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He stood back with his arms outstretched and looked down and started to laugh. “It’s tired.”
“Is it?” she asked, chuckling. “I’m not surprised.”
“Happy but tired. How are you?” he asked, pointing.
“It’s never been better,” she said, laughing. “I’m happy.”
“Well, do you want to go to church with me?”
“Yes. If you’re sure I can go in those clothes.”
She pulled the sheets back and got out of bed. “Hi, Mickey,” Jason said, grabbing for her.
“I have to go,” she whined, pointing to the bathroom.
“Just come here for a second. I want a hug.”
Jason was a toucher. He hugged and held hands, spooned her in the night. She’d get used to it. So she let him hug her and she hugged him back. But nature called.
“I’ll be right back. I have to get into the shower, too.”
When she came out of the bathroom, naked and with a towel around her, Jason was waiting for her in bed. Holding the sheet up, he beckoned her to join him.
Coffee and the donuts they’d purchased the night before were ready for Lily when she came out of the bathroom for the second time, dressed and ready for church.
“I’m a slut,” she said, biting into a chocolate-frosted, cream-filled donut.
Jason swung around and glared at her. “Why the hell would you say a thing like that about yourself? Because you and I had sex?”
“Yes! I started that whole thing. I invited myself to stay here. Now I’m going to church to meet the parents. What do you think God thinks?”
He burst out laughing and went to her, pulling her up out of the chair. He wrapped his arms around her and picked her up off the ground again. “I’m pretty sure he doesn’t think you’re a slut. I’m a slut, then, too. You think he has separate rules for men and women?”
Sighing, Lily battled morning-after regret. She was with this great guy and wondered why, feeling unworthy of someone like him. It was the old self-confidence boogeyman. She tried to get back her flippant, law-student demeanor, which he seemed to like, the two of them bantering like sparring partners. Laying her head on his shoulder while he still had her off the ground, she felt safe there, protected and cherished.
“I’m sorry. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a relationship, never a serious relationship either, and after one weekend, this is about as serious as it gets.”
“It’s serious,” he said. “I think I love you.”
She picked up her head and looked him in the eye. He was serious. “Wow. I’ve never had I love you before.”
“You haven’t? I haven’t either. And we have a lot to talk about. Match Day is coming up soon. If I get a residency out of state, I’d want you to come with me. You could take the bar there if you wanted.”
“You already thought about that! I’m in a tizzy, as my mother would say.”
“It’s a lot, but I’ve been thinking about it all weekend,” Jason said. “We don’t have to do anything until March. And I might stay right here.”
“We’d better get going,” she said. “We don’t want to keep God waiting.”
“Poppy and John will be so excited. I’ve never introduced them to a girl. My mother told my sister she was worried that I was gay and afraid to come out to them.”
They bundled up for the walk and left the apartment, talking nonstop. Jason’s family waited for them inside the church, talking with friends they saw once a week. People who saw the article about Jason and Lily at the casino’s Christmas ball came up to the couple and congratulated them.
The service was lovely, and short. They slid out of the pew and walked single file out of the church. The restaurant was far enough from the church that they decided to drive over. Jason and Lily got into his father’s car. Mrs. Karas turned around to talk to Lily.
“I know your mother,” she said. “We’ve both been on the library used-book sale committee for the past five years. You look like her.”
“Do I? No one has ever said that before.”
