“Sure,” he said, holding out his hand for Libitz’s black purse.
Looking into his eyes, she let it slip from her shoulder and handed it to him. “Thank you.”
“No problem,” he answered, winking at her as he took the bags upstairs.
Kate put her arm around Lib’s waist, guiding her into a grand dining room and through swinging doors that led to the kitchen.
“Ummm…is it just me? Or did he have a brain transplant?” said Libitz, marveling over the changes in J.C. since the wedding in June.
Kate opened the fridge, took out a bottle of chilled Chardonnay, and poured Libitz a glass, gesturing to a round table for eight that sat in a round nook off to the side of the cooking area. Floor-to-ceiling windows looked out onto a patio, pool, and expansive bright-green lawn.
“What do you mean?” asked Kate, setting the wine in front of her friend, then turning back to the counter for a prepared platter of grapes, cheese, and crackers.
“I mean…,” said Libitz, taking a sip of her wine as she sat down, “the level of smarm has been halved since last we met.”
Kate sat down across from her, tearing a sprig of grapes from a larger vine. “Are you sure you gave him a chance?”
“KK…believe me, he was disgusting.”
“Oh, come on. He couldn’t have been that bad.”
You’re a bitch.
“He was.”
“Maybe he was drunk at the wedding? Everyone gets drunk at weddings, and guys act like asses when they’ve had too much.”
Maybe, thought Libitz.
But giving a moment of thought to their interactions that weekend, she quickly dismissed the idea that his behavior at the wedding was merely the result of drinking. It had been consistently smarmy all weekend. Nor did she believe that she’d misjudged him two months ago—he had acted like a predator and an asshole.
And that said, the J.C. she met today wasn’t a completely new person. He’d still called her “Elsa” earlier at the train station. He’d still bantered with her in the car as cleverly as he had at the wedding. The difference was in the delivery. It felt more playful now and less dirty. In the simplest possible terms, she felt less like a piece of ass and more like a person.
She sighed, annoyed to be spending so much time thinking about him. “Let’s talk about you instead. How are you feeling?”
“Changing the subject, huh? Okay. But when I’ve got you good and drunk, I’ll make you talk,” warned Kate. “And how do I feel? Fat. Well, fatter than I did before. And gassy. They never mention the gas.”
“You look beautiful,” said Libitz. “Pregnancy suits you.”
“I felt her kick last week,” said Kate, her smile dreamy and soft. “Can you believe I’ll be a mom by Christmas?”
“Chanukah. And yes, of course I believe it. I’m thrilled for you.”
Kate reached for Libitz’s hands. “The party’s on Sunday, which means lots of prep work tomorrow. How about we spend Monday shopping? Baby clothes, a bassinette—”
“Booties! Some soft blankets!”
“A little bathtub?”
“Yes! And fluffy towels.”
“You don’t mind?”
“Mind?” exclaimed Lib. “Are you kidding? I get to go shopping for my goddaughter! And you better let me spoil her, KK!”
Kate nodded solemnly as she made herself a cracker-and-cheese sandwich. “But of course.”
Libitz caught some activity on the lawn out of the corner of her eye and looked out the windows to see étienne and J.C. scramble away from a sprinkler that suddenly shot a blast of water into the air. She turned to Kate and they giggled at the men, who were trying to sprint toward the sprinkler but were getting caught in showers every time.
“What in the world are they doing?”
“I mentioned something to étienne about having a sprinkler set up for Caroline English, Fitz’s daughter, and he’s been at it all afternoon.” Her shoulders trembled. “I don’t think he’s ever set up a sprinkler before.”
“Why don’t you call Jax’s boyfriend to come over and give him a hand? Isn’t he a gardener?”
Kate gave Libitz a look as she stuffed another cracker sandwich in her mouth and stood up to look out the window. “What’s the fun of that?”
Libitz cackled as J.C. reached down to hold the sprinkler in place while étienne leaned down to fiddle with the controls, which rewarded the brothers with a sudden stream of water that drenched them both.
“P-p-points for t-trying?” stuttered Kate through giggles, swiping at her eyes.
J.C. sprang up, gesticulating with his hands while yelling something that looked suspiciously like “Merde! Merde! Merde!” and étienne kicked the sprinkler across the lawn while shaking his hair free of droplets.
A moment later, they heard the sound of water being turned off, and a few seconds after that, both men stood in the kitchen doorway with wet hair and soaked shirts, looking thoroughly disgruntled.
“Pourquoi ne pas le tenir?” étienne demanded of his brother.