if I understand his meaning. I throw out a joke. "Maybe someone who hates avocados."
Again, Daphne gasps with pure, honest horror. "Could such a person really exist?
A laugh falls from my lips. "I don't usually think of her as a California girl. But she is in so many ways. She loves the ocean and the easy access to kale and oranges."
"Does kale grow in California?" Alexander asks.
"In some places," Patricia says. "In the winter."
"We love to eat it though." Alexander laughs. "I can't say I jumped on that trend. Trish is always trying to get me to eat more vegetables."
They share a knowing look. A look that comes with decades together. The love and comfort of sharing your life with someone.
I want that.
Usually, I don't. I expect to find it. I assume I'll end up here. But I don't want to spend my life with anyone, much less a specific person.
I want this with her. I want to tease colleagues in my backyard and complain Daphne pushes me to eat spinach and end the workday too early.
No. That doesn't fit us.
I'd push her to eat spinach, and we'd both work too many hours.
"Cassie didn't like avocados when she was a kid," I say.
Daphne nods. "Right. I tried to block that out of my mind. Gosh." She taps her chin. "I might need to rethink our friendship."
"Fair," I say.
Alexander and his wife watch politely.
"Cassie is my sister," I offer. "And Daphne's best friend."
"Oh." Alexander's expression gets knowing. "I didn't realize you let things get complicated."
His wife laughs.
What the hell?
They note our clueless expressions, trade another knowing look, and finally decide to throw us a bone.
"It was much more complicated for us," Patricia says. "I was his brother's best friend."
Daphne looks to the man in the orange sweater.
Patricia shakes her head. "His other brother. And I didn't realize he had a crush on me."
"Alexander or the brother?" Daphne asks.
"Both of them, actually." Patricia blushes. All of a sudden, she's not a refined married woman. She's a young woman who didn't know whether or not she should follow her heart.
