Page 56 of Chasing Smoke

“What can I get you to drink? There’s red and white wine. I also have some beer and some seltzers in the fridge. Or if you prefer a cocktail, I can make you one. I have most of what I might need, I think.”

Sutton looks over the amount of food strewn across the counter. “This is quite the spread you have here.”

“I may have gone a little overboard.”

“Are you kidding? No way. I’m looking at all of this and wondering what you ladies are all going to eat.” She pops one of the grapes from the charcuterie board into her mouth.

I chuckle.

“I’ll have a glass of white, please. Whatever kind, I’m not picky.” Emelia walks over to the counter.

“Same for me,” Sutton says.

I pour them their wine while Emelia pops one of the goat cheese and cranberry puff pastries into her mouth.

“Oh my god, this is delicious,” she mumbles as she chews.

“Collins knows how to throw a get-together. She’s always a great host.” Nina winks.

“Emelia, you have to try these candied dates,” Sutton says, calling her over.

Emelia steps over to where Sutton is and pops one in her mouth, moaning. “You’re going to have to teach me your ways.”

“You don’t cook?” I ask, handing her and Sutton their glasses of wine.

Emelia shrugs. “I mean, I do. But I’m not sure you can call it cooking, and the kitchen looks like a bomb went off when I’m done. Most of the time, Elliott does the cooking.”

“Ah, he’s used to it. Been cooking for all of us since he was a teenager.” Sutton sips her wine.

“Did he teach you to cook?” I ask her.

“Are you kidding?” Sutton’s eyebrows practically hit her hairline. “I’ve existed solely on UberEats for years.”

She and Emelia turn to look at Nina.

She raises the hand not holding the wineglass. “I have a kid in kindergarten, and state law demands I keep him fed and watered, so Mr. Freezer and I make a pretty good team.”

We all laugh.

“Seems like we’re all in good company then. Cheers to that.” I raise my glass, and we all clink ours together.

A couple of hours later, we’re a few bottles deep, and Nina is describing, with great attention to detail, her hookup with a guy she met at a banking conference last year.

“It was so weird. It was like fast, fast, slow. Fast, slow, fast. Slow, slow, fast. Like, keep a steady rhythm, man. At least give my orgasm a fighting chance.”

Emelia and I are practically rolling off our chairs laughing, tears nearly streaming out of our eyes. My stomach hurts from laughing so much. I can’t remember the last time I felt this light and free.

Ansel’s face flashes through my mind, but I push the memory away even if my eyes go to the couch. I’m not supposed to be thinking about him. I’m supposed to be working on myself.

“At least you got to the sex part,” Sutton says. “One guy I messed around with came back to my place and started crying after we were both undressed because he said my nipples looked like his ex’s. We ended up putting our clothes back on, and I helped him develop a step-by-step plan for him to win her back.”

“Did it work?” I ask before sipping my wine.

“Engaged a month later. I planned their wedding last year.”

“Maybe you should be a matchmaker, not a wedding planner,” Nina says.

“Trust me, I should not. I’m good with a plan of action, but not the follow-through. She tips her head back and finishes the last of the wine in her glass. “All right, Emelia. You’re up.”