“And you look”—Blair’s eyes flick up and down, assessing me—“different. Happy different.”
Juliet tilts her head, studying me like she’s piecing together a puzzle. “You used to be our glass-half-empty girl. Always cynical. And now you’re glowing.”
“She’s in love.” Emma’s shoulders bounce.
I laugh, shaking my head. “I’m not in love. I’m just…” my words trail as I catch Hess’s outline through the window. “I’m just happy.”
I feel the shift they’re talking about too. “Hess makes it easy to be happy. I’ve never felt more taken care of by a man in my entire life.”
Blair’s jaw actually drops. “You? Miss I-don’t-need-anyone? Miss I-could-never-be-a-trad-wife?”
“Yeah, yeah, I know what I’ve said before. And I still believe in strong, independent women who can and should do anything they want. That hasn’t changed. But Hess…he doesn’t threaten that. He adds to it. He respects me. He sees that I’m tough, that I work hard, that I’ve got a mind of my own, and he admires it instead of pushing against it. I think”—I swallow, realizing I mean what I’m saying—“maybe I had aspects of it wrong before. Maybe independence doesn’t mean doing everything alone. Maybe it’s about choosing someone who doesn’t take away from you but makes you more yourself.”
There’s a beat of silence before Carly says softly, “Wow. Who even are you right now?”
Emma smirks, but her eyes are warm. “Whoever she is, I like her. Honestly, Camila, it suits you.”
Their teasing fades into smiles, into that soft kind of support that only old friends can give. For once, they’re not skeptical. They’re just happy for me.
Blair grins. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m kind of jealous. I mean, look at Joel out there. He’s such a tool. The dating pool is slim, and if you’ve found a good guy who isn’t threatened by a strong, successful woman, you have to snatch him up because that type of man is rare.”
“How married are you guys now?” Carly asks. “Like, share-the-same-bedroom married?”
“No.” I wave my arms out in front of me even though we did sleep in the same bed last week at his parents’ cabin. “Hess is very much the gentleman when it comes to our living arrangements.”
“Aww.” Juliet puckers her lips. “I love that he’s respectful.”
Then Emma, always the believer in happily ever after, leans forward. “So, are you still planning on divorcing him in a month and a half or staying married?”
“We haven’t really talked about it,” I say honestly.
“You haven’t talked about it,” Juliet scoffs.
I glance in Hess’s direction. “Everything between us is so new. We’re just figuring things out.”
Emma’s brows drop. “Yeah, but you said you were happy.”
“Just because I can admit I’m happy and that this relationship is healthy, doesn’t mean we should stay married. The plan was always to get divorced.”
I say the words, but even as they leave my mouth, the conviction doesn’t land the way it used to, and that surprises me.
Later,when it’s just the two of us and the house is quiet, we sit across from each other on the couch. The TV hums softly in the background, but neither of us watches it. I’m curled into the corner, Harvey lies on the ground in front of us, and Hess is at the opposite end of the couch with my feet resting in his lap. His thumbs work slow circles over my arches, and I feel like I’ve died and gone to Heaven.
“Be honest. What did you think of my friends?”
He grins, still focused on rubbing my feet. “I loved them.”
“No, I want details.”
“Details?” He flashes me a charming smile. “What kinds of details?”
“What did you think of Carly and Nate?”
“They’re going to make it. You can just tell they’re perfect for each other, and that story of how they were anonymous pen pals without knowing they worked with each other? I mean, c’mon. That’s all I needed to know to be invested in them as a couple.”
I smile, warmth filling my chest. “Agreed. They just fit.”
“And Vinny?” I tilt my head.
