No One Else (The Ladies Who Brunch 2)

Frankie’s Diner is bustling as I walk in Sunday morning, eager for a glass of champagne and some girl talk. But the calm, reserved person I usually am flies out the window as soon as I sit down.

“Ethan and I are fooling around,” I blurt out as all of the girls stop what they’re doing and focus their eyes on me. I’m not sure why I felt just laying that out there was the right thing to do, but I’ve been an analytical mess since Friday, and I need the opinions of my three best friends.

Noelle sets her fork down slowly, reaching for her mimosa next. “Okay, we can talk about that first, Amelia.”

“Something tells me by the size of her eyes that there’s more to this story,” Charlotte adds, taking another bite of her food as she waits for me to answer.

I slouch back into my chair. “I don’t even know how this happened, but honestly, I’m so damn attracted to the man that I can’t think straight anymore,” I answer.

“Told you it was only a matter of time before you two started fucking,” Penelope says as she chews another bite of her waffle, smiling the entire time.

Charlotte puts her hand up. “Please start from the beginning, Amelia. I need to know how your little prank war turned into the two of you fucking.”

“Technically, we haven’t had penetrative sex yet, but okay.” I spend the next several minutes explaining to the girls how after Ethan hired the sign spinner and put out his chalkboard sign, I told Penelope to order the dildos to be delivered to his office. Then I tell them about his comment about me hugging my clients and how Ethan was there when Brayden picked me up for my date, and that’s when I met his son.

“He has a kid?” Noelle echoes my admission. “That just makes him ten times hotter. Single dads are like kryptonite to a woman’s ovaries.”

“Right? And his son’s so sweet. I actually talked with him a little more on Thursday when I found him outside of my office staring at my gnomes.”

“Why does that sound dirty?” Penelope asks through a grin.

“Focus.” Charlotte snaps her fingers in front of Penelope’s face. “Back to the story.”

“Okay, so the day of my date with Brayden, two orchids were delivered to my office. I thought they may have been from you girls at first but quickly ruled that out.”

Noelle interrupts me. “You know, I think sending each other flowers regularly is something we should do. I mean, I know I love getting flowers randomly…”

“I swear, stop interrupting her,” Charlotte seethes. “I want to know how the fooling around started!”

Chuckling, I wait for everyone to calm down before I continue. “I thought the flowers were from Brayden and mentally gave him kudos for sending my favorite ones without knowing. So Brayden picked me up for our date from my office since traffic is a nightmare on Friday nights in L.A…” The girls nod in agreement.

“Why do I feel like there’s a but coming?” Penelope questions.

“Because there is.” I sigh, sinking back into my chair. “When Brayden picked me up for our date, Ethan was outside with Oliver and his mom, and I introduced Brayden to them before we left.”

“Okay…”

“Well, Ethan was acting…weird.”

“How so?” Charlotte asks.

“Broody, irritated—he even made a comment to Brayden about how he hoped I didn’t have too much fun on my date.”

Penelope smirks in delight. “Oh, sounds like Mr. Grumpy neighbor was jealous.”

“I thought maybe too, but tried to enjoy the evening nonetheless. And I did. It was what anyone would classify as a great first date, like I told you last weekend during brunch.”

They nod in recollection. “But…” Noelle suggests.

“Apparently, Ethan saw me kiss Brayden goodnight when he dropped me back off at my office.”

“How do you know that?” Charlotte asks, leaning forward in her seat, completely invested in the story as she bites on her nails.

“He told me Monday morning when he came by my office to apologize for his comment about me hugging my clients, which started off well until he admitted that he was the one that sent me the orchids.”

All their eyes go wide.

“Wow,” Noelle says as she takes a sip of her mimosa.

“Yeah, and then one thing led to another, and he was kissing me then asking me if I wanted to take out our aggression on each other in the form of orgasms.”

Charlotte laughs. “Did he use those words exactly?”

“Basically.”

“And what did you say?”