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Jewel gave Lea a sheepish look because, yes, she would have in fact gladly gone inside and had that entire fight in front of everyone shopping. Embarrassment hit her last. It was definitely a good thing that he’d been on his way out. No one needed the only music teacher in town to cause a scene, but that had been exactly what she’d done.
Her cheeks burned. Covering her face with her hands, Jewel let out a groan as the full realization of the idiot she was hit her. She really needed to learn to control her temper better, but was it so much to ask that he break up with her in person? That he explain what she’d done that turned him off so much? Although, she was pretty sure she knew. It’d all happened four months ago, and everything had been downhill since.
“What happened?” Lea asked.
Jewel drew in a large breath before closing her eyes and leaning against the back cushion of the couch. “A lot of things. I guess we just drifted apart.”
She didn’t dare turn to look in Lea’s eyes. She couldn’t tell her what had happened, couldn’t even begin to find the words to explain it to her best friend, and if Lea saw her, she would know. They’d known each other for five years at that point, since Jewel had done her student teaching there. Lea had been one of the few teachers who was kind to her, an outsider, and she had been the main reason Jewel had even applied to work in the district when she’d found out her predecessor was retiring.
“Well, I don’t know much about relationships, but I’d think it was more than that to cause the argument I heard about today.” Lea gave Jewel a wan smile.
She really did not want to talk about it. With the way Brady had reacted, it would be worse if Lea abandoned her. Jewel wouldn’t be able to handle that, ever. She needed Lea. That much the last five years had taught her.
“I’m sure there’s more,” Jewel muttered. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”
“All right, well, I’m here if you do.” Lea gave her a sweet smile. “In the meantime, I started cookie bake, and I fully anticipate we’ll finish your stash of beer.”
Jewel gave her an echoing smile. “You’re too good for me.”
“Some days.” Lea winked. “I can go get more if you want, but I think we’ll get sufficiently drunk off what you have. Thank God he broke up with you on Friday.”
Jewel snorted. “Yes, how considerate of him.”
Another pitying glance from Lea was nearly her undoing. Luckily, Lea didn’t say anything, so Jewel was able to keep herself together. Before she knew it, the timer on the oven beeped. Lea jumped up from her seat and walked confidently into the kitchen. Jewel leaned forward to drag the coffee table closer to make it easier to gorge themselves.
Lea came out with the small cast iron skillet they’d bought specifically for this delicious treat sitting on an oven mitt. The cookie dough looked fully baked, but Jewel knew it’d be gooey and barely cooked in the center. Lea handed over a spoon as she sat, the ice cream she’d plopped on top of the steaming hot undercooked dough already melting.
“Dive in,” Lea stated before sliding her spoon into the delectable dessert.
Grinning, Jewel scooped up a bite and shoved it between her lips. She moaned around it. God, she forgot how good this stuff was. They didn’t eat it often and only together, but it was the perfect break up snack to devour. The beer was not made for cookie dough, but Jewel sucked down a sip to cool her now-burning tongue. Damn, she should have waited a second to blow on it before eating. Lea did exactly as she’d thought to do too late, those plump lips pursing together as she blew a stream of air onto the hot food.
Jewel dragged her gaze to Lea’s eyes and away from her mouth before flushing and gorging herself even more. Drown her sorrows. That’s what she would do. It took them thirty minutes to finish the cookie bake and rummage through the kitchen and pantry for more food. Jewel already felt the buzz from the beer.
Maybe starting their drinking at four in the afternoon hadn’t been a wise choice. It meant it was only nine at night and they were both already drunk. Giggling, Jewel grabbed another beer and shook her head. What the hell? It wasn’t every day she broke up with a boyfriend and got shit-faced with her best friend. Lea seemed to be into it, too. Her head spun as she walked, or rather, probably staggered, back to the couch and collapsed into it. The television played some show that neither of them really paid attention to.
Their conversation had moved from Brady to school to anything they could think of, and in between and back to Brady randomly when Jewel felt another particularly bad bout of hurt. By the time it was eleven, Jewel had to be done. The living room was littered with their mess, and it was a good thing she lived on her own.
Grabbing Lea’s hand, Jewel shook her head, which was a bad decision because the room spun so bad that it took her way longer than it should have to focus on Lea’s sweet face. She was so beautiful like this, completely free, drunk off her ass, smiling. Her eyes crinkled in the corners, and Jewel wondered how Lea had gotten more beautiful in the five years they’d known each other.
“Are you staying the night?” Jewel asked.
“Not driving home this drunk.” The pure tone of Lea’s giggle sent a shiver down Jewel’s spine.
“Come on then. I’m beat.”
“I bet.” Lea grinned. She leaned forward to grab the remote for the television and missed it by six inches and had to try again. Oh yeah, they were both shit-faced. Exactly what they’d wanted. Lea finally managed to find the button and turn the television off, casting them into shadow. The light in the kitchen was still on, but Jewel wasn’t going to bother. They’d probably need the light in the middle of the night when one or the both of them was puking. Hopefully that wouldn’t happen though.
Standing up, Jewel dragged Lea to her feet. She walked the short distance to her bedroom with Lea’s hand still in hers. Collapsing on her bed, she closed her eyes as the ceiling spun around her. Way too much beer for sure. Lea did the unexpected and climbed over Jewel to get to the other side of the bed. They both rustled around until they were under the covers. Jewel turned on her side, facing Lea, barely able to see her with no lights on.
“Thanks, Lea.”
“Any time. You know that, Jewel. Just next time, not in the grocery parking lot.”
Jewel chuckled. “I’ll try to avoid it next time.”
Lea sighed. “Remind me never to drink this much again.”
“Ditto.”
Neither said anything else as they fell into a quiet and restless sleep.
