Identity Crisis(70)

‘No,’ Garrett said.

‘Yes,’ Kendra said. ‘Full larder. You make pancakes?’

Stacie nodded. ‘The best.’ She offered them a knowing smile. ‘Why don’t you two go slip into something a little less comfortable, and I’ll get cooking.’ She waved a hand to the wheelie bag sitting on the floor by the door. ‘I’ll stash that later.’

Kendra pushed Garrett’s arm off her shoulder and shot him an evil look. ‘I’ll help you in the kitchen,’ she said.

Stacie shrugged, and Kendra thought she heard Garrett say a few unsavory words under his breath. Then she sauntered down the stairs, tugging the sash of the robe as though she was making every effort to cut herself in half with it, and led the way into the kitchen.

She already had a Diet Pepsi open for courage and was beginning a pot of coffee when Stacie came in behind her, and easily found her way around to gather ingredients.

‘I’m not sleeping with him,’ Stacie said as she bent to get eggs out of the fridge. She said it as casually as if she was discussing the weather outside. ‘We haven’t fucked in a very long time now, sweetie. And we were friends long before we were lovers, so that part of us has stayed.’

‘None of my business,’ Kendra said, starting the coffee pot.

‘True, but I could tell you wanted to know, since clearly you’re sleeping with him, I can’t blame you. I certainly would if I were you. Garrett’s good in bed.’

‘Jesus,’ Kendra whispered under her breath.

‘I stay with Garrett when I’m in Portland since he has a house now. It’s just nicer than a hotel, and it gives us a chance to catch up.’

‘You don’t seem surprised we’re having sex,’ Kendra said, trying not to feel self-conscious in her underdressed state. Upstairs, she could hear the shower running and remembered she had planned to fuck Garrett senseless in their morning ablutions.

‘Not surprised that you’re having sex, no. I mean, when two people are at each other’s throats the way you two were at Dee and Ellis’s engagement party, sex is pretty much the next step, isn’t it? I am a little surprised you haven’t killed each other in lieu of post-coital bliss.’

Kendra nodded to the press beyond the door. ‘We’ve had to put acts of random violence temporarily behind us and fight the good fight.’

Stacie offered a throaty giggle as she perused the contents of the refrigerator for what she needed. ‘Oh, this just keeps getting better and better, tell me more. I’m dying to catch up and I –’ She gave a little gasp and laid a hand against her ample cleavage. ‘You have blueberries.’

‘Yes.’ Kendra replied. ‘So?’

‘Do you like blueberry pancakes?’

‘Better than almost anything,’ Kendra said. ‘And if there’s maple syrup then they’re almost –’

‘Almost better than sex?’ Stacie walked to the pantry and pulled out a bottle of maple syrup.

‘God, yes!’ And suddenly both women were giggling.

Stacie kicked off her shoes and pulled out an apron, noticing Kendra’s look of surprise. ‘The syrup and the apron, I bought. I cook for Garrett occasionally when I’m here because that’s one thing I can manage without bodily injury.’ She shrugged ‘That and suss out the best art in the world for my galleries. Otherwise, I’m a bit of a klutz, I’m afraid.’

Kendra watched in fascination as Stacie began to whisk together the ingredients like a pro. She couldn’t resist. ‘Were you really engaged to Ellis when you married Garrett?’

‘Yep,’ the woman said without looking up at her. ‘I was very young and very stupid, and very sorry very soon.’ She glanced over her shoulder. ‘They were my two best friends. You can’t imagine the loss, and how much I regretted it.’

‘Your two best friends. Really? How did you meet?’ If she sounded like she was giving the woman the third degree, well, she supposed she was a little bit.

‘I moved in next door to the Thornes when I was 12. And my telescope was better than Ellis’s.’

‘You were into astronomy?’

‘I was, yes, and my father helped me build my own telescope. That made me very popular with Ellis. His parents were both professors, but neither had any interest in astronomy, so he’d had to save birthday money and money from paper routes for his.’ She began to spoon the batter onto the griddle. ‘Soon after that, Garrett got interested too, and we became fast friends. In the end, the friendship was strong enough to survive Garrett and my stupidity, something I’m very grateful for. Good friends are hard to come by.’ Before Kendra could comment, she turned the conversation back to her.