“Something with zombies where everyone dies a grizzly death. Eden’s choice. I’m going to cover the baby’s eyes and use subtitles so it doesn’t hear screaming. I won’t be home tonight, by the way.” Ashley said it casually. “I’m staying over at Eden’s. That way no one has to drive me, and everyone can have a drink while I nurse my sparkling water.”

“Are you sure? I don’t mind coming to get you.”

“I’m hoping you will have your mind on other things.” Ashley waggled her eyebrows. “Also, Eden and I are going to eat pancakes at the Surf Café for breakfast so don’t feel you have to rush to get dressed in the morning.”

“What exactly are you implying?”

“That if you and Nate want to have sex in every room in the house, you don’t need to worry you’ll find me in any of them. You’ll have the place to yourself.”

“Ashley!” Joanna felt her color rise. “We won’t be having sex.”

“Oh. That’s disappointing. Why not?”

Was she serious? “For a start because we barely know each other.”

“Okay, I’m going to give you the benefit of my considerable life experience in these matters. Three things. First, number one—” Ashley held up a finger “—you’ve known him your whole life and you’ve already had plenty of sex with him. Just because you had a gap, doesn’t mean you don’t know him. Two, sex is a really good way of getting to know someone.”

“I hardly dare ask about number three.”

“Number three is that sex doesn’t have to be serious. It doesn’t have to come with a bucketload of emotions. It can be fun. A hookup.”

“A hookup?”

Ashley shook her head. “Stop taking life so seriously. Live in the moment. When did you last have really good sex?”

Joanna stared at her.

“Ha!” Ashley pointed a finger. “That’s what I mean. You can’t remember.”

“Maybe I can. Maybe I just don’t want to talk about it.” Nate, she thought. Nate was the last time she’d had really good sex. When love, at least, had seemed simple and uncomplicated. Not that her sex life with Cliff had been bad exactly, at least not at the beginning, but romance, excitement, intimacy had all been missing from her life for a long time.

Ashley nodded. “Give yourself a gift, Joanna. Enjoy yourself.”

“I’m twice your age. How come you’re the one who is so sure about everything?”