Chapter Ten
Busy with my preparations to move, the days passed pretty quick.
My mother didn’t really say much to me? other than to tell me that of course she would move with me, because we both knew my siblings didn’t want her living with them. They had their own lives, their own families, didn’t really have room for her, and on and on.
I knew she wouldn’t make living together with Bradley easy though, especially since she’d made it crystal clear that she wasn’t happy about my decision to accept Bradley’s proposal. No matter how many times I told her how much I loved him, she simply shook her head and told me what a huge mistake I was making.
A week later, as I was going through things and deciding whether to take them with me or donate them before my lunch with my friends to tell them the news, Bradley called.
“Lucy,” he said, smile evident in his voice. “How’re you?”
“I’m good. Just packing stuff up. You?”
“Busy, as always.” He laughed, and I imagined him running a hand through his hair, like he would always do when he had a lot on his mind. “I’m sorry I haven’t called you.”
“Don’t worry.” I shrugged even though he couldn’t see me, then laughed. “It’s not like I was worried you changed your mind or anything.”
“What? And let your mother think she’s right? Not a chance.”
I snickered at his reference to the text I’d sent him informing him of all the things my mother had said so far. He didn’t reply, but I liked sending him messages. It made me feel closer to him.
“So you did get my texts. I wondered, but figured you were really busy. And I was right.”
“Of course! I always read them all,” he assured me, his tone lowering. “Or view them all, as the case may be, even if I don’t respond.”
At that, my face heated.
A few nights ago, I missed him so much I wanted to remind him what he was missing. Not that I thought he needed a reminder, but I’d been feeling frisky. And I wanted him to miss me as much as I missed him.
After a shower, I took a picture of my naked chest with the caption ‘wish you were here’ and sent it.
He must have taken my silence for embarrassment because he chuckled. “I loved it, Lucy. I didn’t expect it, but I definitely appreciated you doing that for me.”
“Yeah, well, don’t get use to it,” I teased. “Although I suppose soon it won’t matter.”
“Correct, since your lovely naked body will be available for me to look at and touch any time I please at home. And I’ll take advantage of that for sure.”
I heard the smile in his voice as it thickened with desire, my body reacting violently. I yearned for his touch all the time; hearing him speaking in my ear only heightened it. The passion I heard in his words coursed through my veins, making me cross my legs to try and ease the ache he wasn’t anywhere nearby to assist with.
“Bradley…this distance is too far.” I was sure he could hear my need in my voice. “I’m wish I could come back sooner rather than later, but I know I’ll just have to wait. I miss you.”
“God, am I glad to hear that! I miss you too, Lucy.”
Although weird to hear him say that he missed me, he never said anything that wasn’t true, and had never given me a reason to doubt him. I knew he meant it, which made it that much better when he did say the words.
“I know,” I said, then looked down at my watch, jumping up as I exclaimed, “Aw crap, I have to go!”
“I do, too.” He sighed. “I’ll try to call you later. Enjoy lunch with your friends, sweetheart.”
Even though he’d used that endearment before, my heart clenched with pleasure at his use of it just after saying he missed me.
“I’m sure I will. And you have a good day. Think of me.”
“Always.”
He hung up before I could say anything else, but his admission had me grinning.
Then, I rushed to put what I wanted to donate in my car and headed to lunch.
~*~
Maggie, Angel and Jackie were sitting at the table when I arrived.
We always sit at the same table. In the two years since Jackie told me about sugar babies in the first place, the only thing that had changed during our get togethers was the fact nobody could smoke inside any longer. This inconvenienced Jackie, as she was the only one who smoked, but the rest of us had to hear her complain the whole time. And when it was cold out, she was extra bitchy because she refused to go stand outside to smoke instead.
It’d been a month since I’d had lunch with them though and as I approached the table, Jackie grinned and stood up.
Before I knew what was happening, she had her arms around me, enveloping me in a tight hug.
