I twirled the pen and wrote downGRADUATEon a bright blue one. First goal, check. Second goal…get a job. And I was back to square one. Michelle’s old Mazda pulled into our driveway and I welcomed the distraction. Hell, I’d even tried watchingReal Housewivesthe day before and Ihatedthat show. Gideon’s words had repeated in my head over and over for two days. Two entire days of me glaring at him, at which he just winked or did something annoying but made it look good.
Does it help me reach my goal?I don’t know what my fucking goal is!
“Hey, roomie. What—” She stopped when her gaze found the table. “I would ask if we were pranking someone else, but this is our place. Looks good.”
“Way to roll with the punches. I swear I had a reason.”
“Don’t doubt it,” she quipped and twisted up her long hair into a messy bun. She’d worked the midnight and morning shift last night—the worst combination of twelve hours ever—and still managed to look decent. I envied her a little bit. “Care to share? I had too much caffeine and am jittery as hell. I won’t sleep for another hour at least.”
“Well, I am currently enjoying life having numerouswhat the fuckmoments per hour. For example, I don’t have goals beyond graduating and that’s making it real hard to figure out if I want the job.”
“Where do you see yourself in five years?” She slid onto the purple chair and smirked at the design of sticky notes in front of her. “Here? Waitressing? Coaching? Doing the dirty with Gideon Titan?”
“What?” I gaped at her. “How do you know?”
“He spent the night here the other day. I saw his car. I might not be a city girl, but I can put that together,” she replied with way too much joy in her voice. “I’m sorry to pry, but a selfish part of me wants to know all about him. In bed, of course.”
“Might as well.” I sighed and crossed my arms. “We haven’t done it in a bed yet…hm.” I paused, then laughed. “It’s been public places at this point.God.I’m a mess.”
She patted my hand and pursed her lips. “I knew we were friends for a reason. So, animalistic? Sweet? Wait. Scratch that. No way he’s sweet.”
“He’s not at all.” I burned all the way down my body at the thought of him. “For the record, we didn’t go at it the other night. I was having a hard time with the anniversary of Justin’s death.” I glanced at her, not sure how much she actually knew about him. She just nodded and gave me a sympathetic smile.
“He’s… There’s this chemistry that is insane. You know? Like, I don’t like him but I want to bang him.”Shit—is that true?I didn’t hate him…did I like him?
“Honey. Angry sex is the best. I have handprints on my thighs from MP.” She wiggled her eyebrows and leaned forward on her elbows. “I don’t want to be attracted to him, but the more I fight it, the worse it gets.”
“Magic Penis. The reason you’re all smiles and shit. It’s been weeks now. Is this a thing?”
“Nah. Keeping it casual. We aren’t anything alike. Plus, I don’t want to be a hookup chick catching main chick feelings, you know?” She leaned back in the chair and began stacking the notes. “It’s temporary.”
“Yeah. I get it. Same with Gideon. You and I are just two young women who know what they like in bed. Ain’t nothing wrong with that.”
“Not a thing. And we’re both doing it with famous people.” She stood and gave me a sly look.
“Who is Magic Penis?” I shouted at her, but she darted into her room.Damn it.I liked the girl and wanted to delve into her life, not mine.
* * * *
“Good game tonight, CFD.” Gideon held out his hand for a high-five and we shared a grin after a two-hour nail-biting game. Our kids had done good. They had run every play perfectly and hadn’t left one piece of trash. That was all right in my book.
“You too, your eminence.”
“I’m thirsty. Want to grab a drink? Say, a whiskey?”
“You know, that sounds good.” I nodded and we fell into step as we headed toward our cars—mine the disaster, his the top model. “Where you thinking?”
“I got a gift in the mail today. Jameson Gold Reserve.”
“I like a Jameson now and again.”
“No, you don’t understand. This is like top-notch Jameson. It’s got flavors of honey in a sipping sort of drink.”
“Jeez, I’m not some uncultured swine,” I scoffed. My feelings were a little hurt at his insinuation. “Maybe I’ll pass on that drink.”
“No.”
He came up behind me and brought his arm around my shoulders. It put my head perfectly in the crook of his arm and I would be lying if I said I didn’t like it. Because I did. “Fiona. It’s a top-of-the-line whiskey that should be drunk with someone you like. I want to open it with you.”
