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“Oh, is that our first book?” Aubrey asked. “Good. Already read it.”
“Yeah,” Billie said. “I’m not done reading it yet, but I don’t like it.”
“Hold on,” Juni interrupted. “Has Sam told you about Frank yet?”
Aubrey perked up. “Frank Sims?”
“How’d you know?” I asked, feeling my cheeks flushing.
“C’mon,” she said. “There’s no other Frank in town, is there? At least not one who you went on a date with.”
“Yeah, but how do you know that?”
Everyone laughed, and Billie rolled her eyes. “Everyone knows that. And she’s been on at least two dates with Frank. We saw them out last night.”
“Right,” I said, blushing harder. “Small town.”
“Yeah.” Aubrey laughed, settling back into her chair, flicking her strawberry blond hair over her shoulder. “And Juni’s right. You need to tell us about him. He’s so sexy.”
My face was the color of a baboon’s ass as I remembered just how sexy he was last night and this morning when he’d made me come.
“So, a second date? How’d it go?” Aubrey pressed again.
“It was good, but he’s a lot older than me.”
“How old are you, and how old is he?” Aislinn asked.
“I’m thirty, and he’s forty-nine, as of last night.”
“Wait,” Juni said, turning toward me and leaning forward. “Wasn’t yesterday your birthday too? Happy belated birthday, by the way.” She smirked.
Everyone repeated “happy birthday,” and I tried not to wilt under their attention. I wasn’t used to it. “Thank you. And yes. Frank and I have the same birthday.”
Carly cooed, “Isn’t that the cutest thing ever?”
“Yeah,” I said, looking around the circle, wondering how much to tell them. I barely knew most of the women. But it did feel good to have girlfriends who wanted to hear about my life. “But nineteen years is a pretty big difference.”
“What does that matter?” Phil said. “Once you get to be my age, you’ll realize it don’t make a bit of difference. Do you like him, honey?”
“Yeah. Maybe a little.”
“Don’t listen to Philomena,” Cal disagreed in her uppity way. “I think you’d be better suited to someone else. You can’t possibly be in the same stage of life as he is with that age difference. It’ll only end in heartbreak.”
“Way to be supportive, Cal.” Billie tsked. “Can’t you see how nervous she is talking about him?” She waved a hand in my direction. “That tells me she likes Frank more than a ‘little.’ Who cares about age or social class or whatever. Like in this stupid book.” She held Forever Your Man in the air, shaking it. “That ridiculous prince dude is so freaking hung up on the fact that Myra grew up poor in a Kentucky mining town. Like, for real. Who gives a shit? People are always using those things as excuses, but if you love someone, you should go for it. I learned that the hard way.”
“Exactly.” Phil glared at Cal. “You used to be more of an optimist.”
“Well, losing a friend will do that to a woman.”
Phil softened toward Cal then. It was easy to see from the sad look in her eyes, but she didn’t respond.
“Actually,” I said, “I’m kind of worried Cal may be right.”
“Why?” Carly asked. “Where are you from?”
“No.” I laughed. “It’s not about where I’m from. It’s about—” I looked at Juni for encouragement. I still wasn’t sure how much to say. She raised her eyebrows, nodding her head toward the other women, so I continued. “It’s about possibly wanting different things in life.”
Carly asked, “Like what? Like he wants to buy a new pickup but you want a sensible minivan for all the babies you’re gonna have? In that case, I say go for the truck. More fun when you’re datin’. Then, later, you can trade it in for the kid wagon.”
