Page 94 of Just Between Us

Shit. How did I miss that? Have I been so in my head I missed the roses and balloons in every store? It’s been a while since I celebrated Valentine’s Day with anyone, so I guess it somehow slipped right past me.

“And what am I to do with Cassie on Valentine’s Day?” I ask.

“Oh, I trust you’ll figure that out. I know you, Mr. Romantic.” She makes a heart with her fingers right as her face splits into a devilish grin. “May I make a suggestion?”

“I’m all ears,” I say dryly.

Josie flings her palms out into jazz hands. “Orgasms.”

I’m mid-swallow when I choke on my own saliva. “Jesus, Josie. Warn a guy before you bring that shit up.”

But she barrels on. “At least one—she holds up a finger before adding another—“Perhaps two. I’m serious,” she insists at my amused expression.

Leave it to Josie to jump right in there like this. “I thought the two of you were at least somewhat physical for a while, butwhen she opened the birthday gift from me, I realized how dead wrong I was.”

“I’m almost afraid to ask but I’m gonna anyway. What was the gift?”

Josie’s voice drops and she waggles her eyebrows. “The rose.”

All I can do is stare at her.

“You do know what that is, right? Gets you there in thirty seconds flat. Cassie’s thanked me at least five times for it.”

Is it hot in here? Because all of sudden, I’m picturing Cassie getting herself off with a toy, and I swear on everything someone cranked up the heat. And as if that’s not enough, Josie has to keep on talking.

“Now, using our context clues, what can we assume?”

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I shake my head. “I’m not answering that.”

“But you’re clearly thinking it.” Josie lets out a squeal and hops off her stool. “I see my work here is done.” She wraps her arms around me and squeezes as hard as she can. For someone so tiny she hugs with everything she’s got. But I hardly register it with thoughts of Cassie and her new toy running through my mind.

“I see you’re rendered speechless, which means it’s my time to go. Take that mental image and use it however you see fit.” She gives me a salute, and she’s heading out the door leaving me with the image of Cassie using a toy for pleasure branded onto my brain.

There’ssomething in the water here in Singing River.

That’s the only explanation for what’s happening. Love is in the air. A couple weeks back, Austin and Penny eloped in a Vegas chapel hours before his awards show, then took off for Scotland, sending pictures of old castles and beautiful highlands.

But the plot twist no one—and I mean no one—saw coming? The entire female population of Singing River is in full planning mode for Tyler and Josie’s wedding. It took an intervention and lots of patience, but Josie finally got out of her own way. Abby knows the truth about Tyler, Jay is his son in all but DNA, and I’ve never seen two people more in love, or Tyler so head over heels. He’s become a big ol’ sap.

It’s been the perfect distraction from thoughts of Liam.

We haven’t seen each other much these last six weeks. My workload has increased with my practice, and he’s been deep in his own therapy. He’s quiet about the sessions, but it feels different than his old silences. Like he’s processing rather than shutting down. This is Liam focusing on himself and his own healing. Which is exactly what he should be doing.

After his first session, I got a text.First session done. Ben’s a cool dude. I see why Austin likes him.Later that same night he sent aphoto of himself, cross-legged on his living room floor followed by the text:Guess I’m about to meditate.

He’s sent regular updates like that. A photo of a book his therapist recommended, the very one I recommend to my own clients. A selfie, unlit cigarette dangling from his lips, Mutt’s face in the frame.“Rough session. Ben wants me to feel my grief. He told me I need to sit with it.”

Putting in this kind of work isn’t easy, but I’m so proud of him for doing it.

We’ve hung out with the group, dinner with everyone at Josie and Tyler’s house, and I’ve met him for lunch at the diner a handful of times. He’s been a perfect gentleman, walking me to my door with a kiss.

But I haven’t been to his house since that night.

Right now, Liam and I exist in this weird in-between state, more than friends with no label attached. Something shifted after his lips touched mine. Something fundamental and irreversible. And oh, what a kiss it was. I’ve played it on a loop for six weeks straight. The desperate press of his mouth, the way his hand slid into my hair, gripping to position me exactly how he wanted me. And that groan he let out when I bit his lip? I swear I felt the brand of that kiss for a solid week after.

Absentmindedly, my fingers go to my lips and I’m right back in the memory.

Buzz, buzz.