Imaginary Lines (New York Leopards 3)
She laughed. “I forgot you were from California. So’s Bri, you know. I have no idea why she wanted a winter wedding.”
“Technically, it’s still fall.”
She snorted. “It’s winter from November to April here. March, if you’re lucky.”
I peered at her. “You live a very sad life, here in the northeast.”
She waved a hand. “I wouldn’t live anywhere else. But you—what made you move here?”
“My job.”
“Not Abe?”
I raised my brow. “We weren’t really speaking when I moved here.”
She nodded. She’d clearly already known that. “It’s funny that you guys weren’t speaking for so long when you get along so well.”
“Are you quizzing me on me and Abe?”
She grinned. It made her look like a sprite. “Normally it’s Bri’s job, but she’s a little busy right now.”
I smiled despite myself. “I don’t suppose we can skip to the important questions?”
“Oh, sure. I’m a very accommodating interrogator. How about a nosy one?”
My smile broadened. “Can I stop you?”
“No,” she said comfortably. “Though you can say I’m being unbearably rude and refuse to answer.”
“Go for it.”
“You and Abe knew each other when you were in high school, right? Why didn’t you ever date then?”
I considered the view. “I don’t think I knew I who I was, then.”
She nodded as though the answer satisfied her. “And do you now?”
“Yeah. I do.”
“Good. I think it’s important to know who you are if you’re going to date one of these guys. Because they know their role so clearly—it’s important you know your own, if you don’t want to end up being a sidekick or a reflection.”
I smiled. “And you say this to every player’s new girlfriend?”
She tilted her head. “But you’re not a new girlfriend, not really. You’re settled in.”
I stared at her. “What does that mean?”
She shrugged. “Abe doesn’t usually get in deep. Like ever.”
“What does that mean? How do you know?”
“I know because he’s one of my best guy friends. And because I’ve never seen him... I think I already told you that Abe is great at talking about other people, but not himself. And certainly not his relationships. I tried to pry out info on you and it was so useless my boyfriend finally dragged me away. But Abe seems more relaxed with you than I’ve ever seen him. He lights up with you. That’s different.”
“You tried to pry out info on me?”
She threw her hands up in the air. “And it was useless!”
I laughed, and so did she, and that was how Abraham and Ryan found us a few minutes later. It seemed to alarm both of them, which clearly delighted Rachael.