Page 55 of My Husband Problem

Sutton is a petite blonde with her hair pulled back into a ponytail. She’s wearing a simple sundress, sandals, and very little makeup. She’s got a slight sunburn on her nose, and it lookslike glitter in her hair. I’ve gotten to know Nora a little, and I’m guessing the glitter is from something with the Parks and Rec department and is not intentionally dusting Sutton’s hair…and shoulders, and arms, and hands.

“And this is Anderson Fleury,” Astrid says. “Andi is an artist and does a lot of graphics and artwork for Parks and Rec along with all of her own amazing stuff.”

In contrast to Sutton, Andi is a tall, willowy blonde wearing black jeans, black boots, and a silky pink sleeveless shirt under a lightweight black top. Her hair is down, and she’s got her makeup done, the bold eye makeup and pink lipstick obvious.

The smiles Astrid gives them are warm and genuine and make my chest feel warmer.

“They’re also both very good friends,” she adds. “Sutton, Andi, this is, of course, Declan.”

“Nice to officially meet you,” Sutton says. “We’ve hearda lotabout you.” Then she winces as if she maybe shouldn’t have that.

Anderson nudges her further into the room. “Don’t worry. A lot of what we’ve heard has been from the internet, not Astrid.”

The smile she gives me is sly, and I realize that she knows that won’t make me feel better. So Andi is a little sassy. Noted.

“Are they Team Miles?” I ask Astrid.

“Oh, for sure. Especially Andi. She was on our team for World Otter Day, so she got to know him well and see his heroics up close.”

His heroics. Right.

How could I forget that Miles had put out a fire in the town park on World Otter Day,

their highest holiday. Not Christmas. Not even the day the town was founded. Oh, no, Rebel celebrates World Otter Day as if nothing else significant has ever happened to anyone in this town.

Of course, Miles was here for it this year.

And, according to the very dramatic website write-up, he saved a woman’s life and kept the park from burning down.

That’s what had really kicked the Team Miles bullshit into high gear.

I turn to face her more fully and pin Astrid with a look. “I know what you’re doing.”

She blinks up at me. “What do you mean?” She is not good at faking innocence.

“You told all these people to come tonight, so you didn’t have to be alone with me.”

“You thought we were going to have the restaurant to ourselves?”

“Eating dinner here, just the two of us at a table, would’ve been a little different than being surrounded by your entire hockey team and all your friends.”

She widens her eyes. “First of all, this isn’teveryplayer from the teams. They all have other jobs, and some of them work night shifts. Some have wives and kids and couldn’t come tonight. And, secondly, I havelotsmore friends than this.”

Then she brushes past me and heads toward the tables full of boisterous hockey players and Perks and Rec workers.

I notice she didn’t deny that she invited them all here tonight, however.

But this is fine. It’s not like she can avoid being alone with me forever.

Probably.

She only has to make it the rest of today and five days after this.

And I’m certain she has that countdown firmly in mind.

Everyone is talking at once, and people take turns going up to the counter to place orders, so for the first few minutes it’s simply chaos, and I sit back and just observe.

I notice Astrid seems to be mostly doing the same. She just listens and watches. But I do love the small smile that tips her lips as she takes it all in. It’s clear she has true affection for all of these people.