They came down as Mike and Paul both finished their plates and headed out back to clean up the bottles and trash. Emma stopped him and whispered in Mike's ear for a few seconds, giving him an abridged version of what Ashley had told her.
Mike glanced at her and then Ashley, but then shrugged as he realized that it would actually make his conversation easier.
Nodding, he leaned over and gave Emma a peck on the cheek and headed out back with Paul.
Moving around the pool, he picked up stray clothes and bottles of beer that had been dropped or casually tossed.
"So I heard you know our little secret," Mike said finally, catching Paul off guard.
Paul glanced over and for a moment, looking like he didn't know what to say.
"I'm not judging," he said eventually.
"To be honest with you," Mike
