Chapter 15
Rachel
It’s Friday, and as tradition has it, it’s book club night.
I am sitting in my favorite armchair back home, with Ripley on my lap and a glass of wine on the side table next to me.
He stretches his little legs and yawns before he goes back to sleep.
I pet his round puppy belly and scratch behind his ear.
“You are adorable,” I say in that voice people tend to use on animals and kids. Sweet and calm.
Overall, it’s a great night. I am reading on my Kindle while I wait for Noah to come over for book club. Kai drove me home late last night and stayed over until late this morning. I called in to work and said I was still feeling sick, earning a few more days of rest.
My phone buzzes with a message, and I open it with a smile. I already know who it is from.
Biker Boy: The bar is really busy, but I will come by after work. I know you haven’t eaten yet, and this is your second glass of wine. So, I ordered you food. It will arrive in twenty minutes.
Even though I destroyed the first security system he installed, I still allowed him access to the second one.
He likes to keep an eye on me, and I will admit it’s kind of flattering that he does.
I am about to go back to my book, but Noah enters the house, and I set my Kindle next to my wine glass as I pick up Ripley and walk toward the front door to greet my friend.
“Hey, Noah,” I say with a smile.
He rushes inside and closes the door. “Tell me everything. Are you okay? Are you in love? Did you have the best four days of your life? Do you have wine?”
I laugh. “Calm down. Yes, wine is in the living room, and I picked up the book you asked for. It’s waiting for you in the living room, too.” I walk back and take my seat in the armchair while my friend takes his usual one on the couch.
“So... spill!” He waits eagerly to learn the gossip about me and Kai. I can’t deny that I love sharing those details with him. It’s an opportunity to gloat about my happiness to the one person I know will be happy for me.
“It was damn amazing,” I start. “Do you know about those books we read, with the morally gray love interest who kidnaps the female main character and gives her the best damn sex of her life?”
He fills his glass with wine. “Yes. Was it like that?”
“And even better. God, this man knows how to fuck.” I giggle and take a sip of my wine.
Noah joins me, and the night continues with laughs, wine, and reading like every other Friday night.
But this time, it will end with Kai in my bed, my puppy sleeping at the foot of the bed, and my friend with his boyfriend in his own home.
That’s a change I gladly welcome into my life. A new routine that starts tonight.