“Stop groaning,” Molly’s voice drifts from behind me. “I’m sure it’s all fine. It’s college. People sleep with each other all the time, it happens.”
“It’s not whatIdo,” I mutter. “It just feels… weird.”
“You know you’re a mom, right? You’re not a nun who took an oath of celibacy. You’re allowed to have body-consuming, explosive sex, you know that, right?” Molly says, her fingernails gliding through my hair as she pulls another section into place. Sam was a handful to get off to school this morning, and I didn’t have time to do so she can tidy up the ‘mom bird nest’ on top of my head.
“Yeah,” I nod, thinking back to my orgasm and howexplosiveit was, holy hell.
My phone beeps in my bag, and I reach for it, half terrified, half excited, holding my breath like it might be him. I’m not even sure Iwantit to be him. But every message that hasn’t been him? There’s this small pull in my chest… disappointment, rejection, take your pick. No one likes being hung out to dry.
Sure, he asked for my number. Said he’d be in touch after he dropped me home two days ago. But sometimes that’s just what guyssay, and I get that. So, I can’t help the little thrill that shoots through my body when I see his name flash on the screen. “Holy shit, it’s him,” I say to my friends.
“Well, what does he want?” Jade asks as she rummages around, dressed only in a towel.
“He’s asking if I want to have lunch with him?” I say as Molly peers over my shoulder to read the text with me.
“That’s exciting,” Trixie says. “See, we all said he would text you.”
“Yeah, but you’re my friends. That’s what you have to say.”
“Oh please,” Molly says, leaning back and tugging at my hair. “We are yourbestfriends, which means in this group it’s honesty above all else.”
“Yes, and we all honestly believed that he would be in touch,” Jade adds as she brushes her short brown hair while pulling a clean shirt and shorts from her dresser.
“Imagine having a man who texts you after already having you. Now imagine that man being Randy Harrison, yum!” Molly says as she finishes off my hair.
“He probably just wants to get laid,” says Trixie.
“He already did,” Jade says playfully as she moves around the small room. It reminds me when Seth did that to Randy after he lost the decider game and how much fun we had that night.
Trixie laughs and swipes at her foot. “I mean again.”
“Give the guy a break…he likes our Rachel. And who can blame him? Look at her… Olivia Rodrigo, eat your heart out,” Jade says. She strolls over and grabs my cheeks. “Seriously, look at this face.” Her fingers squish my lips, which are already full, no need to make them bigger.
“Ouch,” I laugh through the fish lips, swatting her hand away.
“Yep,” Molly smirks. “Lucky for him you got knocked up early and have been busy looking after Sam, or you’d have been off the market ages ago.
I slap her arm. “Leave my baby out of it,” I scoff as she wraps me in a side hug.
My three best friends have been with me through it all. We’ve been inseparable since middle school, and there’s nothing we wouldn’t do for each other. They’re truly amazing. They adore Sam, always insisting on watching him and including him in everything we do. At least one of them always tags along for my ‘mom’ activities, trips to the park, boring doctors’ appointments, you name it.
When I found out I was pregnant with Sam, I half-expected our friendships to fall apart. But they never left me behind. Not once did they make me feel like a burden for having a child, and I love them deeply for that. Sure, they still went to parties I couldn’t make, and I always told them to go. Hell, I was the one who got pregnant, not them. But they’d show up the nextday without fail, filling me in on every detail so I never felt left out.
Sam adores his three aunties. They spoil him rotten, and I love them for being there not just for me, but for both of us.
“I’m just saying he’s an athlete, a ridiculously hot, popular, single athlete. I just want you to be careful, have your guard up. He’s used to having anyone he wants, then moving onto the next,” Trixie says.
“Honestly? It’s fine. I don’t have time for another man in my life. I’m not expecting anything… though, some more outrageously hot sex wouldn’t hurt. Icouldmake time for that.”
Jade laughs.
“What? When do I get time to go to parties and pick up guys? I had a hot,veryexperienced quarterback in bed beside me, and I literally jumped at the chance to have a well overdue, not self-given, orgasm.”
“Amen, sister!” Molly high fives me.
“What’s the time?” Trixie asks.
“Nine,” Jade answers, putting her bra on under her shirt. Damn, that’s impressive.
