Page 58 of Forever Yours
“That’s bullshit and you know it. After what happened at the cabin, you can’t expect me to not want to know more.”
“How on earth did you know at the cabin, anyways, at least before we told everyone?” Devlin asked. “We were hiding it pretty well.”
“Ha!” Annabelle exclaimed, “I knew it! And you weren’t hiding it well at all.”
“It’s true, she has a gift,” Prudence confirmed. “She knew when Grey and I first kissed. And that was just a kiss.”
“A kiss is more intimate than full on sex,” Annabelle explained. “A subtle shift happens with a kiss, a release of pheromones or something.”
“Ok, well Gabe and I have been releasing pheromones all over the place since we got back from the cabin,” Devlin admitted.
“All over the place?” Prudence asked.
Devlin buried her head in her hand and her words came out muffled. “We’ve had sex in every place with a flat surface. Or a horizontal surface—or any surface, really.”
Jason showed up just then with their drinks and plates of food and deposited them without a word before giving a slight cough and leaving.
Annabelle looked to Prudence after taking a sip of her scotch. “I don’t want to say I told you so but I sure as hell told you so.”
“I figured that whatever happened at the cabin would be the end of it,” Prudence said.
“That was the plan, but we decided that neither of us wanted to let go of whatever was happening between us quite yet, so we’ve continued seeing each other.”
“Sorry for pouncing on you earlier, Dev,” Annabelle offered, “but why didn’t you tell us? We could’ve helped you navigate whatever is going on.”
“I know I messed up before, but I was hoping that you trusted us now,” Prudence added.
“No, you guys, that’s not it. I know I’ve kept things from you in the past, but I think that what it comes down to is that I’ve never had anyone that cared enough to want to know what I was going through, or how I was handling things.”
“You didn’t have friends in Boston?” Prudence questioned.
“Not like you two,” Devlin admitted. “Co-workers or acquaintances. Friends of boyfriends.”
“That sounds like a lonely existence.” Prudence speared a fork into her salad.
“I held everything in for so long that I’m still having a hard time thinking that people here care about me and want me to succeed both personally and professionally. I seem to duck back into my shell whenever I feel a hint of happiness, sure that someone is going to sabotage it.”
“All we can do is to keep being here for you, Dev,” Prudence told her. “If that means annoying you until you open up and let us in, so be it.”
“So…” Annabelle prompted. “How is it going?”
Devlin busied herself with cutting her steak while figuring out how to answer. She did want to let them in, but she was still having a hard time with it.
“Everything is going great. He’s kind and generous and—” She stopped, not sure how to continue to open up to her friends. “I don’t know why this is so hard. I’ve already admitted my shortcomings when it comes to friends, why can’t I just say it?”
“Let’s start small,” Annabelle compromised. “Do you like him?”
Devlin smiled—she couldn’t help herself. “Of course I like him.”
“Okay, that’s a good start.” Annabelle resumed her line of questioning. “Do you like him for more than just his body?”
Devlin pretended to think this question over. “Maybe? I mean, he is spectacular.”
“Oh jeez,” Prudence muttered. “I’ve known this kid since he was in diapers.”
“Get over it,” Annabelle sighed. “We have our friend to help.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Prudence waved her hand for Annabelle to continue.