Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“Should we talk about it?” Josh held the door to Curly Joe’s open for Edie to pass through.
The smell of coffee beans enveloped them, bitter and inviting all at the same time. Edie was usually an iced coffee sort of gal, but with the dreary weather, a hot cup was definitely in order and this rich aroma surrounded her like the promise of a warm hug.
“The kiss?”
She’d said that too loudly. She recognized that blunder the instant Cal’s head turned to look over his shoulder, clearly catching onto the buzzword. He stood from the table he’d been saving for them, face expressionless.
“No,” Josh said quietly under a breath. He pressed a hand low to Edie’s back and nudged her toward an open seat at the table. “The fact that Morgan thinks we should swap the fruit tarts for macarons.”
“I agree with Morgan. The macarons are easier to eat. More like finger foods,” Cal interjected.
Okay, so it looked like they were all going to ignore the fact that Edie had just brought up that she and Josh had kissed. It wasn’t like this was the time, nor the place, for that discussion, anyway. But the statement hung around them, heavier than the clouds outside full of rain.
She couldn’t do this. Keep her feelings for each man hidden.
And she wasn’t sure how much longer she could be around them both without that truth spilling out.
“I ordered you a white mocha, Edie.” Cal’s eyes connected with hers. “I hope that’s okay.”
“That’s perfect.”
Josh hadn’t taken his seat yet, so he hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “I’m going to go place my order. I’ll be right back.”
Cal just gave a curt nod, then brought his attention back to Edie.
“I talked to Damien from that youth art program at the rec center I’d proposed as a charity.
He had a really good idea I wanted to run by you.
He suggested we actually have a section at the gala dedicated to youth, showcasing a half dozen pieces of artwork that could also be up for sale.
I really like the idea but wasn’t sure if it fit into the scope of the evening. ”
“No, that’s really great, actually. The only issue is that it’s a twenty-one and over event, so they wouldn’t be able to attend.”
“I don’t think that was the intent. Just to have their artwork there. Honestly, I’ve seen some of the stuff these kids produce. It’s hard to tell it apart from some of my own work. They’re pretty incredible.”
Cal was renowned in the area as a highly successful painter. Edie doubted the kids’ skill levels were anywhere near his, but she loved the fire in his eyes and excitement in his voice when he talked about the future of the industry and the youth that would be coming up the artistic ranks.
“I love the idea. Let’s fill Josh in when he gets back.”
Cal’s lips pressed together. He looked like he was about to say something. Finally, he gave in. “Is there anything you want to fill me in on?”
She knew exactly what he referred to. And no, she didn’t want to fill him in. But should she? Was she obligated to? They weren’t dating, weren’t in any sort of real or committed relationship. So why did it feel like she was keeping something from him?
Right then, a barista shouted Josh’s order, pulling both Cal and Edie’s focus toward the bar.
“There’s nothing to tell,” Edie said as Josh returned to their table, drink in hand, fading smile on his face.
“Everything good?”
“Yeah, man,” Cal said grumpily. “Everything’s good.”
They spent the next hour ironing out details for the gala and Edie spent that time drifting between the conversation at hand and the one she was currently having in her head. The voices that told her this was wrong, to have feelings for two men simultaneously.
She knew lots of women dated around. She honestly didn’t see anything wrong with that.
But this felt wrong. To be caught between two men. Two good men, both of which had obvious feelings for her.
It would be one thing if she were to see them individually. Date them separately. But each time the three got together, it was as though she was caught in the middle of the most awkward love triangle, each man vying for her attention.
Thankfully, today was less combative.
Honestly, Josh and Cal got along quite well.
Both were agreeable to each other’s suggestions.
At one point, they even shared a laugh, although Edie couldn’t be sure what it was over.
She’d spaced out, her thoughts carrying her away from the coffeehouse completely.
It wasn’t until Josh repeated her name several times that she yanked herself out of her daze, zeroing back in on the men sharing her table.
“Edie, what do you think?”
She looked between them, wide eyed. “About?”
“Have you been paying attention at all to what we’ve been discussing?” Cal leaned his upper body over the table, hands folded.
“I have.”
“Then what were we just talking about?” Josh cocked his head.
The men shared a look, and an exchange that bordered on a smirk.
Were they bonding? Bonding over the fact that Edie had been completely absent for the entire duration of their conversation?
“You were talking about the gala.”
“We were not talking about the gala.” Arms slinking over his chest, that smirk deepened on Josh’s lips, dimpling his cheeks.
“Not even close,” Cal chimed in. The two men laughed. Laughed.
Edie began to sweat. Her sweater felt like a corset, this wooly constriction that made it difficult to breathe.
“You weren’t talking about the gala?”
“Nope.” Somehow, both Cal and Josh said this in complete unison.
What was happening? Had her wayward thoughts whisked her away from this reality into some other dimension? One where Josh and Cal not only got along but were actually friendly with one another.
Her palms filled with moisture, her throat clogging with apprehension.
“Should we tell her?” Cal looked at his new buddy.
“I think we should let her sweat this one out.”
Oh, she certainly was. “I honestly have no idea what you two were—and are—talking about.”
“Because you haven’t been present for the last fifteen minutes,” Josh offered.
“More likely twenty,” Cal quipped and again, the two roared the most shocking laugh. Edie actually jumped in her seat.
“I should probably get going.” She fumbled with her purse, suddenly feeling the need to flee. “I’m meeting Camille and Tabitha at my place for dinner.”
Cal rolled his wrist over. “It’s two o’clock in the afternoon.”
