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“We’re with you, not against you.”
“And the three of you think Mr. Big-Chin-on-a-Mountain is going to make me a real woman?”
“You’re already a real woman. We want you to be a real happy woman. If not Chaz, then someone else. Maybe Troy? He’s obviously interested in you if he wrote. All of us who have met him can vouch for what a great guy he is. Candy’s brother has been friends with him for a long time. And Justin—”
“I cannot do that again.” Her voice broke.
“Again? Troy?” Marie’s voice grew softer. “Does this have anything to do with that ‘male complication’ you were talking about the other day, Darcy?”
“No.” Her voice showed the strain. “Not ‘again’ with Troy, I meant I can’t do that again with men in general.”
“How did you like Esmee the other night?”
Darcy stiffened. She couldn’t know. “You three have me under surveillance?”
Marie chuckled. “Candy was pretty sure she saw you heading inside when she was there picking up Justin, who’d just left Troy at the bar. Maybe you saw him there without realizing who he was?”
Darcy closed her eyes. She could lie, but Candy would ask Justin, and Justin would ask Troy and who knew what he’d say?
“I had a drink with a guy. That was it.” Her voice had risen and thinned. She sounded exactly like the liar she was. “I didn’t know who he was. We didn’t exchange names.”
“No names? One drink? That was it?” Marie’s sweet voice was coaxing now.
“No, Marie, we went straight to a hotel afterward and had sex all night long.” She pulled off the sarcasm, but her hearty laugh faked for good measure fell absolutely flat. Shut up, Darcy. Just shut up. She’d done exactly what her sister’s three-year-old did. Mo-o-m, I didn’t just take a crayon and write all over the walls in the living room. “Isn’t that all in your spy report?”
“No spies, Darcy.” The gentle reproach brought Darcy near tears. Damn it. She didn’t want to feel this way. She didn’t want this to have happened to her just when she was feeling so strong and independent and untouchable. And she didn’t want friends who cared about her so much they made complete pains of themselves and threatened her well-being.
“Please leave me alone, Marie, all of you. This is my life, and it’s up to me how I live it.”
She hung up the phone, walked down the hall to her perfectly organized room, took one look at the flawlessly made empty queen bed and burst into painful tears.
5
TROY THREW DYLAN’S RUBBER BONE once again across his living room and into the kitchen. Dylan’s compact golden body raced after it; he ended its life fiercely for the umpteenth time with growls and head-shaking, then brought his prize proudly back to Troy. Who threw it again. And again. Bonding, exercise and a way to pass the endless ticking seconds.
After Troy had sent a short, simple email to “Foodie101,” he’d gone into his exercise room, headed straight for his weights and worked the hell out of his body. Exhausted, he’d showered, pulled on sweats, made himself something to eat, and only then allowed himself to check for a response.
None. Okay, too soon.
For two hours he’d watched a terrible TV movie about a single mom trying to stop gang wars in her neighborhood. Then checked email again.
Still no response, but using the Milwaukeedates.com software, he’d been able to see that she’d read his note.
Some progress. And increased restlessness. And hope. And dread.
Now, roughly twenty minutes later, he was still waiting for her reply. Or for her nonreply. With luck she’d put him out of his misery soon with a clear response. Yes, I’d like to see you again, or, No, I’d rather eat bugs.
Dylan bounded back from the kitchen, feathery tail wagging, red bone clenched in his mouth, which was surrounded by white fur, the only deviation from gold except for a few flecks of white on his ears that looked like splattered paint. Troy extracted the toy and threw it again. That time it didn’t make the kitchen, but bounced off the doorway and tumbled back onto the floor, landing only a few yards from where Troy was sitting. Dylan still pounced with furious excitement. Wouldn’t that be nice, when life events fell way short of expectations, to be so thrilled anyway? People could learn a lot from dogs.
