"Piper give an ETA?" Mal asks.
Ethan nods. "She's on her way."
Mal and Ethan share a knowing look.
Violet clears her throat. "It's sweet you came, Lacey."
"You do know you're bait, right?" Ethan asks.
Violet clears her throat.
"No, it's fine. I know. I'm just not sure why I'm compelling bait." I play with the edges of my napkin. Mal is still staring vacantly at the harbor. He's not really in the conversation.
"Mal doesn't date. He fucks." She looks around the room with a blush. "Excuse me. He, ahem, and even then, he insists those women fill the spaces that work for his life. He doesn't make room for anyone. But with you…"
Ethan laughs. "Honey, you realize how cutting that was?"
"It was, wasn't it?" Her brow furrows. "Sorry, Mal, I didn't mean it as an insult. You know what you want and demand it. That's more than a lot of people can say."
Mal's nod is still vacant.
"I'm not the best with tact. But you should know… um, we all want Mal to be happy." She looks to Mal. "Really, you deserve it."
"We're just having fun," he says.
Does he still feel like that?
"We were having fun." Violet points to Ethan.
"After two years of a miserable separation." Mal shoots Ethan another meaningful look. It's pure sibling telepathy.
Violet and I don't have a clue. At least not if her expression is any indication.
"And three years of bliss before that." Ethan squeezes Violet's hand. "You know that was all bullshit, honey? I never wanted us to be casual."
"Not even for a minute?"
"I wanted to only want to fuck you." He leans in to press his forehead against hers. "But that was my ego talking. It couldn't take that you'd left. Every other fiber of my being wanted to be around you."
"Ethan," she murmurs.
He leans in for a kiss. A much too passionate for this nice restaurant kiss. But I guess that's what you get with a romantic atmosphere.
"Aw… I'm going to take a picture." That's Piper's bubbly voice.
Sure enough, it's followed by the click of a camera phone. And by Kit's deep chuckle.
Piper steps forward to show off her snapshot—it is a cute picture, what with the setting sun in the background. Piper isn't doing too bad on the cute front herself. Her rose-print midi dress has thin straps and a sweetheart neckline. With her Mary Jane heels, her chunky black purse, and her long blonde hair in a half updo, she's adorable. Somehow, she even makes visible roots look cute.
She leans in to hug me. "It's nice to see you, Lacey. You look pretty."
"Thanks." I'm not sure what I did to deserve this much of her affection. I guess she really does think Mal and I have a future. And, for some reason, she really wants that.
Because he's never with anyone?
Or because there's some reason why he should be with me?
She's a lot younger than Mal is. That must mean something, but I haven't got a clue what that is.