“Uh...”
Brody opens the fridge door, practically ripping it off the hinges. “Uh...beer. We came to get beer. Right, Rainey?”
Devyn gives me a knowing smirk. “It takes two of you, huh?”
Brody looks nervously between Devyn and me, and starts inching away. “Uh...I gotta go...somewhere other than here.” He quickly makes his way to the French doors and steps out onto the patio. Chickenshit.
I try following but Devyn blocks me. “Lorraine, what did I just walk in on?”
My face heats. “Depends. How long have you been standing there?”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “Long enough.”
Okaaay, the nonchalant approach it is.
Breezily, I roll my eyes. “It’s nothing. We’re just having a good time.”
“You and Brody? How long has this been going on?”
I shrug. “I don’t know...not long. Please don’t say anything, Dev. We don’t want to make a big deal out of nothing. We’re just scratching an itch. That’s all.”
She narrows her eyes. “Rainey, that’s doesn’t sound like—”
“Hey, sis,” Drew interrupts, “can I fire up the grill now? I’m fucking starving.”
Oh, thank Jesus, I could kiss him right now! I give him a friendly pat on the back instead. “Great idea, Drew! I’ll help!”
“Sweet! You get started on the corn and I’ll take care of the ribs.”
I start digging through the refrigerator. “I’m on it.”
“Rainey,” Devyn scolds in her best mom voice.
I hold my hand up to stop her lecture. “Not now, Dev. Drew and I have to feed the natives before they get restless. We’ll talk later.”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “This conversation isn’t over.”
“Trust me; I know I’m not that lucky.”
The six of us eat, drink, and share plenty of laughter for the next few hours. Brody and I stay about as far away from each other as possible without looking suspicious. He sends me a text as he gets into his car, telling me to meet him at his place since we took separate cars for obvious reasons. I try not looking too anxious as I make my way to the door.
Devyn walks me to the front stoop. “I mean it, Lorraine. We’re having a long talk tomorrow.”
“Yes, mother,” I deadpan. “Goodnight.”
Now I just need to figure out what the hell I’m going to say to her before then.
Chapter Forty
RAINEY
“Spill,” Devyn commands.
You didn’t really think she’d let it slide, did you? I wasn’t surprised in the least when I found her waiting inside my apartment when I got home from work. Thank God I was alone.
“I don’t understand what the big deal is,” I say. “It’s completely casual and temporary.”
She rolls her eyes. “I’m going to call bullshit on that.”