Page 81 of Semantics

Arlowe laughed and said, “Yes, you did, you little liar.”

“It was not on purpose. I woke up, and she was spooning me.”

“That’s why you were walking around and waking me up at, like, six in the morning on a weekend?” Enya asked. “You said it was because you wanted to get an early start on work today and made me make coffee for everyone.”

“Well, that was also true, but yeah. She didn’t know she was doing it. We fell asleep facing away from each other. She must have rolled into me and forgot it was me or something.”

“You sound like you were awake when it happened,” Arlowe noted.

“So?”

“Why were you awake?” Sarai asked.

“I don’t know. I couldn’t sleep.”

“Probably because Stella was next to you, and you knew if you fell asleep, you’d spoon her.” Arlowe laughed. “Been there.”

“That’s not how it was. I just happened to be awake, and she spooned me.”

“Did you push her away?”

“No, Sarai, I didn’t. I didn’t want to wake her up, which is another reason why I left the bedroom: she was still asleep.”

“I’m sorry; I’m still confused,” Enya said, shaking her head. “You say you two don’t like each other, but you do. It’s pretty clear to everyone else.”

“Did you not see us argue today?”

Violet pointed to the open garage door behind her as if that would explain the whole thing.

“I saw you argue with another businessperson, yeah, but it wasn’t like you were arguing over anything that had to do with your relationship.”

“We don’t have a relationship, Enya.”

“I didn’t mean a romantic relationship. I meant relationship in a general sense. You disagreed with her ideas. She disagreed with yours.”

“Yeah. And even then, it was fine. You weren’t yelling at each other or anything, and neither of you stormed out of the garage when you didn’t get your way,” Sarai said before she stole one of Enya’s baby carrots and chomped on it.

“Well, we’re not six years old,” Violet replied.

“You know what I mean.”

“Sarai, Stella and I aren’t dating. And she doesn’t want to date me, either.”

“I think she does, but whatever you say, Violet.”

“You know how Stella told you that she figured out the whole wanting to have sex with you thing recently, but that it had been there since school?”

“Not exactly what she said. But what’s your point, Arlowe?”

“What if, all along, it wasn’t that you two hated each other, like some kind of deep-seeded hate that will never go away, but you actually liked each other? You just met under competitive circumstances, and you both went a little crazy because of that. What if you had met her in an Amsterdam bar instead?”

“Shit…” Sarai pointed at Violet. “What if she’s right? You met Stella at school, when you were still trying to impress Mommy and Daddy Russell.”

“I had a girlfriend,” she said through gritted teeth.

“Pretend you didn’t,” Arlowe persisted. “Pretend you were both single. Stella walked up and, I don’t know, offered to buy you a drink.”

“I don’t know what would’ve happened then.”