Page 56 of Perfect Chemistry

I gave a polite shrug. “I just know they will notify the applicants today before midnight.”

Lacy’s eyebrows shot up. “Midnight?!? Why the hell is it so damn late?” she asked, covering Xavier’s ears.

Amy answered before I could. “They have applicants from both coasts. It’s some weird timed thing about making sure their call center is closed so no one can call to complain.”

I had never heard that and furrowed my brows. “Seriously?” I asked.

Amy shook her head, “I have no idea. But it sounds more professional than, ‘Because they forget to send the email before leaving work.’”

There was a second or two of silence before Bradley, Val, and I started laughing. Amy’s super power was the ability to spit out an answer to any question or problem, and it was plausible every single time.

We sat around talking until the kids were done eating and cleaned up. Once Hannah was down for the night, and Xavier passed out on the sofa, the adults could eat and drink a couple of beers.

I hadn’t planned on drinking anything but they convinced me to stay over. Val and Lacy had already planned to take the guest room, so Amy had prepared blankets for me to crash on the sofa.

“You all really kept this whole plan hush hush,” I complimented as we finished eating.

Bradley didn’t say a word. Val and Lacy looked down at their empty plates awkwardly. Amy was the only one who laughed.

“Tell him, babe,” she giggled.

Bradley looked pained. “Can’t we just let this one go?” he whispered to her.

Amy’s face took on the most sinister smile I had ever seen her make. Her top lip arched on one side as one eyebrow also raised. “Just this one?” she asked sweetly, turning her attention from her husband to Val and Lacy.

Lacy dropped her head on Val’s shoulder, pretending to hide. While Val bit both of her lips.

“Hmm?” Amy asked, taking a sip of her beer.

Bradley finally dropped his head in resignation or surrender. “No.”

I watched this power play, and I knew exactly what had happened. I started laughing. “You blabber mouths didn’t remember, did you?” I asked them.

Amy immediately started laughing with me.

“Fuckers!” I chided them.

“To be fair-” Lacy started, but was cut off when Val put a hand over her mouth.

“Accept your fate,” Val advised.

“They knew it was this week, Kai. I just couldn’t trust them not to run their mouths,” Amy explained.

“I figured.”

“I told Bradley we needed a quiet night home, so he left work early. Lacy and Val were invited for a girls’ night, and I told them Bradley would babysit if Val volunteered as a designated driver,” Amy continued.

“She confiscated our phones when we got here!” Lacy blurted out after pulling Val’s hand away.

Val shook her head laughing, “That doesn’t help your case, babe.”

“How is that?” Lacy asked.

I couldn’t stop laughing at this point. “You are a big mouth, Lacy! You would have called or texted me as soon as you figured it out.”

“I can too keep a secret!” Lacy exclaimed, looking indignant.

At this point Bradley was happy to keep the attention on someone else. “When? Name one time you have kept a secret,” he demanded, wiping his mouth with his napkin.

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