“Gotta primp. You know how women are.” She waggled her shoulders. It was an obvious lie. Edie wore little makeup, and she certainly wouldn’t be dolling herself up for a casual meal with her best friends. But she needed an out. Some way to extricate herself from this bizarre interaction.
“Let us know your thoughts on everything we talked about today,” Josh said cryptically, keeping up the gig.
“Yeah, I’m really curious to hear what you think.” Cal thumbed his chin.
She didn’t know what to think. Or, more accurately, couldn’t think. Not clearly at least.
Even as she stood from the table, she bumped it with her hip, sending her empty coffee cup rolling across the surface toward Josh who intercepted it before it tumbled into his lap.
And when she swung her crossbody purse around her body to shoulder into it, she smacked Cal solidly in the chest with it.
She was struggling, big time.
Struggling to keep her composure. Struggling to maintain her dignity. And struggling to understand how these once-adversaries were now comrades with inside jokes and secret laughter.
Things had definitely taken a turn, but Edie wasn’t sure in what direction.
Edie chopped a big bunch of cilantro into fine pieces and placed them into a glass bowl on the island, next to the other toppings for their taco night spread.
The colors alone were enough to make her mouth water, all these vibrant hues of fresh ingredients and spices.
She couldn’t wait to make herself a plate.
“It was the weirdest thing,” she said to Camille. “They were acting like they were old friends.”
“Isn’t that what you want?” Tapping the cheese grater to shake off the remaining bits of cheddar, Camille furrowed her brow. She popped the last cube of cheese too small to grate into her mouth and chomped down. “For them to bond?”
“Yes, but not at my expense.”
“You seriously just zoned out completely during their conversation?” Tabitha moved around the small kitchen table near the window, setting it with plates and silverware. “You don’t recall what they were talking about at all?”
“I don’t. I was zoning out. In La La Land, if you will.”
“Whatever it was, I think it’s a move in the right direction that they can not only sit at the same coffee table, but share a laugh around it,” Tabitha said. “That’s huge.”
“Agreed,” Camille matched. “Compared to the arguing I overheard the other day, that sounds like a welcome change.”
“I’m glad they’re getting along. Don’t get me wrong. But I don’t know.” She shrugged. “It almost makes things more confusing for me.”
“How so?” The ground beef on the stove was finished, so Camille transferred the meat from the pan into a dish next to the tortillas and hard-shell tacos. She moved to the refrigerator and asked over her shoulder, “What’s the confusing part?”
“My feelings.” Edie let out a long sigh. “The fact that I’ve kissed both of them.”
“You kissed Josh?” Camille almost dropped the bowl of guacamole she’d just retrieved from the fridge. “When did this happen?”
“When he came over to fix the leak in my room.”
“You have a leak?” Tabitha set three glasses onto the table, along with a pitcher filled with water and ice.
“I had one right above my bed, but Josh did a temporary patch job until Foster could come over later to fix it for real. It ended up having something to do with the roof shingles and a critter in the attic. I’m not sure. But he got it taken care of. That Foster is one handy man.”
“Or one grumpy man.”
Edie and Tabitha looked at Camille.
“I feel like you’re not telling us something,” Edie said.
She finished chopping up a head of iceberg lettuce and stood back to take inventory.
They had all the fixings they would need for an epic taco night, but suddenly she didn’t even feel hungry.
Maybe it was the drama with Cal and Josh.
Or maybe it had something to do with the distressed look on Camille’s face.
She hated it when her friends were distraught. It certainly soured her stomach.
“Tab already knows.” Camille’s gaze edged toward her sister. “Or I’m assuming she does, she just hasn’t said anything.”
“I can’t say anything. You know that.”
“Once again, I am the third wheel in a conversation that I know nothing about.” Edie clapped a hand to her forehead. “Am I really this dense?”
“You know what? Let’s dish up our food before we get into it, otherwise we’ll be standing here all night talking and all of this will go to waste.”
Camille passed Edie a plate.
“Is it really that big of a conversation?” Edie asked.
“It really is,” Tabitha said knowingly.
The three made up their tacos, stacking their tortillas high with meat, cheeses, sour cream, and salsas. Edie loaded up even though her appetite had been completely ruined. She couldn’t squander a meal like this. They’d worked hard and it smelled so good.
When they finally had their food and drinks prepared, they sat at the little table in the nook, ready to dig in.
“Okay, spill the beans,” Edie instructed. She tipped the end of her taco toward Camille.
“It would be easier to spill those black beans I just warmed up than the ones I have to share.”
A silly joke, but Edie understood. Camille was floundering, unsure how to broach whatever this topic was.
“You don’t have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable, Cami.” She covered her dear friend’s hand with her free one. “But I’m here if you need me to listen.”
“I want to tell you.” Camille’s voice hiccupped. Was she about to cry? Edie honestly wasn’t sure what she would do if Camille shed a tear. It happened so infrequently. “But it has more to do with Foster than it does with me.”
“You don’t have to say anything. Especially if he doesn’t want you to. I respect his privacy.”
“No.” She fiddled with the cloth napkin in her lap, folding it over and over again like a map that she couldn’t get right. “He said it’s okay for me to talk about it with the two of you. He doesn’t mind.”
“Even with me?” Tabitha leveled a glance at her sister over the rim of her water glass. The cubes clinked together when she set it back onto the table between them. “I would understand if he doesn’t want you to talk about it with me.”
“I honestly think he wants your opinion. Both of yours.”
“Our opinion about what?” Edie asked, cutting to the chase.
“About whether or not he should try to save the life of the man he once attempted to kill.”