This one will give you a little more information on how everyone fits together in this story, but more detail will probably be added later.

Enjoy

Lauren poured herself a glass of wine and stood surveying her kitchen and living room. Better, she thought. Things were starting to finally look better.

There were still things she needed to do, of course, and things could be organized better, but really, on the surface, everything looked finished. Her dishes were in the cabinets, her books were on the shelves, the pillows on her couch were arranged and neat. She drew a deep breath and took a long sip of her wine. Yes – it finally looked like someone lived here.

She was just thinking about ordering some cheap takeout, maybe watching a bad movie, ignoring calling Nadia which is what she should be doing, when she heard a knock at the door. She hesitated for a moment. She had already changed into sweatpants and tee shirt, because she wasn't planning on going anywhere or seeing anyone. Before she reached the door, a loud knock came again.

"Oy, open up, Love!" Vex. Of course.

Lauren pulled open the door, and was surprised to find not only Vex but Dyson, Ciara, Tasmin, Kenzi, and Nate.

"Oh…um, hi, everyone?"

Tasmin gave her a quick once over and snapped her eyes to Vex. "You had no idea we were coming over, did you?" she asked, never looking at Lauren.

"Oh, uh, well, it's –"

"Vex, seriously?" Dyson said.

"I mean I don't see the problem, honestly," Vex answered, sweeping into the house.

Lauren stood smiling to herself as he brushed past. "Hey, Vex, want to come in?" she asked as he plopped onto the couch. "No, please, make yourself at home, don't be shy."

"Lo, love, don't you get HBO? It's like bloody third world over here!"

Lauren couldn't help but laugh lightly and roll her eyes before turning back to the others who were still awkwardly standing outside. "Come in, please, sorry, please come in."

They all looked vaguely unsure but smiled and came in, with Nate bringing up the rear, carrying four pizzas. "We brought dinner, at least," he said, lightly with a warm smile.

"Plates in the third cabinet," Lauren answered as she closed the door behind them.

Kenzi stood, looking around the room. "So this is what it looks like when you need to unpack, huh?"

"What?" Lauren asked.

"Vex, dude, seriously? You just invited us over here and didn't bother to tell her?" Kenzi said in frustration.

"Hey, I'll have you know that my darling Lauren is a sweet and accommodating person who adores my charm and good looks, as well as my cheeky antics, and it's perfectly fine with her that we are here. And speaking of accommodating, where's your liquor?"

Ciara turned to Lauren. "We really don't want to be a bother. Vex told us you needed help unpacking."

"It's fine, really, I'm glad you came. Vex, there's beer in the fridge."

"Can you get me one, darling? The shows about to start."

Lauren threw a pillow at Vex. "Get your own beer, asshole," she said with a laugh. As he jumped back from the pillow, she scooped the remote out of his hand and walked back over to the counter, dropping it beside the pizza, and then went to grab plates.

An hour later everyone was talking and laughing happily in Lauren's new house, full from pizza and alcohol, watching TV and milling around. Lauren started gathering plates and carried them to the sink, starting to wash them.

Ciara walked over to her. "Honestly, let me do that. It's bad enough that we crashed your evening."

Lauren smiled at her. "No, it's fine, really."

"At least let me dry?"

"Sure." Lauren turned on the taps and let the hot water rush over her hands, washing and passing dishes to Ciara in a comfortable silence.

"Your accent is lovely," Lauren commented.

"Oh, thank you, you're sweet," Ciara said with a slight blush. "I was raised near Oxford."

"Oh, really? How did you end up here?"

"I came over to go to University. I met Bo while I was there, we had some classes together. She introduced me to Dyson and, well," she looked back over her shoulder and her eyes lit up as she smiled at Dyson's back, "I just haven't quite made it back since."

"So are you a lawyer, too?" Lauren asked, recalling the only vague information she knew about Bo.

"No, I'm an elementary teacher. I met Bo during undergrad. She, Dyson, and Kenzi were living together. We got on quite well, she and I. And after I met Dyson and Kenzi…well, I guess the little group just started building out from there."

"So how do the rest of you all know each other?" Lauren had seen the others a few times since that first night at the Dal, but never had really gotten backstory on how everyone was connected.

"Bo and Kenzi grew up together. They met Dyson in elementary or middle school, I think. He moved from Scotland when he was seven. I met Bo at University, of course. Tasmin was originally a friend of Dyson's, so she joined us through him. Vex…I think Vex came with the bar." Lauren laughed. "And before they opened the bar, Kenzi and Dyson were going around, checking out other businesses, and Kenzi met Nate at one of them. They've been together for maybe almost a year now."

"Mmm," Lauren hummed, her attention on the last of the dishes.

"So, what about you? How did you meet Vex?" Ciara asked.

Lauren was about to answer when she looked up and out of the kitchen window, some movement catching her eye. Standing in front of her home, talking on a cell phone and pacing, was a stunningly beautiful brunette. She was tall, Lauren noticed, and slender. Her eyes were turned downward and she was speaking animatedly on the phone, but she didn't seem angry. She seemed…resigned. In her left hand she was holding a six pack of beer.

