Nichole: Do you know what you’re going to do?

Myla: No idea, but I’m sort of leaning toward working things out with him.

Nichole: Good.

Myla: Good? You make it seem like this is what you want.

Nichole: I do want this for you. I’ve never forgotten how fiercely Ryot fought for you. He fought your mom. He fought me. That’s not someone you let go of. And . . . I want someone to be there for you.

I stare down at her text, slightly confused, my anxiety gearing up. When I decided to file for divorce, she said she’d be there for me, that she’d bring me back to Chicago and figure everything out. So why is she glad that we might work things out now?

Myla: You’re not telling me something.

Nichole: You just have fun and figure this out. Okay?

Now I sit up taller, disturbing Ryot from his slumber. I pull up her number and call her, but she doesn’t answer. I get her voicemail, so I try calling again. When I’m sent straight to voicemail, I get a text from her.

Nichole: Calm down. No news. I’m just . . . covering all my bases in case something comes back not in my favor.

Myla: Don’t talk like that.

Nichole: Being realistic. But I must get to this meeting. Love you. Don’t focus on me. Focus on yourself, and when I hear something, I promise I’ll let you know.

Myla: Okay. Love you.

“Everything okay?” Ryot asks, still lying on my lap.

I set my phone down, and I stroke his cheek, his scruff feeling like sandpaper on my finger. “Yeah, just had a scare from Nichole for a second. She’s fine. No news yet.”

“Okay.” He turns his body to face me and then slips his hand against the underpart of my legs. “Thank you for letting me take a nap.”

I smile down at him. “It was nice. It reminded me of the time we went to Hawaii and spent most of it sleeping.”

“Sleeping . . . and fucking.” He waggles his eyebrows, and it makes me smile.

“Seems like we’ve sort of done the same thing here.”

“With the addition of talking, going on walks, and drinking more wine than humanly possible.”

“The wine . . . so much wine.”

He kisses my thigh and then smiles up at me. “What do you want to do for dinner? The rehearsal dinner is tonight, but they’re doing a close family thing, so it’s just you and me. Well, and Banner if you want to invite him.”

“Hmm, dinner alone with you or dinner with you and Banner? Well, the clear choice is inviting the third wheel.”

He chuckles just as I hear, “Third wheel? I hope you’re not talking about me.” JP comes up to our lounger along with Huxley. They’re both dressed in nice pants and button-up shirts. They look fresh from the shower with styled hair and both smell so freaking good. Not sure what kind of cologne they wear, but I shamelessly want to get it for Ryot. Maybe I’ll ask the girls.