But today has vindicated me.
Recalling the intensity of the sensations that raced through me as Jamie worked his hand between my legs lights my creative fire. And knowing that more of that awaits me when Jamie returns keeps me from feeling frustrated and bitter about my own lack of a sex life while I try to give one to my characters.
When I reach the end of the scene that I’ve agonized over for weeks, I breathe a sigh of relief and sink down in my chair.
I’ve been so locked in that I haven’t even glanced at the time since I started writing. It’s almost noon. About time for lunch.
I pull on my jacket and head outside, feeling so confident about my writing that the sky looks extra blue.
I’m leavingthe local diner where I had a grilled cheese and a bowl of tomato soup, when I hear a voice I don’t know call my name from a block away.
Four girls who I recognize from Jamie’s party are hurrying toward me.
“Hi,” I say, feeling a little blindsided as they all introduce themselves. There’s Harper, who I know is Sebastian’s girlfriend; Maddie, who I think dates a former member of the team; Scarlett, who I’ve heard referred to as their old captain’s girlfriend; and another girl I’ve seen at Last Word plenty of times, Jasmine.
“We were just about to go try this new matcha place,” Scarlett says. “You should join us.”
“I should?” I cringe internally as the words leave my mouth. I sound like a jerk, but I’m really caught off guard here.
Maddie smiles. “Yeah, we saw you at the party the other night. You and Jamie are … friends.”
That was one loaded pause on her part.
“Right, that makes you practically part of the group now,” Harper says.
Part of the group? I’ve never really been part of a group before.
“That’s right. Any friend of Jamie’s is a friend of ours,” Jasmine says. Unlike the other girls, I’m pretty sure she isn’t dating a hockey player. That somehow makes me a little more comfortable with the idea of taking them up on their offer. It’snot like I’m being inducted into a group composed entirely of hockey girlfriends.
Because that’s not what I am. As I’ve stressed repeatedly to Jamie, we’re not dating.
“New matcha place, huh?” I ask. I’m not used to groups of people inviting me to hang out. I’ve never been a social butterfly, even before I moved to Cedar Shade. But making some friends wouldn’t be a bad thing, I guess.
Maddie nods excitedly. “Right, it’s supposed to be really good.”
It’s not like I have any reason to say no. I’m off work today, and I’ve already blown past my writing quota.
“Sure,” I answer, “why not.”
Maddie and Harperare red-faced with laughter while my jaw almost scrapes the table. Jasmine’s recounting the worst date she’s had this month.
“So I was already on my knees, his pants were already off, when the phone buzzed in his pocket. He jumped up and ran to it. He kept tapping away at it for minutes without saying anything, I thought it must have been an emergency. I asked him what was wrong, and he told me …” She shakes her head, her face twisting in disgust even as she wears a smile. “I can barely bring myself to say it. He told me something was very wrong, in a voice that had me so worried for him. But then he told me the problem was … the cryptocurrency coin he was trading was down thirty percent.” She shudders.
Maddie makes a sour face and shivers. “I’ve heard this story a dozen times, and it never gets any easier to hear.”
“In my defense, he was really tall,” Jasmine grumbles. I join the rest of the girls in laughter.
“Was he doing his crypto thing for the rest of the night?” I ask, dreading the answer.
“I left after he stared at charts on his phone for five minutes after that.”
“Thank gosh,” Harper says.
Jasmine takes a sip of her drink. “It’s a minefield out there, girls, trust me.”
“At least this one could read,” Scarlett says with a grin, like she’s referencing another story.
I frown. “You went out with a guy who couldn’t read?” I ask Jasmine.
