“Micky,” he groans before sucking my nipple into his mouth.
“Micky!” he yells.
“Micky!”
I bolt upright in bed and glare at my former best friend. That was the best dream, the same dream I’ve been having for months now! MONTHS!And she ruined it. It was just getting good!
“What?” I groan to Raquel, who is just staring at me from the doorway to the guest room.
“I made us appointments to get blowouts at six tonight and makeup at seven thirty,” she informs me.
I turn my head and see it’s eleven in the morning. I’d been up all night… until two studying.
“Why am I getting my hair and makeup done? Is there a prom I was unaware adults go to?” I say sarcastically
“No, bitch! We are going out to Club Silk.” My friend smiles at me like this is the best news ever.
“What the hell is Club Silk?” I’m afraid of the answer.
“It’s just like it sounds. They have acrobats who do tricks on silks that hang from the ceiling. Josh got us VIP passes and into the lounge!”
Josh is my replacement in Austin. I say this with all the love in my heart because I do, in fact, adore Josh. He and Raquel work together and have grown close in the last year.
When she first told me about him, I thought he was gay. I know that sounds bad, but hear me out. Raquel is gorgeous, blonde, tall and curvy. I mean, she doesn’t have my big ass, but she isn’t a stick figure. I’m straight, and I can say without any hesitation that Raquel is fucking stunning.
But Josh hasn’t put the moves on her at all. Since I got here, I’ve hung out with him almost every weekend, and not once has hehit on her, made a sexual advance, or even appeared jealous when another guy hit on her.
Once I saw his jaw tighten when a guy approached the table, but he had also just been hit on by another woman, so I couldn’t tell if he was annoyed with the girl or because Rock was getting hit on. But he went home with another girl, which was evidence enough that he wasn’t gay. I guess Raquel just isn’t his type, which makes no sense because she’s everyone’s type. I think my confusion is understandable.
“I don’t want to go to a weird stripper-not-a strip club.” I groan. Please don’t make me go.
Raquel glares at me with her hands on her hips. “Micky, you will go out. You have been here for two months and other than one other time, you have been a major sour patch kid.” That’s Raquel’s nice way of saying I’m a buzzkill. “You’re going out, and you’re going to kiss a boy tonight.”
I cringe. I don’t want to kiss a random guy! I hate random hookups. And besides that, all I can think of is a handsome cowboy I’m never going to see again. Not that he would date me, anyway!
The boards, that’s what I need to focus on!
But of course, she wins! Raquel is crafty. Not only did she schedule our hair and makeup, but she also set up an appointment for me to go shopping atMaxine’s to buy a new outfit. And she’s paying, so yeah, she wins. I’m not turning down a new dress! I might not like going to clubs, but I’m not crazy!
I get up and shower, and once I’m dressed, Raquel gifts me with another surprise!
“What is this?” I ask my best friend as I look around her living room.
Two women sit with pedicure bowls beside the single chairs.
“You deserve to be spoiled for a change,” Raquel says. “You always take care of everyone else; today I wanted to do something for you,” she adds sweetly.
Like an idiot, my throat begins to constrict and tears well up in my eyes. Raquel walks over to me and puts her arms around me. We look ridiculous; she’s so tall next to me! But I love her so much.
“Thank you,” I whisper, not knowing what else to say.
My dad was the one in the family who always made time for me. He wasn’t a huge gift giver, but I’m also not very materialistic. Dad spoiled me with his time and attention. And I devoured it.
After he passed, and Mom started to really spiral, I made sure we had groceries; I made sure she ate; I ensured she got to bed.
I was angry with her, but I made a promise to my father that I’d try with Mom. And if I wanted to continue living in her house, I was expected to cook and clean. That was the mandate she set if I wanted to stay in my childhood home not two months after my dad died.
I never told Jack. I never told anyone. But Raquel knew.
