Page 87 of Only Fate

She flips him off.

River laughs and gives her a playful smack on the ass as she turns to leave. “Shouldn’t you gothat wayif you’re visiting my sister?” He points in the opposite direction.

“I changed my mind.” Ava rolls her eyes at him before checking her nonexistent watch. “I have a few errands to run. See you tonight.”

Everyone turns when Essie’s door opens, and she steps out.

“Good morning, sis,” River says. “Can you please tell your friend to stop breaking into my place and stealing my clothes?” He cocks his head toward an annoyed Ava. “I’m officially hiring you as my attorney to stop this sweatshirt thief.”

“Don’t worry,” Ava says, flicking her hand in the air. “I’ll burn the evidence when I get home.”

River scoffs. “I have countless pics of you wearing my clothes. I’ll definitely win the case.”

“Then, I’ll destroy all said clothes and pics for funsies.” Ava pulls at the hoodie’s drawstrings.

“Don’t forget, I have a key to your place,” River warns.

Ava rolls her eyes. “I told you, I want that back.”

River shakes his head. “Nah, I like having access to you at all times.”

“Oh my God,” Essie cries, covering her eyes, as if blocking out the sun. “I’m not even going to bother questioning what’s going on between you two right now.”

Ava shrugs. “That makes you a better person than me because I’m about to ask all the questions about your little sleepover date.”

There’s no hiding my smile when all eyes turn to Essie.

“Tough shit,” she says, grabbing my hand and pulling me away from them. “People who make poor choices with my brother don’t get any tea this morning.”

River stands and looks at Ava. “Trust me, babe, bad decisions with me are much better than gossip.” He grabs Ava around the waist and throws her over his shoulder. “Question her later tonight. I’ll make you breakfast in exchange for my hoodie.”

“I’ll be asking all the questions tonight, Essie!” Ava shouts, kicking her feet and doing a poor job of pretending to break out of River’s hold. “And you, mister! You’re making me breakfast in exchange for me not stabbing you in your sleep.”

River laughs. “We can play doctor, and you can stitch me up after. I keep begging you to role-play with me.”

“Swear to God, I’m poisoning your eggs,” Ava mutters.

They continue arguing, but their words are drowned out as we get farther away. Seconds later, I hear River’s door slam shut.

The morning air is chilly, and birds are splashing in the birdbath next to the gate that leads to the driveway where cars are parked. A few gardeners are pulling weeds, and Essie waves at them.

“Ava and River are a thing?” I ask when we get into her car.

I noticed sexual tension between the two at the brewery opening, but I thought maybe they were just two friends who bickered.

“No one knows what River and Ava are.” She buckles herseat belt. “They’re two people with busy careers who don’t have time for relationships. I guess that’s something they bond over.”

“That’s what they do?Bond?”

She whacks me in the head with her bag while putting it in the back seat. “I don’t say anything to him about who comes and goes from his place, and he gives me the same respect.”

Riverdidsay something, but it could’ve been worse.

He could’ve tried to fight me or some shit.

A situation like that happened to my old roommate in Cali. He’d hooked up with a girl, and her older brother came home early. He snatched my friend by the neck and threw him out the window, naked, which resulted in two broken bones. After that, he was strictly ayou come overguy.

“Wait,” I say, blinking. “Who comes and goes fromyour place?”

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