The sun had risen and found its cozy spot within the sky, and if San Francisco were Montana, and we were on a farm filled with livestock, the roosters would’ve crowed over four hours ago. We weren’t on a farm with livestock, but we were in a small apartment with children, and now that I’d experienced it, I was pretty sure it was the same.
The sounds of a trolley car ringing its bell filtered from the street and through the open windows of Lola’s living room. A few seconds later, a police siren sped by—its shrill noise overpowering the rowdy laughter coming from the three kids running amuck—and I smiled.
San Francisco. I loved this city.
It had an undercurrent of cultural electricity that most cities lacked, and it was that spark that drew me in and kept me coming back for more.
I leaned a little deeper into the kitchen counter to listen to what Lola and her sister, Annie, were saying by the door as the kids bounced off the walls of the hallway. I was ninety-percent convinced I’d been relegated to the kitchen just so that Lola could prove a point—kitchen meetings didn’t exist. I smiled at the thought.
“He’s still here.”
“Thanks, Captain Obvious,” Lola said through gritted teeth. She was trying to keep her volume down, but thanks to the undertone of anger at Annie for having brought me up, she was struggling.
I’m going to have to introduce her to Cameron.
“I’m just saying. The last time I was here, it was night, and now it’s morning and the man you supposedly hate is still standing in your kitchen. There had to be some time in between there where sleeping was involved, and since my kids were in your bed, I’m just wondering where you and said man were.”
“We fell asleep on the couch.”
“After having loud, rambunctious sex?”
“What? No! Sitting up, Annie. We fell asleep sitting up with Minions in the background.”
“Well, hey, how was I supposed to know? My kids are deep sleepers. At least, I hope they are. Otherwise Brian and I are going to be spending a lot of money on therapy, and frankly, we haven’t been setting it aside.”
I bit my lip and looked to the counter to keep from laughing out loud.
I also took that as my cue it was time to formally enter the conversation.
Padding my way around the island, I held out my hand as I got close and gave Lola’s sister a smile. Soft blond hair swept up in a ponytail and happy color in her cheeks, she seemed like a mixture of Lola and my sister—war-worn and practical, but still fun. Ironically, the familiarity made me feel warm and comfortable and completely at ease.
“Hey, Annie.”
“Hi, Reed.”
I smiled at her use of my name—the way she used it like I was a sexy secret.
“Have a good time last night?”
“Three good times.”
Lola choked and coughed from shock, and my smile deepened.
“Anytime you need to get out and Lola is busy, feel free to ask me. Your kids are a blast. I’m expecting a nephew here in the next couple of months, and my sister already has plans to use me shamelessly.”
“Are you serious?”
“No, he’s definitely not—” Lola started, but I cut her off with a simple, “Yes.”
Annie smiled wide. “Oh, my God. Brian might actually keep some hair beyond thirty-five.”
I grinned at her candor and humor in one, one of my absolute favorite combinations in a person, and shrugged. “I’m always happy to save a hair.”
“Lola, I love him.”
Lola turned a scowl in my direction, irritation bleeding more gold into the amber green of her eyes, and I laughed. “See? She loves me. Your sister is wise.”
“Don’t make me cut you.”
“Mom, Lucy hit me!” Henry yelled from the hall, and Annie started as though she’d completely forgotten they were out there.
“Shit. I gotta go.”
Lola leaned in to give her a hug. “Let’s have coffee soon.”
“With those hellions?” Annie asked, appalled.
“No. Leave the hellions with Brian.”
Annie’s face cleared, and the good kind of wrinkles formed at the corners of her eyes. “Oh, okay. That sounds fun.”
“It does,” I interjected, and Annie smiled deeper as Lola’s face did the opposite.
“You weren’t invited,” Unhappy Lola informed me, but I ignored her.
“I’ll bring my sister, Laura. You guys seem like you would hit it off.”
“Oh my God, that sounds amazing.” Annie clapped her hands in front of her chest. “I could use another mom friend. I tried going to one of those mom groups, and they all snubbed me because my diapers weren’t organic.”