I smile. Calm down. I couldn’t hurt Finn if I tried. “How do you take your coffee?” I ask as I rise.
“More cream and sugar than coffee, please.”
I grab two cups, pouring a generous amount of half and half into Lennox’s cup. I pour her cream but bring the silver container of sugar to the table with a spoon. “I’m not good at guessing people’s sugar tolerances. And as for ‘my deal’ I’m happy to tell you whatever you’d like, but you know Finn and I aren’t dating, right?”
Lennox grabs the spoon before unlatching the lid of the sugar container. She spoons three heaping teaspoons of sugar crystals into her cup.
Yup, my kind of girl.
“He said you guys were hanging out.”
I suck the air in between my teeth, exaggerating the squeaking sound. “We hung out. Once.”
“Did you guys sleep together?” she asks with a mischievous smile. Her smile is contagious and I catch her playful mood.
I clear my throat. “I mean, we didn’t do much sleeping.”
She squeals with laughter and taps her feet against the floor rapidly, making the table shake. “I knew it. I should’ve known just by the way he was talking about you. Finn finally likes a good one. Thank the heavens.”
“Oh, oh,” I say, holding up my palm and waving my hand in the air. “No. Not like that. I just…we’re…” Okay, I’m going to need to figure out how to answer this question because someone else is bound to ask. “I just got dumped from a very long-term relationship about three weeks ago and I’m not quite sure how to do the whole dating game. Finn’s showing me the, uh…ropes so to speak. And in exchange, I’m going to use my expertise to help you guys build more business.”
I picture the cogs spinning in Lennox’s head. She keeps her quizzical expression on me as she takes a sip from her mug. “This was Finn’s idea?”
I can’t help but laugh. “Oh, no. I asked him. More like, convinced him. Completely my idea. He’s innocent in all of this. And I know I must sound crazy, but I’m a hands-on learner. Sex isn’t something you can just learn from a textbook. Actually, scratch that—you can. I did. Which is probably why I’m so awkward at it. Finn is confident in the things I’m not, so I figured he could teach me what men want and how to have a decent sex life.”
Lennox tries to control her smile. “So you asked a man you barely knew to have sex with you for tips?”
“Pretty much.” I cover my eyes. “It’s not my usual style, but I’ve never been able to just talk to a guy so easily. And plus, sorry, I know he’s your cousin, but Finn is beyond hot.” I drop my hands and shrug innocently. “I saw an opportunity. I seized it. But I promise, I have nothing devious planned. We’re just friends helping each other out.”
Lennox turns her lips down and nods slowly. “Okay, let’s pretend this won’t end in a total disaster. What happens at the end of summer? This is the last question of my interrogation. I promise.”
I give her a small smile. I like that she’s protective of Finn. It makes me immediately like her. “I go home, move out of my apartment with my ex, and feel good about dating again. Hopefully, by then I have enough confidence to eventually attract a guy who doesn’t see a life with me as settling. Meanwhile, you and Finn are so busy with bookings you’ll be quietly cursing me for making you guys so busy and rich.” I raise my brows. “Sound fair?”
She tips her mug in my direction. “I could work with rich. I think I like you, Avery. I officially approve of this whole situation.” She nudges my plate toward me. “You may eat your snack in peace.”
Lennox joins me in laughter. When we catch our breath, I add, “Just so you know, I do consider Finn a friend. I have no expectations and there are no hearts at risk. We’re helping each other get…unstuck, I suppose.”
“I think we should be friends,” Lennox says, raising her brows. “I mean, you and Finn can’t just fuck all the time.”
I beg to differ. I’m no longer sore. I will live underneath that man…or on top of him…or on my knees…
“You’re living here all by yourself while Dex is away?”
I nod. “Well, my best friend was supposed to visit now and then, but she’s an actress and she booked a role last minute and hightailed it to New Mexico with my Jeep.”
Lennox widens her eyes in surprise. “You’re here alone with no car?”
I nod in reply.
“Damn, babe, that’s lame.”
“I’m okay,” I say. “Walmart and Target will deliver most anything and I go on quick walks in the morning before the heat becomes unbearable, so I get out of the house on occasion. And Finn took me to dinner the other night.”
Lennox rolls her eyes. “I’m liberating your imprisoned ass.” She chugs her coffee and at first, I’m impressed, but then I remember how much cream I put in there. I’m sure her drink is barely warm. “I’m headed to Town Square. Not that I can afford anything there, but my credit card is a little dusty. I’m going to go make some bad decisions in Sephora. Want to come?”
I gesture around my eyelids. “If you teach me how to do a smoky eye like yours, I’ll buy some makeup for you. I can’t figure out how to blend it properly. It comes out looking like I failed miserably when trying to cover up a black eye.”
Lennox chuckles. “Ah, it’s all about the blending brush. And I have a trick that involves scotch tape. Come on. I’ll show you what brushes to get. Let’s go.” She rises, her chair screeching against the wood floor.
“Um…” My shirt is stain-free at least, but it’s still frumpy and two sizes too big. It’s from a 5k charity event that I most definitely did not run. I volunteered to hand out little water bottles at the end of the race. “Do you want me to change?”
She squints one eye at me. “Um,” she mimics, “that’s a weird question. Do you want to change? I can wait.”
“Oh, I… I don’t know. Is Town Square fancy? I don’t want to embarrass you.” I glance down at my frayed blue jean shorts. I hate wearing shorts. My legs are not tan or toned. They belong in the security of compression yoga pants. But it’s so damn hot here. What choice do I have?
“Are you planning on participating in a flash mob while we’re out?”
“Definitely not.”
She pops her shoulders. “Then how the hell would you embarrass me?” Lennox throws her head back as she lets out a breathy laugh. “I’m going to pull my car around. Want to meet me out front in five? Oh, and that needs to go in the fridge,” she says, pointing to the pink box on the counter. “The icing has cream cheese in it.”
The front door closes with a click and I find myself for the first time in a long time, looking forward to a girls’ day out. I put my cinnamon rolls into the fridge as instructed and collect my purse and keys before passing by Cherry’s tank.
Sorry, girl, have a good day. I won’t be watching you all day like a sad, old spinster fish lady.
I apparently have plans.