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The differences between the two women immediately stood out.

I knew that from Rose’s stare alone, from her posture, how she put herself together.

It was everything I had expected.

The girls hugged, and then Alix moved back and stood between us.

“Rose, this is him,” she said.

The announcement almost sounded like a continuation of a conversation they’d had earlier, as though meeting me tied everything together.

Rose stuck her hand out for me to shake. “Hi, him.”

I laughed. “It’s nice to meet you, Rose.”

We sat at the round table, and my hand found Alix’s leg again, my thumb skimming the outside of her knee. Her smile was the reason I left it there and didn’t pull it away.

A waitress came right over and asked if we wanted drinks.

“Three shots of Fireball,” I told her.

“Anything else?” she asked.

“Three waters,” I said.

The waitress looked at Alix, who said nothing, and then at Rose.

“I won’t argue with that order,” Rose said.

“It’ll help get the awkwardness out of the way,” I explained o