Entwined With You

shove his memory in a cold, dark hole and forget about him.”
    “Over for you.” He lightened my coffee and slid it back. “It’s still news to your dad. He’ll want to talk about it.”
    “I am
not
talking about it with my dad. I’m not talking about it
ever
.”
    “He might not go along with that.”
    I turned and faced him, leaning back into the counter with my mug cradled between my hands. “All he needs is to see me doing okay. This isn’t about him. It’s about me, and I’m surviving. Pretty well, I think.”
    Hestirred his coffee, a thoughtful look on his face.
    “Yeah, you are,” he said after a few seconds. “Are you going to tell him about your mystery man?”
    “He’s not a mystery. I just can’t talk about him, and that has nothing to do with our friendship. I trust you and love you and rely on you like always.”
    His green eyes challenged me over the rim of his mug. “Doesn’t seem like it.”
    “You’re my best friend. When I’m old and gray, you’ll still be my best friend. Not talking about the guy I’m seeing isn’t going to change that.”
    “How am I not supposed to feel like you don’t trust me? What’s the big deal with this guy that you can’t even give me a name or anything?”
    I sighed and told him a partial truth. “I don’t know his name.”
    Cary stilled, staring. “You’re shitting me.”
    “I never asked him what it is.” As evasive answers went, it begged to be challenged. Cary gave me a long look.
    “And I’m not supposed to be worried?”
    “Nope. I’m comfortable with the whole thing. We’re both getting what we need and he cares about me.”
    He studied me. “What do you call him when you’re coming? You’ve got to be shouting something if he’s any good at it. Which I assume he is, since you obviously aren’t getting to know each other by talking.”
    “Uh …” That tripped me up. “I think I just say, ‘Oh, God!’ ”
    Throwing his head back, he laughed.
    “How are you holding up with juggling two relationships?” I asked.
    “I’m good.” He shoved one hand in his pocket and rocked back on his heels. “I think Tat and Trey are as close to monogamy as I’ve ever been. It’s working out for me so far.”
    I found the whole arrangement fascinating. “Ever worry about shouting out the wrong name when you’re coming?”
    His green eyes sparkled. “Nope. I just call ’em all
baby
.”
    “Cary.”I shook my head. He was incorrigible. “Are you going to introduce Tatiana to Trey?”
    He shrugged. “I don’t think that’s the best idea.”
    “No?”
    “Tatiana’s a bitch on a good day, and Trey’s just a nice guy. Not a great combo, in my book.”
    “You once told me you didn’t like Tatiana very much. Has that changed?”
    “She is who she is,” he said dismissively. “I can live with it.”
    I stared at him.
    “She needs me, Eva,” he said quietly. “Trey wants me, and I think he loves me, but he doesn’t need me.”
    That
I understood. It was nice to be needed sometimes. “Gotcha.”
    “Who says there’s only one person in the world who can give us everything?” He snorted. “I’m not sure I’m buying that. Look at you and your no-name guy.”
    “Maybe a mix-and-match situation can work for people who don’t get jealous. It wouldn’t work for me.”
    “Yeah.” He held out his mug and I tapped it with my own.
    “So Cristal and … ?”
    “Hmm …” His lips pursed. “Tapas?”
    I blinked. “You want to take my dad out?”
    “Bad idea?”
    “It’s a great idea, if we can get him to go along with it.” I smiled. “You rock, Cary.”
    He winked at me and I felt a little more settled.
    Everything in my life seemed to be shaken up, most especially my relationships with the people I loved most. That was hard for me to deal with, because I relied on them to keep me on an even keel. But maybe when everything settled down, I’d be a bit stronger. Able to stand a bit straighter on my own.
    It would be worth all the turmoil and pain if so.
    “Wantme to fix your hair?” Cary asked.
    I nodded. “Please.”
    W HEN I got to work, I was disappointed to find a very unhappy Megumi. She gave me a lethargic wave as she buzzed me in, then dropped back into her chair.
    “Girl, you need to kick Michael to the curb,” I said. “This is
not
working out for you.”
    “I know.” She brushed back the long bangs of her asymmetrical bob. “I’m going to break it off the next time I see him. I haven’t