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“Because you have been!
“Is because I have something interesting happening in my life and you’re impatient, is what I was going to say,” I grumble, pulling another piece of wax paper toward me.
Kiersten watches the excess chocolate drip from the peanut butter Ritz sandwich she’s dipping. “That may be true, however, it doesn’t excuse the fact you didn’t tell me right away, busy or not.
You could have called me. I would have driven through a freakin’ blizzard to hear you spill the deets on sex with that hottie.”
Chocolate splatters on my cheeks. The cookie I dipped slips back into the bowl.
“Are you a teenager? I swear, you’re a teenager.”
“Why?”
“Because who talks like that? Please stop before you refer to him as sex-on-a-stick.”
“I was going to say I wouldn’t mind a good jean-jerking with him.”
“You’re outrageous. What the hell is jean-jerking?”
“Oh, my dear sweet Cami. Your innocence astounds me.”
A chocolate-covered fork flies in her direction. “Drink your damn wine.”
“Jean-jerking is like dry humping.”
“So why not just say dry humping?” I lick the red wine from my lips. “Ugh. I don’t know why I’m even participating in this conversation.”
“This is why I wish you’d go on more dates. You get so flustered over the smallest sex talk.”
“I do not.” I mumble around the rim of my glass.
The oven alarm sounds, saving me from this conversation. The first batch of sugar cookies is done. I swap them out for the raw dough and place the cookie sheet on the stove grates to cool.
Kiersten and I are having our annual Christmas cookie bake-a-thon. Really, it’s an excuse to drink wine and unwind. We started the tradition when Evelyn was five and I hadn’t had a single day without her since she was born.
I worked so much that I felt guilty getting a babysitter, and even if I found someone to watch her, I didn’t have friends to hang out with. Once Kiersten entered my life, she took pity on my lack of social life and found me some kid-free time.
That morphed into her becoming Aunt Kiersten, and she took Evelyn off my hands whenever I needed a break. I owe so much of my sanity to her, but I mostly just pay her in free alcohol.
“You do.” She picks up the conversation where I hoped it stayed dropped. “Which I get. It’d be nice to see you try, though. You’re wasting a beautiful person on a life of loneliness.”
“I’m going to try.” I keep my eyes trained on the sugar cookies I transfer to the cooling rack.
“Wait, what?”
I shrug. “I said I’d try. This thing with Law is whatever the hell it is. Only time will tell. On the chance it doesn’t amount to anything, I’m going to remain open to dating. I won’t shut down and self-destruct.”
Kiersten squeals. “Oh, I can’t freakin’ wait to hear all your dating adventures. I’m open to hanging with Evelyn whenever you want to go out. Except, of course, if I have a date.”
“Which is basically every weekend.”
We grin at one another.
“Are you really happy, though? If things with Law don’t develop any further.”
“I’m about ready to kiss that possibility goodbye. I saw him around town with a woman in his truck. We haven’t talked in a while. We had this amazing, mind blowing sex and then… nothing. Not even a text.” The oven timer beeps again, so I move in that direction. “Seeing him again has been good, though. There’s some closure. And I am happy.”
She eyes me skeptically and pops a chocolate-covered pretzel into her mouth.
