“Exactly, and we’re only twenty-two.” I placed the bread on a plate with the cheese. “I’ll take the food and you can bring the wine and the glasses.”
“Okay.” She nodded in agreement and followed me into the living room. I have to admit I felt bad when I saw the lit candles on the coffee table, with Liv’s favorite cream faux angora wool blanket thrown on the couch. There was also a single red rose on the table next to the candle.
“Oh, man.” I looked back at her with an apologetic look. “I ruined a romantic night.”
“It’s fine.” She smiled at me.
“He gave you a red rose?” My heart had a sudden ache. “That’s so sweet.”
“He said that he’s never given a woman a red rose before,” she said, nodding. “He said that he vowed never to give a woman red roses until he met the woman he loved.”
“Oh my God, that is so sweet.” I sighed. “Argh, why does he have to be so perfect?”
“He told me that he couldn’t believe that he was so lucky,” she squeaked out with a huge grin. “He told me that I made him a believer and that he doesn’t want to spend a day or night without me.”
“Wow, thanks for making me feel even worse,” I groaned. “How sweet is he?” I sighed. “I shouldn’t have made him leave. Call him and tell him to come back. We can talk tomorrow.”
“No, we will talk tonight.” She sat down on the couch and opened the bottle of wine. “I want to know what’s going on, Alice.”
“It’s not important. Call Xander and tell him to come back so that you can have hot sex and tell him you don’t want to spend a night without him either.”
“Alice.” She giggled. “He can go without sex for one night. Might make him miss me even more.”
“You’re silly.” I giggled. “Though, what’s that saying? ‘Treat them mean, keep them keen’?”
“‘Make them wait, get the hate’?” she said with a laugh.
“Or ‘Give them blue balls, get eaten by Jaws,’” I said.
“No, no, I’ve got it!” She laughed. “‘Make them jack off, make them cough.’”
“Cough? Eh?” I started laughing harder. “That makes no sense.”
“Make them cough up a big diamond ring.” She laughed and I watched as her head fell back and her eyes watered up in tears.
“That’s stupid!” I continued laughing and sipped at my wine. “But thanks for making me laugh.”
“Of course.” She grinned and then looked me directly in the eyes. “Now tell me, what haven’t you told me?”
I took another sip of wine, swallowed and took a deep breath. “I lost my virginity to Aiden,” I said softly, and I watched as Liv spat her wine onto her lap in shock.
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A LOVE SPELL
You know that saying. The one about a watched phone never rings? Well, it’s not true. My phone has been ringing off the hook all morning. The only person who hasn’t called me is the one person I want to call me. I’ve had calls from the local satellite company telling me I needed to switch from cable. I told them I’ll switch if they can promise that I only have to pay a dollar a month for the next ten years. She cursed at me and then hung up when I told her I wanted a new 50” TV as well to sweeten the deal. I also had a call from my dentist. Well, his receptionist called to tell me that I’d missed my last two appointments and that I needed to come in for a cleaning. Yeah, right. Not anytime soon, Dr. Rosenberg. The last time I needed a cleaning, I had several cavities that needed to be filled. I’m still paying off that bill. Thanks for nothing, $300-a-month insurance premium. And of course, I also had a call from my dear old grandma, wanting to know when I was getting married and giving her great-grandbabies. I told her she can go to the local park and see some babies there, but she wasn’t amused. So yes, I’ve had a lot of calls today, but none from Aiden, the man I really wanted to hear from.
Aiden Taylor is Liv’s oldest brother. I’ve known him since I was a little kid, and I’ve had a crush on him since I was ten and he was sixteen. Not that he ever gave me the time of day. I was always his annoying kid-sister’s best friend. Well, almost always. There was one time that I was more than that. One time that we shared a moment that I’ve relived every day of my life since it happened. Only it’s not something I can talk about with him. Not at all. I’m lucky that he still talks to me after that little episode. And we’re the only ones who know. Well, we were the only ones who knew. Until very recently. I didn’t tell Liv at the time, and she’s my best friend. I wanted to tell her. I really, really did, but how do you tell someone something like that? How do you tell your best friend that her brother was right, and that you’re the bad influence that no one wants in their kids’ lives? I guess I should be grateful that Aiden never said anything. I suppose he was embarrassed as well or something. I mean, it’s not exactly something you shout out to the world. “Hey, Liv, I slept with your best friend. In fact, I took her virginity.” Yeah, he didn’t say that. And I didn’t tell Liv, either. How could I tell her that I’d crept into her brother’s bed with the hopes of seducing him? How could I tell her that we’d made love and that it had been the best night of my life? I didn’t know how to tell her, and then I’d felt too guilty to bring it up, but now she knew and I honestly didn’t feel better. I knew now that the one person I really needed to talk to about that night was the one man who wanted nothing to do with me.
“Alice!” Liv shouted as she walked into the apartment. “Where are you?”
“I’m in the living room!” I shouted back and then lowered my voice. “Why are we shouting by the way?”
“I’ve had a brilliant idea.” Her eyes were sparkling as she ran into the living room. She clapped her hands and did a little danceas she grinned at me, her enthusiasm for her idea refusing to be quelled.
“What’s the idea?” My eyes narrowed as she finally stood still.
“I have a way for you to start talking to Aiden again.”
“Oh?” My heart raced at her words. I looked up at her and studied her face carefully. “A good idea or a harebrained idea?”