Lauren was stunned, speechless. Ciara, noticing Lauren hadn't answered her, glanced over and then followed Lauren's eyes out into the yard. "Oh, there's Bo," she said.

Snapping herself out of her daze, Lauren tried to tear her eyes away. "Oh, um, I didn't realize someone else was coming."

In the yard, the brunette ended her call, took a deep breath, and walked up to the house.

Vex threw open the door after two knocks. "Bo, darling, lovely of you to join us two hours late. Honestly, it really is true that manners are dead. Is that beer I see?" He had snagged one of the bottles before Bo had made it inside.

Bo smiled and rolled her eyes, "hello to you too, Vex. Hey, everyone."

Kenzi made a show of looking at her watch. "9:00. Right on time for our 7:00 meeting."

Bo walked over and kissed Kenzi's cheek, handing her a beer.

"Don't try to win me over with your beer, Missy." She looked at the bottle. "Is this what I think it is?"

Bo smiled, "you're favorite!"

"Sweet! I haven't had this one since…oh, no. No, no. No, no," Kenzi said, pushing the bottle back.

Bo kept smiling. "You look great today, by the way, are those new shoes?"

"NO! And yes, they are, I know I look fabulous, whatever, but more to the point, NO!"

"What's happening?" Lauren asked Ciara and Dyson, who had walked over.

"Well, based on the beer, I'm guessing –"

"He is not coming over tonight!"

Ciara sighed. "Yeah. Kevin."

Bo set the beer on the counter and put her hands on Kenzi's shoulders. "Listen, Kenz, just relax. It's going to be fine. I swear. Just breathe. Breathe."

"Why, why do you keep bringing him back into our lives?"

"What are you talking about, bringing him back, we didn't break up this time."

"But he hasn't been over in, like, weeks!"

Bo shrugged. "Well, I mean, doesn't that kind of answer the question of why he's coming over tonight?"

Kenzi sighed loudly, putting her hands up in front of her. "Okay, Bo, listen. I love you. Seriously. LOVE you. All about the Bobo," she said, waving her hand in a 'wax on' motion around Bo's face. "But you're reaching the point of an intervention here. It's been two years."

"Not actually two years…"

"TWO YEARS of fighting, breaking up, him calling, you taking him back, more fighting, him texting me to find you, you telling him to go away, you taking him back…TWO YEARS."

"Yeah, I'm going with Kenzi on this one, love, if I have to hear that man say you are his destiny one more time I may just vomit," Vex said from his position on the couch.

"He's a douche, dude," Tamsin added helpfully.

Bo sighed. "Anyone else want to weigh in?" She asked, rotating her head around the room. Her eyes landed on Lauren for the first time, and she froze.

"It can't be a big shock that we don't like him, Bo," Dyson said.

"I preferred Ryan," Ciara added.

"Well, that's a bit harsh, Ryan was a dick," Nate answered.

"So is Kevin," Kenzi replied.

Nate nodded, pointing to Kenzi. "True, babe. Well said."

Lauren, shaking herself out of Bo's stare, glanced around the room. "Uh, I've only met Kevin once, and I don't know who Ryan is…"

Bo sighed and looked up, gathering herself. When she brought her face back down and smiled at Lauren. "Hi. I'm Bo. I don't believe we've met. I'm the stranger with her personal life on display in your living room," Bo said, extending Lauren a hand.

Lauren's heart was racing, and she wasn't entirely sure why. She accepted Bo's hand and felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her. God, this woman was beautiful. She hadn't been this struck by a stranger since…she shook herself out of her daze. "Hi, Bo, I'm Lauren."

"Seriously, I don't want that loser in my home," Kenzi said, breaking the moment.

Bo glanced at Kenzi briefly and returned her eyes to Lauren. "Care to weigh in?"

"You can do better," Lauren said without thinking. Her heart sped up. She shouldn't have said that.

"YES. Thank you, doctor! Bo, she's a doctor so she's super smart and stuff. BUH-BYE, Kevin."

The others in the room continued their back and forth, but Lauren wasn't listening. Her mind was reeling, and her eyes were stuck on Bo.

Boyfriend, she told herself. BOYfriend.

And also, you aren't exactly single…

She took a deep, steadying breath, and tried to tune back into the conversation.

The party started to break up around 11:00. Lauren was exhausted, but in a good way. If she was being honest, she had been irritated when Vex had shown up at the door, but truthfully she was kind of grateful to him now. It was nice to have friends, and after tonight, she really felt like she did.

She shoved the last of the pizza into the fridge and headed up to her bedroom. On her night table, she saw her cell phone, sitting on the charger where she'd left it when she changed her clothes. She pressed the home button and watched the screen illuminate.

Four missed texts, one call, one voicemail.

Give me a call when you can.

Hey, are you alright?

I'm getting ready to go to bed. I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Hope you're okay.

All from Nadia. Missed call, timestamped five minutes before the first text – Nadia. Voicemail – Nadia, a quick message saying she was sorry she missed her and Lauren could just call when she was free.

Nadia, Nadia, Nadia. And still, Lauren went to bed thinking about Bo.

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