Page 101 of Let's Kiss and Tell

“Not as cool as being architects.” I take a sip and the citrusy sweet and sour tang tastes perfect. “Also, Marsh told me the two of you met as kids?”

“Yeah.” Oliver’s gaze lands on Quinn. “We went to the same middle school.”

“We also lived on the same street,” Quinn adds. “I used to come over to their house, and we’d play video games and basketball in the driveway.”

“Oh my god.” I smile. “So Marsh wasn’t kidding when he said you were all childhood friends.”

“People don’t believe us when we say we’ve been together since we were like fifteen,” Quinn says.

“And you’ve been together the whole time? No breaks?” I ask.

“Nope.” Oliver pulls Quinn close and gives her a kiss on the top of her head. “Crazy, right?”

There’s something so effortless about the two of them, it makes me wonder if itispossible to have what they do.

“Looks like the party has already started,” a voice from behind me says, and I turn to see Marsh and Oliver’s mom. There’s a poise to her and an almost regal energy. Charlotte’s tall, just like her boys, with a beautiful bob of white hair and a crisp beige jumpsuit.

“Hey, Mom.” Marsh stands up and gives her a hug. “You look great.”

“You too.” She kisses his cheek.

“Mom, I want you to meet Lucy.” Marsh looks at me, and I stand up to greet her.

“Hi, it’s so nice to meet you,” I say.

“Oh, Lucy, look at you. You are beautiful, aren’t you?” She hugs me and then her eyes land on Marsh. If I wasn’t looking, I wouldn’t have caught it, but there’ssomethingthat was exchanged through that look…I just have no idea what.

For the next forty minutes, the five of us talk about work, how Marsh and I met, and Charlotte’s jewelry line, and Sadie gives us a presentation of her drawings from school. I almost forget that we’re here for a birthday party until the first guests arrive, then the next, until the backyard is filled with almost twenty kids. When most of the adults are occupied in conversation, Marsh puts his hand on the small of my back.

“How are you feeling?” he asks.

Driving from LA to the Bay Area isn’t the easiest, and I should be exhausted, but for some reason I’m the complete opposite. I’m enjoying getting to know Marsh’s family. It’s effortless and fun and I like learning about where Marsh came from.

“I’m great.” I look up at him. “What about you?”

“Want me to give you a tour?” he asks.

“Really?” I say. I’m not going to pretend like I haven’t been curious.

“Yeah, let’s do it.” Marsh takes my hand, and we walk through the house and into one of the very wide hallways.

When we turn the corner, I see a woman. A woman who looks like we just told her to put up her hands and go up against the wall.

It doesn’t take a genius to guess who this woman is.

“Julia…” Marsh says.

“Marsh,” Julia says. “Hi.”

Thisis Julia. I process. Julia, who stands at a perfect five-foot-ten, has chestnut brown hair and big blue eyes, and whose skin is like porcelain. Julia, who’s an elementary school teacher and who’s still on good enough terms with the Oakleys that she feelscomfortable being here. Julia, who spent the last nine and a half years getting to see the most vulnerable, private parts of Marsh. Julia, who still has some kind of effect on Marsh because he looks like the wind is knocked out of him.

“Hi,” Marsh says.

“How are yo—” Julia and I make eye contact over Marsh’s shoulder and she stops. “Oh, hi…”

Well, this is awkward.

“Uh, yeah, Jules, this is Lucy.” Marsh turns to me. I step closer so I don’t feel like I’m someone at the zoo witnessing two animals. The nickname Jules doesn’t go unnoticed, but I don’t think twice about it. “Lucy, this is Julia.”