"She likes us," Emma pointed out. "The concept of a company founded and run by four women appeals to her."
"And her sister. Who else did the sneaky Adele try to lure to Jamaica?" Laurel asked.
All four women raised hands.
"And she didn't even realize it was rude," Parker added. "Our business. It's not like we're employees. We own it."
"Rude, yes, but I don't think she meant any harm." Emma shrugged. "I elect to be flattered. She considers my flowers fabulous, Laurel's cakes and pastries superb, Parker's coordinating unmatched. Added to that, Mac blew it out of the park with the engagement photos."
"I did," Mac agreed. "I really did."
"Let's all take a moment to congratulate ourselves on our brilliance and talent." Parker offered a toast with her bottle of water. "Then get back to work."
"If we're taking a moment, I'd like to thank Emma for last night's entertainment."
Emma sent Laurel a blank look. "Sorry?"
"I happened to be taking a little air on my terrace last night before settling in for the night, and noticed a car barreling down the drive. For a minute I thought, uh-oh, something happened. But no, not quite yet."
"Oh my God." Emma slapped her hands over her eyes. "Oh my God."
"When no one immediately jumped out gushing blood, or jumped out at all, I actually considered running down, prepared to do triage. But momentarily both car doors flew open. Emma out of one, Jack out of the other."
"You watched?"
Laurel snorted. "Duh."
"More," Mac demanded. "We must have more."
"And more you will have. They fell on each other like animals."
"Oh, we did . . . too," Emma recalled.
"Then it's the classic back against the door."
"Oh, it's been so long since I had the back against the door," Parker said with a delicate shiver for emphasis. "Too long."
"From my view, Jack's got the move down cold. Or hot, I should say. But our girl holds her own. Or was it his?"
"Jesus, Laurel!"
"She wrestles his jacket off, tosses it. Rips his sweater off, heaves it away."
"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!" Mac said.
"But the gold medal move was the belt. She whips that belt off-" Laurel flicked an arm through the air to demonstrate. "Then lets it fly."
"I think I need another bottle of water."
"Unfortunately, Parker, they took it inside."
"Killjoys," Mac muttered.
"The rest was left to my very . . . fluid imagination. So I want to thank our own Emmaline for the view from my balcony seat. Sister, stand up and take a bow."
To enthusiastic applause, Emma did just that. "Now I'll leave you and Peeping Thomasina to your salacious thoughts. I'm going to work."
"Back against the door," Parker murmured. "I'm small enough to be jealous."
"If I were small enough, I'd be jealous of her having her back against anything. But it's okay, because I've declared myself in a sex moratorium."
"A sex moratorium?" Mac repeated, turning to Laurel.
"That's right. I'm in a sex moratorium so I can be in a dating moratorium, because for the last couple of months dating's just been irritating." Laurel lifted her shoulders, let them fall. "Why do something that irritates me?"
"For the sex?" Mac suggested.
Eyes slitted, Laurel shot a finger at her friend. "You're only saying that because you're getting laid regularly."
"Yes." Mac considered, nodded. "Yes, I am getting laid regularly."
"It's rude to brag to those of us who are not," Parker pointed out.
"But I'm getting laid with love." Mac drew out the final word so Laurel laughed.
"Now you're just getting sickening."
"I'm not the only one, at least on one side. Emma said you were right, Parks. She's in love with Jack."
"Of course she's in love with Jack," Laurel interrupted. "She wouldn't have slept with him otherwise."
"Um, I hate to disillusion you, Bright Eyes, but Emma's had sex with men she wasn't in love with. And," Mac added, "has gently refused to have sex with more men than the three of us combined have scored."
"My point exactly. What happens when the four of us go to a club, for instance? Four very hot chicks? We get some hits, naturally. But Emma? They swarm like wasps."
"I don't see-"
"I do." Parker nodded. "She doesn't have to sleep with someone just because she's attracted. She can and does pick and choose. And she's picky and choosy rather than promiscuous. If it were just lust, she could and would answer that call elsewhere, because to answer it with Jack is complicated, and risky."