“You haven’t told me about him.”
She doesn’t come up to face me. “You know. It hasn’t been serious, just a few hook ups. I think he’s smitten with me. He comes from all the right stock. Still…”
I decide not to press her. She hasn’t mentioned him before, but I’ll trust what she tells me.
“You kick, you know? That’s why I have these pillows here.”
“I do not,” I whine.
“You do too. I swear I might have been better off on the couch. At least I wouldn’t be black and blue.”
I almost believe her until she bursts out laughing. I toss a pillow at her.
“It would be stupid for one of us to sleep on the couch when I have this queen-sized bed.” I push up to my feet, not really ready to get up for the day.
Our conversation, like my brain this morning, drifts from topic to topic.
“If you wear those to bed, I know now why you aren’t getting laid.”
I glance down at my oversized tee-shirt and fuzzy sleep pants with tiny pigs printed all over them.
“What’s wrong with pigs?” I ask.
She sits up and as I make my way toward the door to go to the bathroom, I add, “Ducks aren’t any better.”
She starts making quacking noises and I have a nostalgic moment. It’s so strong I have a wild moment of wanting to move back to Charleston so I’ll have more moments like this.
“Don’t go all lezzy on me. Don’t get me wrong, a little girl on girl action never hurt anyone. But you’re looking at me like you should look at dick.”
I feel my mouth turn into a pout as I change course and throw myself at her. “I missed you so much,” I say as I land on the bed and crush her in a hug.
“Okay, okay, I missed you, too.” She squeezes back and then I let her go. She sits up and props herself against the headboard.
“I know you told me everything last night, but we really didn’t talk about it. I’m still mad at you for not telling me until now.”
I sigh and glance at my cuticles, which suddenly need my attention.
“Don’t you mutter at me,” she says.
I can’t remember saying anything.
“You ended up in bed with Drew and you say you didn’t do the dirty with him. And the way you were all disheveled at the door. I would have sworn you had sex with him if you hadn’t said otherwise. And you wonder why Louise is rusty.”
“Louise isn’t rusty. Sex is like riding a bike.”
“In your case, a rusty bike, considering how long it’s been.”
I fall back into the wall of pillows. “What am I going to do?”
“I can’t answer that for you. Part of me thinks that he’s obviously still crazy about you and you would be crazy not to jump at that chance.”
“How can I? Why doesn’t he hate me?” I bury my face in my hands.
“Hun, he may be able to blame you for leaving. But he knows damn well why you left.”
I press the heels of my palms into my eyes. “Every time I look at him, the guilt, it hurts.”
She lets out a heavy sigh. “I haven’t said this before because you had too much going on then. And you didn’t need advice like this. But you need to forgive yourself. You did what you thought you had to do. He’s obviously not mad at you. And it can’t be easy for him either. If he’s willing to give it a shot…”
“He wants me to call him Andy, like that somehow wipes the slate clean and gives us a brand new start.”
“Drew?” she asks. I nod and she adds, “When I saw him I swear it was like seeing a ghost.”
I glare at her. “Too soon?” She wears an I’m sorry expression.
“A ghost, really?” I wave a hand.
“I’m sorry, Cate. Drew – Andy—what the fuck, he’s here now. You have to decide what you want and maybe going out tonight is the answer.”
“How is that?
“There will be plenty of men—”
I cut her off. “How will that help?”
She holds out a hand. “Wait. Plenty of men, rich men—”
“Money doesn’t move me, Jenna.”
“Will you let me have a word?”
I sigh, then nod.
“If you keep an open mind, and you meet someone that interests you, then you know you’re ready to move on. If you keep hiding out, how will you know if he’s the answer or not?”
She has a point. “Fine, but I’m not sleeping with anyone.”
“You don’t have to.”
“What? You’re giving up your love quest for Louise?”
“I’m not giving up. I’m giving you a pass for tonight. Plus, I have a feeling the man of your dreams will be there tonight.”
“Are you saying that because Drew won’t be there?”