Greta shook her head and closed her mouth. She gazed at the painting, then wondered if it was rude to gaze at a nude painting of Carys. Then she figured if Carys put a picture of herself nude on her wall, she was okay with people looking at it.

“Did I pose for it?”

“Huh?”

“Were you going to ask if it’s based on real life?”

Carys had a wicked gleam in her eye, and she pushed her chest forward, posing like the figure in the painting.

“Erp.”

Carys laughed. “Maybe you’ll find out.” She winked and handed Greta the pipe. “Edward added the ocean. I really think it makes the whole thing more dramatic.”

Greta giggled.

Carys cocked an eyebrow.

“Sorry, I was just… Edward.”

“Hmm?” Carys asked, taking the pipe.

“It’s like Ed-ward. Like, going in the direction of Ed.”

Greta dissolved into laugher and Carys snorted.

“I never thought of that before. Are there other -ward names?”

“Uh… Howard?”

Carys snickered. “You’re high. And a nerd.”

“A little,” Greta admitted. She flopped back on the bed and ran her fingers up one of the posts of the heavy frame. “How’d you get this thing through the door?”

“It was in here when I moved in. Isn’t it amazing? There are moon phases carved into the posts on the insides. Not sure if they’re original or added later, but.” Carys shrugged and blew a series of perfect smoke rings. “Lesbian lunar bed of my dreams.” She grinned, and Greta grinned back.

“Are you into astrology and that stuff?” Greta asked.

“I like things that give us shorthands to tell other people about ourselves. Do I believe where the planets were the moment you were born makes a code that determines your personality? No. But I think anything that makes it easier to do self-reflection is useful.”

“I should make my sisters get into the zodiac, then.” She imagined asking Sadie what her sign was and snorted.

“What’s the deal with your family, dude?” Carys asked, lying back on the bed next to her.

“Well, my sister Tillie got married last year to this guy she works with. Adelaide—that’s my twin—and Sadie, my oldest sister, work with my parents. They have a real estate business. I’ve been working there for the last year too. Maggie’s still in school.”

Carys nodded, listening, but said, “I more meant, what’s their deal. Like, what’s your issue with them?”

Greta sighed. She’d kind of known that was what Carys meant. “You know how when you’re little and there’s a thing your family does, like drink milk with dinner or buy a certain kind of toothpaste, you just think that’s how the world is? And then you meet other families and they drink water with dinner and use a whole other flavor of toothpaste?”

“Yeah.”