Page 124 of Powerless
Winter takes a deep swig. “This drink tastes fantastic. I should do this more often.”
Willa’s elbow nudges her side. “Fuck yeah, you should.”
Summer nods before shyly adding, “I like having you out here, Winter.”
I lift my glass across the table. “I’ll cheers to that. I could use a little Winter inspiration. I watched you dress Theo down the other night, and I need to channel that with the men in my life.”
She clinks her glass against mine, but her head tilts. “I’m not sure I’m someone to aspire to in the man department.” I quirk a brow, eyes dropping to the ring on her finger. She notices and just says, “Yeah. That.”
“When is that ending?” Willa asks it so casually, like ending a marriage is cut and dry. I don’t know all the dirty details of Winter’s marriage, but I know it’s complicated as hell. I also know that she and Summer are on fragile footing and spending time together like this is new for them.
They all came out for me, but it’s clear that having Willa and me here gives some extra padding between the sisters.
Winter takes another deep slug, draining the flute. “Who fucking knows? I think dragging it out makes him hard or something.” Summer coughs like her mimosa went down the wrong tube. Winter doesn’t seem to notice though. The alcohol must have her feeling loose already. She tips her head tips in my direction. “Sloane’s idea of hiding out in Chestnut Springs is sounding really,reallyappealing. Where do I sign up for this?”
I push my spare mimosa across the table to her, and she takes it without saying a single word. The closer I look at Winter, the more I think she might need the drinks more than I do.
I feel wrung out, but she seems profoundly tired, like my one sleepless night is her norm.
“Wanna rent a house here?” I ask. “I’m in the process of updating a few across the road from Summer’s gym.”
That lights Winter’s face up. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. I can show you after this boozy brunch.”
“Jasper’s houses, huh?” Summer asks curiously.
“Yeah, why don’t you tell us more about that,” Willa urges.
I tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear and drop my eyes. “Well, he actually owns the entire block. I’ve been painting and—”
Willa waves a hand. “No, no, no. Tell us about Jasper.”
“Yeah!” Winter holds up her glass. “Tell us why you were lying on the floor for like an hour.”
Summer reaches under the table and gives my knee a squeeze, always so sweet.
“I don’t even know where to start.”
“Can you at least tell us if Jasper has a huge dick?” Willa leans across the table.
I nod.
Winter snorts.
Summer gasps.
“I knew it!”
Summer gives Willa a chiding look, widening her eyes at her best friend. “Why don’t you start at the beginning, Sloane?”
I flop back in my chair and stare at the three women sitting with me. “Well, I’d have to go back to the very first time I laid eyes on him when I was ten years old.”
A communal whoosh of air leaves everyone’s lungs. I lift my glass. “Yeah. Cheers to that, right? A decades long unrequited crush. Except I recently found out it wasn’t so unrequited.”
Willa’s hand rolls in the air. “Hence the whole runaway-bride-shacking-up-with-her-friend thing, yeah?”
My head tips back and forth. “I mean, yeah. It’s a little more complicated than that.”
