“Jessica! Hey!” She waved me over, a big smile on her face. She had an empty chair at her table and she motioned to it. “Need a seat? I promise I won’t talk your ear off. I can’t believe how busy it is here today.”

I accepted gratefully, taking the chair across from her. She was halfway through a sandwich and a coffee, an open textbook in front of her and a notebook under her right hand.

I was hesitant to reconnect with anyone from high school at this point. But Julia and I had been in different grades and in entirely different circles. She’d seemed nice enough at the shop, so maybe I could risk getting to know her better.

“What are you studying?” I said, trying to read her massive book upside down. There were some complicated diagrams that looked like organs.

“Human Physiology,” she said, sighing heavily. “I’m a nursing student. As much as I love selling porn and dildos, it doesn’t pay quite enough to live on. Did you already graduate?”

She spoke loudly, without a care about who heard her. Some folks sitting beside us shot her a dirty look, but she brushed her hair over her shoulder and paid them no mind.

“Yeah, I graduated in June,” I said. “Architectural Design.”

“Oooh, so you’re like, artsy and mathematically inclined,” she said. “Are you going to design skyscrapers? Will you build the next Burj Khalifa?”

I laughed. “Damn, wouldn’t that be a dream? Actually, I’m more interested in designing houses. Especially restoring older homes.”

“You must love what Lucas and the guys have been doing with their old house, then,” she said, leaning forward in her seat. “I’ve only seen it a couple times, but damn, I remember what it looked like before.” She grimaced. “I’m pretty sure it was almost condemned when they got it.”

“I believe it,” I said. “I think that old place could be really beautiful. It seems like they’re putting in a lot of work.”

“Sooo, how are you and Vincent?” she said. “Or you and…the guys…all of them.” She laughed awkwardly. “I never really know how to ask. Sorry.”

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “Wait, you know about all that? About them sharing with each other?”

“Oh, yeah.” She waved her hand as if it was old news. “They’ve always had their own unit going on, as long as I’ve known them. Lucas has always been open about it, being polyamorous and all that. I think it’s cool. Love should be free and ethical, in my opinion.”

“Do they date much? I mean, have you ever seen them try to bring anyone else in?” It was a question I probably could have asked of them directly, but it felt like demanding information I didn’t have a right to. After all, we weren’t dating…technically.