Laura held her hand up. “I will not discuss my sex life—or lack of—with you and Mother. Ever. Not ever, ever, ever!”

“I really like Cassidy,” her mother said. “She’s so nice. And pretty.”

“When did you meet her?”

“She’s been over for dinner a couple of times. Usually when she keeps Laura over in the pool drinking beer…they come over here for pizza afterward.”

“Really? How long has this been going on?”

Laura gave up and plopped down in the chair, joining them at the table. Her mother reached over and patted her leg.

“Laura Sue’s way past the crush stage.”

Laura groaned.

“Cassidy is too,” her mother continued. “Laura’s over there every weekend.”

“But they haven’t slept together yet?”

“Well, they’ve kissed.”

Laura dropped her head to the table in defeat, banging it slowly, as hard as she dared.

“In the pantry,” her mother continued in a whisper.

“First thing tomorrow morning, I’m moving you into a nursing home,” Laura mumbled.

“Oh, honey, first thing tomorrow morning, you’ll still be in the afterglow of sex.”

Carla laughed loudly, and Laura finally lifted her head off of the table, staring at them. “Really?”

“I can’t believe you have a sex date! That’s so cool, Laura!”

“Don’t you have a movie to get to?”

Chapter Forty-Seven

Cassidy tried not to seem impatient as they lingered over brunch. Brunch that she intended to be breakfast as she’d started it as soon as she’d heard movement in the guestrooms. But no. Ten thirty was creeping toward eleven, and they were still lounging at the table, second cups of coffee turning to three. Yes, they’d lingered over brunch, but there was still so much food left. She glanced at Claudia’s plate, seeing the food pushed around, nothing more. Erica and Amber had barely eaten half of theirs. A quick glance at her own plate showed it bare, except for the remains of syrup from the pancakes and a little egg that she’d missed. She was, after all, trying to keep her strength up. She had—she hoped—a very busy day ahead of her. That is…if they would leave already.

“I heard that Macie and Karon are on shaky ground.”

“No way,” Amber said to Claudia.

“Macie is supposedly having an affair with one of their friends…Ashly.” Claudia leaned closer to the table with a smile. “She’s straight too, you know.”

“Oh my God! And Karon found out?”

Barely containing her sigh, Cassidy got up and began clearing the table. The others didn’t seem to notice. She ignored their conversation. That is, until she heard her name mentioned.

“Didn’t you, Cassidy?”

She turned away from the sink. “What?”

“Ashly? She’s one of your castoffs, isn’t she?” Claudia asked, a smirk on her face.

Cassidy shook her head. “No.”