“What the—?”
Maggie and Angel laughed as Jackie smiled at me.
“You look stunning!” Jackie gave me a once over and I knew my face flushed. “I take it your trip went well.”
I hadn’t told them much about Bradley. As my best friends, they definitely knew the real arrangement Bradley and I had, but we’d never spoken much in detail. Once I’d told them about how much he valued privacy, they’d been cool with just knowing the basics…and hearing the dirty details, of course.
After all, what good was having female friends if you couldn’t dish about your sexual life and get ideas to make it even better?
That was the best part, in my opinion.
Now, they all looked at me expectedly, waiting for me to tell them how my trip went. And I knew the easiest way to feed their curiosity.
Pulling my left hand out of my pocket, I held it up and watched as all their eyes rounded. Jackie’s mouth dropped open, as Angel let out a whoop of excitement. Maggie was the first to speak, a soft smile on her face as Jackie and I finally sat down.
“It’s lovely,” she said, grabbing my hand to peer closer at the ring. “How did he propose? Was it romantic?”
Since they didn’t know much about Bradley, I didn’t think they’d understand him just proposing during a random conversation. So I smiled and gave them the truth.
“For him, it was perfect. And about as romantic as he can get, I think.”
Maggie released my hand and Angel leaned over the table, waving her hand. “Let me see!”
She whistled low, examining the ring for a moment before meeting my eyes. “Elegant. Simple. Princess cut. He knows you well.”
Laughing, I tugged my hand from hers and looked at Jackie, who was still quiet.
“Okay,” I said, frowning at her. “You’ve been quiet for longer than twenty-seconds. What’s wrong?”
Maggie and Angel laughed, knowing as well as I did that Jackie was never quiet for very long. So when she said nothing, you should probably worry she was mad at you. But when Jackie just smiled, I pursed my lips and examined her before smirking.
“Something is different.” I tapped a finger against my mouth, the other two looking closely at Jackie as well. “Do you have a secret?”
As a blush stole over Jackie’s face, I finally realized what was different; the ever present scent of stale smoke was nowhere to be found.
“Oh my god! You’ve quit smoking!”
She nodded.
“How long?”
“For a few weeks now,” she said, looking down at her hands, then back up again. “It was hard at first, but I think I’m okay now.”
“Wow!” I threw my hands up in the air. “You’ve been smoking forever, Jackie. You always said you’d never give it up. What changed your mind?”
That was when her smile grew big, her face softening, and a certain look all women understood filled her eyes. I knew then.
“Oh, oh, oh! You’re in love, aren’t you? With who?”
Maggie and Angel joined me in looking at Jackie expectantly, whose face was flushing like mad at that moment.
“Well,” she drawled slowly. “His name is Brett, and he’s a teacher.”
“Nice. A teacher. And you quit smoking for him?” I shook my head at her nod, then winked. “Much as I love ya, girl, never thought I’d see the day when you fell in love. You’ve always been a toughie.”
She stuck out her tongue, then laughed. “I never thought the day you learned what a sugar baby was, that you’d end up with a proposal from it!”
“Honestly, neither did I.” It was the truth and we all giggled like a bunch of schoolgirls.
After ordering some lunch and chatting for a bit, I let out a sigh.
Jackie covered my hand with hers. “You okay?”
“Y-yes,” I said, even as my eyes filled with tears. “I’m just gonna miss you guys so much!”
As if it were choreographed, my friends surged as one and hugged me.
This time, it was Maggie who pulled back and grinned. “You ever miss us too much, you just tell that man of yours to put you on a plane back here to visit! Or, you know, we’ll come there. I can always use a vacation.”
We all laughed and after a few moment, they moved to sit back down.
And I enjoyed my last lunch with my friends, knowing that no matter how far apart we were, we’d always be friends.
A girl couldn’t ask for more and I knew how lucky I was to have friends who wanted me to be happy.