Page 98 of Semantics

“Arlowe, you can’t just invite the woman Violet is having sex with places,” Enya said.

“Well, Violet is being an idiot, and she knows it. She could’ve bought Stella a drink, danced with her, talked a little, and ended the night with a girlfriend or something, but she’s stubborn.”

“That’s what you took from our little talk this weekend?”

“Okay, full disclosure… I had about half that bottle of champagne and a beer, so I was feeling all the alcohol when I saw your phone on the couch. I thought it was a good idea at the time.”

“You know…” Violet pointed at Arlowe. “I’ve thought about finding Eline on social, like, a million times just to see if she’s single or not for you, but I haven’t done that because that’s something you have to want to do for yourself.”

“What? What does she have to do with anything?”

“She’s the only woman you’ve ever loved, and you still think about her, but you think she’s probably married by now, so you don’t look her up because it would hurt too much. I don’t want you to hurt, so I don’t look her up, either.”

“Well, thanks, Violet, but now I want you to think about something for a minute here.”

“What?”

“You just compared my old relationship, which, in the grand scheme of things, might not have been all that long but mattered to me a lot, to the woman you claim to only want to sleep with. I loved Eline. I would have done anything to get to have more with her, but I couldn’t seem to work out how. Maybe think about that before you get upset with me about inviting Stella tonight.”

Arlowe turned and walked back out to the dance floor.

“Do you want to go?” Enya checked. “Sarai is still dancing, but I can just text her that we went home.”

“Yeah, I think I’m done here,” Violet said. “Let’s go.”

CHAPTER 28

“You showed up?” Jen asked two days later over dinner.

“I did, yeah.”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“You were busy last night. I believe you texted me that you were going to FaceTime with your date for the whole night and you were going to cook dinner together.”

“I cooked dinner. She’s in a hotel, so she ordered room service, but I got to eat dinner with her, and she started off the evening wearing a robe but ended up without it.” Jen winked.

“FaceTime sex already?”

“Couldn’t help it. She’s hot. Here. Look.”

“What? No!” Stella held up her hands. “I don’t want to see your girlfriend naked.”

“Me neither, you weirdo. It’s a picture of the two of us from our first date. We’re both fully clothed,” Jen said as she held up her phone.

“You two look good together,” she replied.

“We do, don’t we?” Jen turned the phone back around and smiled at the image. “She’s so pretty… And she’s not my girlfriend yet, so if you meet her, do not say that in front of her.”

“Am I going to meet her?” Stella asked as she waited for Jen to stop staring at a picture of herself with the woman she was dating.

“Am I going to meet Violet?”

“Not the same thing. Violet and I aren’t dating.”

“Because you showed up uninvited to her party?”

“I thought I was invited. And you would’ve, too, if you’d been texting with her. At first, she tells you she’d talk to you tomorrow, which is now yesterday, but a few hours later, you get a text from her telling you where to find her and that she wants you to go celebrate with them.”