Sleet Sugar by S.J. Tilly

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

MEGHAN

Pacing around my living room, I try to decide the best way to deflect Izzy’s questions. She had her painting date with Bill last night. One that I know Zach crashed. And then she texted me this morning asking if she could swing by over lunch because she wanted to talk. I’m pretty much positive she’s going to ask me if I’m the one that’s informing Zach on her dates.

Honestly, I’m surprised she hasn’t asked me before now. She knows someone is telling him, and even though I suppose it’s possible that it’s someone else, it’s obviously me.

Of course it’s me.

I knew from their first night together that they were fucking meant to be. But Izzy decided to fight it. And the worst part about the mess is that it was Katelyn and Steph who had convinced her to steer clear of hockey players in the first place. But really, how were they supposed to know that sex-god Zach would fall face-first into her lap and end up head over heels in love with her?

Luckily, he knows how special Izzy is, and he’s not afraid to go after what he wants. Yeah, it might be a little crappy that I’m going behind her back, but she needs the push. She needs Zach. And since all of her dating attempts have been absolute disasters, she can’t even pretend there’s someone else she’d rather be with.

The buzzer disturbs my internal rambling.

Shit. Here we go.

I hit the button to let her into the building and wait with my apartment door open.

“Hey, Girl!” I greet Izzy with over-the-top enthusiasm as soon as she steps off the elevator.

“Uh, hey - " she replies, giving me a look.

Yeah, I need to tone down the crazed smile that I can feel on my face.

I pull the door open wider. “Come on in.”

As she walks past me, I notice the large painting she has tucked against her side.

“Oh wow, it smells amazing here. What are you making?” Izzy asks, heading right to the kitchen.

I got a great deal on a two bedroom apartment in Minneapolis. I run my business out of the second bedroom and the rest is set up for comfort and entertaining. It’s cute and cozy and fits my needs. But since I really enjoy cooking and baking, we always end up congregating in the kitchen.

“Oh, it’s just some sweet potato soup I threw together. Figured if you were coming over during lunch we might as well eat.”

“Ugh, I love you so much,” Izzy groans.

That has to be a good sign. At the very least she didn’t walk in chewing me out.

“No problem. Now, are you going to give me that painting you’re hiding, or do I have to beg?” I ask, propping a hip against the counter.

Izzy grins. “You have to promise to hang it up first. I worked hard on this.”

“Uh, yeah, no. I will not be agreeing to that, sight unseen. You could’ve written 'Meghan is a Dick' on there.”

Izzy chuckles and holds up her right hand. “I swear, on my serving of lunch, that I did my very best to make this look exactly like the example artwork.”

“Hmm...” I drum my finger. “Fine, okay, it’ll go up on a wall.”

I don’t specify which wall.

Izzy spins the canvas around to show me her masterpiece.

My eyebrows rise as my jaw drops.

“You painted me a coochie?”

“Technically, it’s a flower.” She grins.

I start to laugh as I take the painting from Izzy. “Flower of life, more like it. Seriously though, this is damn fine work, Izz. Georgia would be proud of you.”

“You know whose this is?”

“Well yeah, who wouldn’t? Plus, you did a great job recreating it. Honestly, I’m impressed. I will totally hang this somewhere that people can see it. Not in some closet. Now, tell me about your date.”

Izzy starts retelling her evening as we both dig into bowls of soup. I don’t interrupt her with questions like I normally would, hoping that she’ll keep the story moving and not focus on how Zach ended up there.

To my delight, it works. Izzy goes through the awkward car ride with Bill and the painfully weird sister comments, then skates right through Zach showing up and sitting in front of them.

But when she gets to the part where the instructor reveals the paintings, I have to stop her.

“What did Billy Boy think of all the pussy pics?”

Izzy rolls her eyes. “I think the exact phrase out of his mouth was… why do those look familiar?”

“Shut up!” I burst into laughter. “Did you laugh in his clueless face?”

“It took a lot of effort to hold it back. But I did tell him he should paint one for his sister.”

I die.

Literally, I’m dead. I love how sassy Izzy has become over the past year. She’s finally breaking out of her shell and becoming more confident. And this is exactly why, if she wants a man, she needs one like Zach. Someone that will push her, and challenge her, and spoil her rotten.

I let her continue on with the story. She tells me about the boob-finger-lick with Zach and about letting Bill down. I wasn’t sure how this whole scenario was going to pan out, but she handled it like a champ. Ridiculous lady folds paintings and all.

“Sounds like you dodged a bullet by ditching Bill. That man wouldn’t know what a clit was even if one jumped up and slapped him on the nose.”

“Well that’s a visual I didn’t need,” Izzy says, shaking her head. “But you’re probably right. And anyways, I’m done.”

“Done with what?”

“Done fighting Zach. I’m ready to give him a shot.”

Well holy shit. I’m a genius!

“Really?!” I ask, wanting to make sure I heard her right.

“Yes.” She manages to blush and grin at the same time. “I figure I’ll call him tonight and ask him out.”

“No!” I nearly shout the word.

Way to play it cool Meghan.

“No? I thought this would make you happy. You’re the one who keeps telling me to date him," she says this like I’m an idiot.

And I have been telling her that, but I have a reason she needs to wait. Zach owes me for all I’ve done for him, and he’s going to pay me back by being my entertainment.

“No. I mean - yes. Yes, you need to date Zach. He’s your guy. Duh, I’ve been fucking telling you. But I think you need to make him stew for a bit. He’s been so cocky. Plus they’re going out of town tonight and won’t be back for a couple of days.”

“Oh, right. I forgot.”

“Just wait until the weekend. Make him sweat a little.” Because I still need him following my directions come Friday night.