Fred
"69."
Alexis looked back at me, sighing. "72."
I let out a sigh, gripping my hips. "Lex, baby, I negotiate with people for a living."
"Fred, I'm pregnant and still freezing when the house is cooler than 71."
"Okay, so let's meet at 70."
Before she could speak, I set the thermostat to 70 and shot her a smile.
"You are the worst," she said, "I'll never forgive Santiago for keeping your house so cold when you were a kid."
I chuckled, gripping her hips as I squeezed past her. "There's nothing I'd rather do than argue over the thermostat with you. And win, of course."
She rolled her eyes and smiled, giving me a soft shove. "You didn't win. You negotiated."
"Got closer to 69 than 72. Speaking of 69–"
She laughed, pressing a kiss to my lips before I could continue.
"Remember how wild Henny and Josie made you?" I chuckled out against her lips, backing her up against the counter.
"I was also thirty," she giggled out.
"Damn, so was I," I said.
"Why is it so freezing?"
"Told you," I deadpanned, making me smile at Josie as she walked through the kitchen.
"Good morning," Alexis said, smiling.
Josie just looked at us, and I could see her eyes were a bit puffier than usual.
"You okay?" Lex asked, leaning against the counter.
"I had a bad dream," Josie said, blinking back tears as she opened the fridge.
Lex but down on her lip and looked up at me.
"About?" I asked.
"Oh, you know," Josie sniffled, sitting at the island, folding her arms on the countertop, "Eros being a decent person. When he didn't cheat on me."
She dropped her head in her arms, her shoulders shaking as she silently cried.
I sighed and rubbed her back, looking over at Lex. I'd never forgive Eros for making Josie feel like that. She'd never trust or love the same again.
"I hate him today," she softly said, leaning up as she sniffled, "sometimes, I miss him so much I just want to drive to his house and hug him. But today, I just want to scream at him."
"Hope you're not talking about Eros, he doesn't deserve a fucking hug," Henry said, pulling his headphones off of his head as he walked into the kitchen.
She looked at him, sighing. "I wish — well, actually, today, I'm glad you feel that way."
Henry shot her a warning glance, grabbing a protein shake before going outside.
"God, he never stops," Alexis said.
"Pay attention to me," Josie said, looking over at Lex.
Lex giggled, wrapping her arms around Josie's shoulders. "He doesn't deserve to be on your mind."
I tapped my fingers against the counter, smiling as soon as an idea popped into my mind. "Hey. Get some clothes on."
Josie looked up at me. "Huh?"
"Some clothes. That you don't mind messing up. And hurry."
A confused expression on her face, she nodded. "O-okay?"
