“It’s got elastic bands to keep it in place.”
“I was talking about your lady parts.” Annalise shook with quiet laughter. “What would possess you to wear that to work?I mean, I heard Tish sometimes makes naughty candies for bachelorette parties or whatever, but this…”
Kit held up her hand. “Shut up about it, okay? Just… no. Let me have a few secrets.” She lurched up and forward and locked the door. The vibe still clung to her thigh but the motion slowed to a weak purr.
“Okay, you wanton bitch. So, what’s the deal with the new hottie working the counter?” Annalise cocked her head toward the door. “I picked up on something there.”
Oh, don’t you dare, you pussy vulture.Kit glared at her. “What happened to Barb?”
“Who?” Realization dawned and softened Annalise’s frown after a few seconds. “Yeah, Barb. We split weeks ago.”
“You don’t say.”
“She’s one of those animal rights people. All she ever talks about.” Annalise made a yapping puppet out of one of her hands and rolled her eyes. “I didn’t have a problem eating plain spaghetti with her, but when she started shaming me for my clothes, my job, and everything else I broke it off. I mean, there’s activism and there’s being a self-rightous asshole.”
“Good to know you have your priorities settled. Anyway, not that it’s your business, but Sid and I are kind of a thing.” Kit righted her jeans and stood tall, hoping to assert herself over her slightly shorter friend. Annalise didn’t appear intimidated, however. She stuck out her tongue far enough to show off her thick stud piercing and licked her lower lip.
“Yeah? Good for you. How long’s that been going on?”
“About a month, almost since we met.”
“A whole month, and you said nothing to me?” Annalise scowled. Kit hoped the small bathroom absorbed most of the volume of her friend’s outburst, and she motioned to keep it down. “I should have known something was up. Every time I askwhy you can’t hang out, you’re getting some ofthat.” She hooked her thumb behind her.
“I don’t like to broadcast my love life.” Kit’s voice hissed. “Plus you never asked outright if I was seeing somebody.”
“I figured everything was status quo, and you were having threesomes with ice cream and brownies.”
“You really need new material.”
“How come you and her don’t come to the Den?” Annalise asked.
The lack of circulation stifled Kit. They couldn’t have this conversation via text, with Annalise far, far away? “Women go to the Den to meet other women. I don’t need to go there anymore, I found one.” She lurched past her friend and grabbed the knob. “Look, I’ll text you later and we’ll take in a movie or something.”
“You ashamed to be seen with her?”
“No. We work together.” Kit’s palm sweat against the brushed nickel.
Annalise shook a finger, taking her to task. “I know you too well, Kit. You’ll bop around the Den without a care in the world because you feel safe there. Anywhere else, and you’d pull your head into your shirt if you could.”
“That’s my business.” Kit wouldn’t face her.
“I bet Tish still doesn’t know you’re gay. Or maybe she thinks it and is waiting for you to confirm. What is scaring you, Kit?” Annalise sounded concerned now.
Kit stayed quiet, letting out a soft yelp when a knock on the other side startled her.
“You two okay?” Sid called.
“Yeah, sorry.”
“You coming out?”
Annalise snorted. Kit glared at her and left the bathroom.
“You know what would work in there? An automated soap dispenser,” Annalise said as though their serious talk neveroccurred. “You hold your hand underneath and it squirts. Don’t have to touch anything.”
Sid moved back to the counter. “I suppose it’s more sanitary, especially with kids making a mess.” She grabbed her purse and slung the strap over her shoulder. “Kit, I’m taking off. The front’s already clean and Tish said she’d count down the drawer since she’s waiting for Vinnie.” She paused, looking from woman to woman before slowly exiting. “I’ll see you, ah, later.”
“Hey, Sid, if you’re free it’s karaoke night at this bar I like. I plan to butcher some tunes and could use the support.” Annalise brushed past Kit, smirking over her shoulder. “I’ll even buy a drink to compensate for your projected hearing loss.”
