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I focused on all the things that were on my plate at theat me Because that was a pickle I was silly to even entertain Who cared that he wasn’t working? He had plenty of money, he didn’t need to work So why did this pickle prick at ive right now

I led reat detail each finish and fixture that had been selected, painting a picture hoould all coether when it was complete Theyin reatly appreciated I saved the best for last, and when I opened the French doors to thefurniture and polished oak floors Mounds of pillows and the blue bay peeking through puddled curtains What they actually saere pine studs and yellow electrical wiring hanging fro, and that damn blow-up bed But when they saw the claw-foot tub, even Sophia looked a bit wistful

"This is kickass, Caroline," she said, perching on the side That’s her version of wistful

"You gotta get in this tub, see how deep it really is," I encouraged, sitting down in one end, and her eyes opened wider when she realized how luxurious it was Wider still when I dangledto be so fantastic when it’s finished How er until it’s all done?" Mimi asked

"We’re on track to finish ahead of schedule, but I hate to even say that out loud Who knohat else wethat had to be ripped out, and the rotten subfloor downstairs, and the ghost that was living in the basehost was a family of raccoons that had been relocated to a nearby nature preserve, but that was neither here nor there

"I adet the house out in the burbs How’s Sie?" asked Sophia, now in the tub with me

"Oh, he’s having a grand old ti a sandpaper with a forty grit versus eighty grit would et me started on how much fun he had with the chalk lines the crew used to ensure the sightlines were even on the new kitchen pass-through There was blue chalk everywhere; I finally found hi his blue footsteps," I said flatly

I couldn’t coh, could I? Who wouldn’t want a boyfriend as deterinable? And besides, once I found hiet about the footprints He showed me his tool belt, you see

However, even the tool belt wasn’t enough to bring ht? Adet down to the sexy ti everything that would stand still, but still Even the tool belt wasn’t ain, I’d castrate hiht? I’d avoided sex with Si suspicious I was getting frustrated Even right now, I could feel the tension building up intension

This hy I needed to stop picking at this particular pickle

"I’etthe wedding Plus, I don’t want to live in sin You know you’re hellbound, Caroline," Milint in her eye

"Where do you think you’ll look for a house?" I asked, settling deeper into the tub while Mied on theseat (aseat in a bathroom? I can’t even) and looked out at the view

"I think we’ll stay in the city for now, although I can really see the appeal ofout here," she said The lot ooded on either side of the house, and some of the trees in back had been cleared to see the water down below It felt secluded, even though eren’t far froht streamed in, and it was so quiet "I bet Sophia would never want to leave the city though, right?" she asked, turning back toward us

Sophia didn’t answer right away, and that was the first ti on?"

"It’s nothing," she whispered, rolling her eyes as Miive us that What’s going on?" I asked, struggling to sit back up and flashing her hly this tihed, then two more tears fell "I want a claw-foot tub, dammit!" she cried

Mi her tiny arms around her "You sure it’s just the tub you want?"

"Yes No Fuck Do I have to say it?"

"You want Neil in the claw-foot tub with you?" I asked, pulling a tissue from my purse for her

She blew her nose loudly "I do I hateit, but I do" She looked around at the tub, then chuckled "What’s funny is he wouldn’t even fit in here, the stupid lug He’s so tall" She blew her nose again "Imuch Did I tell you he doesn’t even call reat sniff, then looked up with deter to call hi for her purse as I met Mimi’s eyes

"Sweetie, you sure you want to do that?" I asked, snatching up her purse and holding it just out of her reach I

"Why the hell not? You’re the one who’s been saying I should talk to him all this time" She sniffled

"Yeah, Sophia! Go! Go! Go!" Miave her the purse and crossed ers Sophia rarely made concessions like this If it didn’t work, even after she’d put her butt on the line? I not only crossed ers, I crossed my toes too

She took out her phone, then stopped Started to dial, then stopped

"Maybe you should think this through before you--" I started

"Oh, stop it, Caroline, let her call him!" Miel perched on her shoulder Or was she the devil?

Sophia took a deep breath, scrolled through her phone, and brought him up The picture on her screen aa about Neil People loved him That’s why he was the most popular sportscaster in the Bay Area, ood idea He obviously still carried a torch for her, and based on the stories Sophia had told about him in the bedroo out, amplified by the porcelain acoustics ofthree times, then someone answered A woi up