“Hey,” Joey said.“What’s up?”
“Nothing, really.I was just wondering what you were up to.”
“Cleaning.Nothing thrilling.”She had her hands in the sink, and had the cell phone on “speaker” so she could hear her sister.
“So, how did you spend your weekend?”Ashley asked.“I tried calling you a few times and figured you were busy.”
Joey had no idea how to answer that, and she went completely silent, because what should she say?Should she tell her sister the truth?Should she lie?What was she supposed to do?She nibbled her lip.
“Joey, are you there?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m here.”
“You were with someone, weren’t you?”
“Uh...”
She heard Ashley squeal over the line, and it sounded like she was clapping her hands.“Okay, you have to give me all the dirty details.I need to know everything.Do I know him?Do our parents know him?What was it like?Was it just a weekend romp?What was it?”
“Wow, you are way too excited about this.”
“I was worried you were still hung up on George, and let’s face it, that guy is a fucking loser.You’ve not been with anyone since Adeline came around.Now you have, and I need to know the dirty deets.Tell me.”
Joey blew out a breath.“Okay, this is ...I don’t know what it is.”
“Just tell me who you were with.”
“Axel Rules,” she said.
There was silence.
At first Joey wondered if her sister had even heard her, and she looked to see if she was still there, and yes, Ashley was still on the call.
“Have I shocked you into silence?”Joey asked.
“Axel Rules?The guy that lives by his own rules and keeps every woman at arm’s length.You’re telling me that is the guy you spent the night with?”
“The weekend.”
“What?”
“Yeah, the whole weekend.It was ...well, I don’t know what it was.I mean, I went to his place Friday night.I did sneak out Saturday morning because I didn’t know what the protocol was.Then he picked me up from work Saturday night, and then he brought me back to my place Monday morning.”
“You stayed overnight?”
“Yes.”
“That is ...unheard of for Axel.”
“What?”
“Axel follows rules, Joey.Most of the women that go with him know these rules.”
“Have you ever gone with him?”She knew Ashley and Axel were close in age.
“Hell, no, I did not want anything to do with him, but I had a few friends that used to, and he doesn’t kiss, and he doesn’t do sleepovers, and he doesn’t have anything to do with single mothers.”
“Oh,” Joey said.
