The Strength of the Pack (Suncoast Society #30)(10)

“I am. I’m sad, but…I’m okay. I’m happy for them. Jesse’s a good man. I love him, well, like a brother, I guess.”

“I wish they were bi, sweetie. It’d make me totally unnecessary.” She smiled. “And Eliza and June and I are working on that.”

“Any leads?”

“Maaaybe. But a good matchmaker doesn’t reveal her secrets. That, and I’m still checking some references on a couple of prospects. I didn’t want to dump everything on you right after the wedding.”

“If you match me up with someone and things don’t work out, I won’t blame you.”

“No, I’ll just blame myself.” She stood and stretched. “I’m going to put on the comfy clothes. You and Jesse are the only ones who get to see my Eeyores. Besides my guys, that is.”

“You have an image to uphold?”

“Something like that. I try to be badass whenever I can.” Tilly went to go change. She’d actually be sleeping in Leo and Jesse’s room tonight since Laurel had her own room and Eva now occupied what used to be the guest room.

Eva went to hand-wash the glasses they’d used. It wasn’t worth running the dishwasher.

When Tilly returned, she’d put her hair up in a messy bun, wore an oversized T-shirt with Tigger on it, and her Eeyore sleep pants. Her laptop case was slung over one shoulder.

“You’re going to stay awake until you’re sure I’m asleep, aren’t you?”

Tilly smiled and cocked her finger at Eva. “You, my dear, are psychic.”

She leaned against the counter. “No, I know Leo. And I suspect you think a lot like him.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll find your prince. Meanwhile, think about going to Crawford with Leo and Jesse. Last night, you seemed pretty relaxed after he worked on you.”

“I might just do that.”

“Was that the first time you’d had acupuncture?”

“Yeah. I mean, I know I’ve seen it help Leo, but I still thought it was hokum.”

“Careful. Your Sheldon Cooper is showing.”

“I know. Completely illogical. If I saw it helping him, I should have tried it sooner.”

“Yeeesss.”

“I think I figured that since his pain was physical and mine was mental, it was…different.”

“No snarking intended, we really need to work on your self-care skills.”

“Tell me about it. That’s what my counselor says.”

“Good. I’d be worried if they didn’t.”

“Did Leo give you any special instructions about tonight?”

Tilly sighed. “He wanted to make sure you weren’t alone. In case you needed a shoulder. Or if you just wanted to be alone and needed backup to take care of Laurel.”

Eva suspected there was more to it than that, but Leo and Jesse likely hadn’t revealed it to Tilly.

Tilly was a nurse. Leo and Jesse could have asked any of several other friends of theirs to spend the night—and they would have readily agreed.

Leo was still looking out for her. And Eva couldn’t blame him, especially after the stupid stunt she’d pulled the day after his accident.

No, she really hadn’t thought that one through, but she’d been in so much emotional pain—and completely drunk—that ending it all had seemed like a damned good idea at the time.

Although, considering her past track record, she didn’t know why she’d expected any different result.

“I appreciate you being here for me,” Eva said.

“Hey, it’s what we do for our friends. I’m going to set up in the living room for a while. You won’t bother me if you want to sit out here and watch TV.”

“No, I think I’m going to take a shower and head to bed.” Eva hugged her friend. “Make yourself at home.” She headed for her bedroom.

Eva didn’t want to fixate on Leo and Jesse. She knew they had sex. Hell, they’d almost certainly had sex in this house. No, they didn’t get their freak on around Laurel, ever. But they were men deeply in love with each other. It didn’t take much imagination on Eva’s part to understand they had needs.

She didn’t resent that.

Hell, she knew how good Leo was in bed.

It would be nice for her to find someone of her own, though. Even though she knew, with her situation whacked out and crazy as it was, it wouldn’t be as easy as finding a needle in a haystack.

It would be more like finding a particular grain of sand on Siesta Key’s famous beach.





When she awoke early Monday morning to get Laurel ready for school, Eva wasn’t prepared for the evilly gleeful look on Tilly’s face when her friend appeared in the kitchen.

“I thought I heard you up,” Tilly said.

“Did you even sleep?”

“Yes, I did.” Tilly leaned against the counter. “Do you trust me?”

“Of course I do.”

“Good. I know I said I was going to wait, but I’m going to try to arrange a date for you this week.”

“Can I ask who with?”

“Not yet, no. I have to confirm it all the way around, including with Leo and Jesse.”

“Shouldn’t I get a little say in this?”